Time to Abolish Clerical Celibacy

The author is correct in that clerical celibacy is not biblically mandated. The practice was instituted when monastic orders (i.e. Franciscans, Dominicans) took majority power in the church. That being said, the author is a complete idiot to suggest that FORCED celibacy causes deviant sexual behavior. Celibacy isn't forced upon Catholic priests. Catholic priests choose the life of celibacy. It is a sacrifice. It is an offering to God. Celibacy (like much monastic thought) is a way of trying to imitate the life of Jesus to better serve the flock. It is because of celibacy in the Catholic church that many homosexuals and pedophiles are drawn to it. Many of these men are tormented by their behavior and they seek a life of celibacy and piety to cure it. The only problem is, when so many of them are together in the same place (i.e. seminary), they tend to gravitate toward one another. This author's thesis may be correct when celibacy was first instituted in the 1200s. I wrote a thesis on how the European witch trials and their manifesto, the Malleus Mallificarum were direct results of the institution of celibacy in the Catholic church and the need for men, who were previously not inclined to do so, had to repress their sexuality. But the author's thesis does not hold up once that generation had past. After the institution of celibacy, those called to the service of God knew exactly what they were getting into . . . and, also knew, though frowned upon, that they could leave at any time.

After the institution of celibacy, those called to the service of God knew exactly what they were getting into . . . and, also knew, though frowned upon, that they could leave at any time.

Before Vatican II, a priest who wished to leave the priesthood had to go through a years-long, drawn-out request process directly to the Vatican. Application for "laicization" was NOT a guarantee of acceptance, either. In the "good old days" wanting to marry was often an impediment to one's application.

While it's true that in the modern era a man could go AWOL on his own; if he were a believing Catholic he would realize that he was in a state of mortal sin. After Vatican II, applications flooded the Vatican and hundreds of thousands of priests left the priesthood yet remained Catholics in good standing with the Church. Obviously those who left Catholicism entirely just shook the dust from their feet and were out the door.

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