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You might as well ask, how can a drug counselor give advice if he's never taken drugs.

The competent ones are always recovering addicts themselves. Trust me, I know.

Same reason lawyers never represent themselves or close family (if they're smart).

But they do hire other lawyers. The analogy fails there, I think.

I've seen marriage counselors who are bitter divorced women themselves advise women to end marriages for no better reason than their own private demons.

That's true, but irrelevant.

an old-fashioned Irish priest with 40 years under his belt, a gruff exterior and a heart of pure gold.

He sounds like a fine man. But personally I think getting advice about sex and marriage from someone who's never personally experienced either makes about as much sense as taking driving lessons from a blind man or asking a deaf mute to explain Beethoven.

Strictly my opinion.

Their was one Catholic priest I would have taken such advice from as he'd been married for 23 years and raised 4 kids before his wife passed and he joined the Priesthood.

He was a man who's advice could be trusted as he'd been there, done that, and had the T-shirt.

I was deeply saddened at Father Ed's passing. Even though I'm not Catholic he was a man whose opinion I valued and respected, and not just about matters matrimonial.

My best to you.

Well, the point is that they're recovered, not users.

Look at it like this. Almost any priest understands exactly what he's given up. They know sexual temptation, and sexual conflict, they've wrestled with those questions extensively as part of their formation. They aren't bloodless manikins. But they have dealt with it and sacrificed their personal gratification to be the spouse of the Church instead. So really in a way they have been there, but not any longer, just like your example of a better drug counselor.

That's yet another reason, by the way, that homosexuals shouldn't be priests. They do not sacrifice marital love, sex and children to serve God (in fact you could argue they're actually advancing the likelihood of gaining their desires). They don't even understand what they're giving up.

Sounds like Fr. Ed has a place with the angels. Best to you too.