[sinkspur]

As orthodox as a laicitized priest may claim or seem to be there is something very wrong with their perception of responsibility, the church and the priesthood.

As opposed to men who use the priesthood as a lair from which to lure children for sexual abuse?

As opposed to priests who, to compensate for "giving up" a wife, go to Las Vegas once a quarter, regularly put money on the ponies, and drown themselves in drink?

A guy who commits to celibacy at 25 is like a guy who marries at 18: he has a 50/50 chance of staying in his vowed state.

Why would you "distrust" a man who stuck his neck out, took a vow to God, but decided he couldn't do it?

Have you ever stuck your neck out for the Church?

[Codie]

Have you ever stuck your neck out for the Church?

Most days.Convert to the angelican church.

[american colleen]

A guy who commits to celibacy at 25 is like a guy who marries at 18: he has a 50/50 chance of staying in his vowed state.

Sinkspur, have you faith in the supernatural? Is there no room for God's grace and charism here or is it all up to us?

[Flying Circus]

The sins of those who remain in the priesthood are a separate issue and not relevant to this discussion.

Your cynicism about those who join the priesthood at a young age has the ring of someone who has lost faith in the grace of God to help them carry through in their vocation.

You have no place questioning me or anyone else about our sacrifices for our faith and our church.

Finally, for a long time I have deliberately refrained from ever directing any comments towards you. I find both what you have to say and the manner in which you say it distasteful. Please never direct any of your comments towards me again.

[Diva]

A guy who commits to celibacy at 25 is like a guy who marries at 18: he has a 50/50 chance of staying in his vowed state.

Do you have some statistics for this claim?

[patent]

>>>>>A guy who commits to celibacy at 25 is like a guy who marries at 18: he has a 50/50 chance of staying in his vowed state.

His chance of staying married is far, far higher if he considers God a necessary part of the Marriage, and if he obeys the Church and God with all his heart.

The mere fact that most young people have no interest in listening to the Church - and as a result break their vows so lightly - is not evidence that the Church should suddenly encourage others who have broken their vows.

>>>>>.Why would you "distrust" a man who stuck his neck out, took a vow to God, but decided he couldn't do it?

Your sentence adequately summarizes why I would distrust him.

patent

[fortunecookie]

A guy who commits to celibacy at 25 is like a guy who marries at 18: he has a 50/50 chance of staying in his vowed state.

Yes, but is it because the man who (maybe or maybe not celibate at 18) joins the priesthood at 25 has a 50% chance of making it, failing, if you will, because it was just inevitable that 50% fail? Or do they fail because they forget what used to be the STANDARD vows of CHASTITY, POVERTY AND OBEDIENCE?? Or at least the vow of CELIBACY? Even Eastern priests are called to be celibate, if not married before being ordained.

And let's not forget that there may be those priests who may never be known to us who have a onetime break in celibacy, confess and do penance, and renew their celibacy and stay faithful to the Church, their 'spouse'. They remember their vows.

Plus, the 50/50 marriage rate at 18 hasn't always been the norm. Only in the last few decades has the divorce climbed. What was the rate of priests leaving or forgetting their vows when the divorce rate was lower, say 20%? Is it that our modern generation has forgotten about vows and promises? Many people have been taken with our newer modern consumer-driven lifestyles, and even older priests are having their heads turned by materialism and leaving because they feel they are missing something.

All of these men, abusers, vegas partiers, and laicized priests have something wrong with their perceptions of responsibility, the Church and the priesthood.