Is Priestly Celibacy Psychologically Dangerous? (Catholic Caucus)

ROME, MARCH 8, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Priestly celibacy is not psychologically dangerous, and in fact, sexual behavior based on "anything goes" is what is truly destructive to the personality.

This is the affirmation made by Dr. Aquilino Polaino Lorente, a physician and psychiatrist who teaches courses on psychopathology at the University of St. Paul in Madrid.

The psychiatrist -- best known for his work in children's and family psychology -- was a speaker at the two-day conference held last week at Rome's Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.

The conference, "Priestly Celibacy: Theology and Life," was sponsored by the Congregation for the Clergy as an event for the Year for Priests.

ZENIT spoke with Polaino about his view that a correct understanding of sexuality leads to a correct understanding of celibacy for the Kingdom of God.

ZENIT: Is priestly celibacy psychologically dangerous?

Polaino: It's not dangerous at all because perhaps it blends very well with what is the realistic anthropological structure of the human condition. Celibacy has its difficulties of course given that human nature is somewhat deteriorated and fallen and all the dimensions must be integrated.

It seems to me that open sexual behavior is more dangerous, not normative in that anything goes; I believe that has consequences that are more destructive of the personality than celibacy well lived in its fullness, without ruptures or breaks.

ZENIT: What does a priest need in order to be faithful to his vow of celibacy all the days of his life?

Polaino: The tradition of the Church has a multitude of counsels that can be put into practice and that are effective, for example, protecting one's heart and sight. What is not seen is not felt. Not that one must be looking at the ground; one can see without looking. This ensures the cleanliness of the heart and also the living of the first commandment which is to love God above all things. Flies do not enter a pressure cooker. A satisfied heart does not entertain stinginess or fragmentation.

ZENIT: Do you think that the hedonist culture of this new century, so widespread in the media, influences the fact that some priests are not faithful to their vow of celibacy?

Polaino: It's possible, because priests also have the frailty of the human condition. I think we must focus more on the huge number of priests faithful to their vocation. The exceptional also happens in priestly life but it is exceptional. Although periodically it might be very appropriate to address the exception, we cannot be blind to the immense majority of priests who are loyal, who live their vocation to the fullest, who are happy, to whom the world owes happiness. This must be emphasized.

ZENIT: Can a correct view of sexuality give a correct view of the celibate life?

Polaino: Yes. I believe sexuality today is a very confused function, it is a faculty about which there are more errors than points of agreement with what human nature is. And perhaps it is a program to teach and impart in all ages because as it is one of the fundamental pivots of human life, if it is not well looked after, if people are not well formed, what they will experience is the reigning confusion. This affects seminarians as well as young people and engaged couples about to be married. Today that education is an education for life. It is a subject that at times is badly taught because errors are taught and that means to confuse even more, instead of explaining the subject with a scientific rigor that is founded on human nature.

ZENIT: What does it mean that a priest is called to be a spiritual father?

Polaino: I believe that is one of the topics that has been least reflected upon. Spiritual paternity must also be lived by biological parents and many of them have never heard anything about this. Spiritual paternity is, in a certain way, to live all the works of mercy, to console the sad, to ransom the captive, to be hospitable, to affirm the other in his worth, to avoid creating problems for him and to encourage and motivate him so that he will grow personally, to stimulate the appearance of values that he already has because they came to him with his nature but perhaps he has been unable to identify them or make them grow. I think this world is an orphan of that spiritual paternity and maternity, and I think it is a dimension that the priest already lives without realizing it.

ZENIT: Can the celibate life make this spiritual paternity more fruitful?

Polaino: Necessarily yes because there is more time and more availability. If the final objective is union with God, spiritual paternity takes on greater meaning because it is the best image of the divine paternity in the contemporary world; hence [the celibate person] is like a mediator and to the degree that he lives the divine filiation, he will also lives spiritual paternity very well.

That Cardinal is a progressive of the worst order. Does not surprise me that he's for married priests.

The progressives (enemies within the Church) created the problem by rejecting the good MEN, and letting in all the liberals and homosexuals, which chased away any good men that passed the first step. They chased away altar boys (future priests?) and replaced them with girls and lay women. The whole purpose of the scheme, was precisely to create a priestly shortage, so they could bring in the married priest card, and then TOTALLY wipe out the priesthood.

Good Catholics get what they pray for. Catholics who are indifferent, CINO, and fallen away, get what they ask for. We have bad clergy today because that is what the majority of baptized Catholics wanted. They wanted priest that act like any lax Catholic layman, that are “birth control, no mass, no confession, you are all good, and going to heaven” priests. That;’s what they got! A punishment from God.

Saint John Eudes said that when God is angry with His people, He sends them bad priests as a chastisement.

Here is what he wrote in his book, The Priest, His Dignity and Obligations:

“The most evident mark of God’s anger and the most terrible castigation He can inflict upon the world are manifested when He permits His people to fall into the hands of clergy who are priests more in name than in deed, priests who practice the cruelty of ravening wolves rather than charity and affection of devoted shepherds ...
“When God permits such things, it is a very positive proof that He is thoroughly angry with His people, and is visiting His most dreadful anger upon them. That is why He cries unceasingly to Christians, ‘Return O ye revolting children ... and I will give you pastors according to My own heart’. (Jer. 3:14,15) Thus, irregularities in the lives of priests constitute a scourge upon the people in consequence of sin.”4
Saint John Eudes warns us that as punishment for man’s sins, God will send us priests who are not according to His own heart, who have a different spirit from that of the Sacred Heart of Our Lord, who have a different heart from that of Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart.

Welcome to Free Republic and than you for that post!

I reside in a diocese shepherded for the past 30+ years by a very progressive bishop. Over the years, I have heard from several young men that they were turned down for the seminary because they did not support women's ordination. That's right ... that is one of the questions they were asked when they appeared before the diocesan board. Needless to say, the number of priests has dropped significantly (retirement and death). The bishop has now turned several parishes over to Lay Ecclesial leaders (usually women) and placed some of his remaining priests in cars to drive to those parishes during the week in order to consecrate a sufficient number of hosts for their weekend, priestless masses.

Several years ago, I began battling liturgical abuse in my parish. That priest wanted to introduce liturgical dance into his parish and asked the Director for Religious Education to find some volunteers among the Confirmation candidates ... my students. I confronted him on the issue, pointing out that liturgical dance was banned by the bishops. I eventually brought this to the bishop's attention. He sent it to the Director for Liturgy and Divine Worship, who wrote back in support of the priest. Undaunted, I wrote a 2nd time, quoting canon law. That ended the confrontation. Not surprisingly, there were other abuses. None of the other parishioners cared about them for fear they would lose their priest.

Eventually, I just could not take it anymore. I asked our Lord to guide me to "a holy priest, a reverent liturgy and a community in need of whatever my God-given gifts". That day I compiled a list of other parishes within a certain radius of home. At the recommendation of another freeper, I included 2 Eastern Catholic Churches. Each Sunday I would attend mass at a different RC parish, always repeating that prayer. Eventually, one of the Eastern (Maronite) Catholic Churches surfaced on the list. A bit nervous, I set off to experience that liturgy. While waiting for Mass to begin, I prayed the rosary and, once again, the prayer I had composed.

On that March 7th Sunday, exactly 6 years ago, I was moved to tears of joy by the beauty of their liturgy. When I left the church that day, I was enrobed in peace. The following Sunday, I had planned to continue with the list but opted to return to the Maronite Church. Once again, peace engulfed me. It was accompanied by a desire to help them build a bigger church. Over these past 6 years, I have been asked to join the women's sodality, the parish council, the centennial committee, and be the Director for Religious Education. Interestingly enough, the pastor had purchased a 160 year old, former Methodist/Episcopal Church and needed help in financing its restoration. I went through state programs to have the property recognized as a historic landmark and that qualified us to apply for a matching grant to restore the stained glass windows. More than 400 applications were submitted for only 16 grants. When the winners were announced, we were on the list!

I can't help but recognize how our Lord works through us to accomplish His plans. Sincerely seeking a new parish, I heeded His command: "Seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you". In praying for that much needed grant, I recalled the words of St. Paul: "If God is for you, who can be against you?".

In the midst of such a progressive diocese, a beacon of light shines. How grateful I am for God's gift in my life.

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