Pope: Priests Must Stay Celibate

AP via Yahoo via Drudge ^ | 4-20-2002 | NICOLE WINFIELD

[Notwithstanding]

In a strong message days before a summit of U.S. churchmen on a sex abuse scandal, Pope John Paul (news - web sites) II said Saturday that priests must live celibate lives and avoid scandalous behavior. Bishops, he said, must investigate such behavior and take action to end it.

[BlackElk]

That was, ofcourse, "flaming."

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

There was nothing in LadyDoc's post indicating what you accuse her of. She was speaking of the realities of life. Your comments were crude.

[Irene Adler]

I once was talking with a psychotherapist friend of mine and mentioned that my husband and I haven't had sex for years. She said "that's not terribly uncommon". There are loads of different reasons why many people, even married people, don't have sex. Calling LadyDoc frigid because she pointed this out to you was childish and uncalledfor. LadyDoc is a very valued poster on FR.

[Notwithstanding]

i thought you meant flaying!

[marajade]

"They make a free choice and take a vow of chastity."

But when celibacy was instituted by Pope Gregory that wasn't the case though was it? In around 1,000 Pope Gregory edicted that priests be celibate that those priests who were married were in effect divorced from their wives before they were allowed to serve. Then there is the issue of divorce and how the Catholic interprets when its allowed. My Bible says in Matt 5 that only adultry is cause for divorce. Why would Pope Gregory go against the Bible?

[Arkinsaw]

That's why conservatives are losers.

If LadyDoc couldn't take it then she should not have started down the "are you a pedophile/cheater/prostitute visitor" path. Sure his remarks were rude and crude and I wouldn't have made them....but then again he didn't fire off the first shot.

[De Fide]

I understand that priests may be married in the Eastern rite Catholic churches, but not in Latin rite Catholic churches. Except that the Vatican, according to news accounts, does not allow married Eastern rite priests in countries like the U.S. where the Latin rite predominates. What is the theological reason for this?

There was an informal agreement until a few years ago that Eastern Rite priests in the U.S. would be celibate as a general rule (obviously unenforceable for already-married immigrants). The Eastern Rite bishops then announced they would no longer accede to this expectation of the U.S. Latin Rite bishops.

As another poster has already noted, all Catholic bishops must be celibate, whether Eastern or Latin. Marriage remains optional for Eastern Rite clergy. Theologically, where the Church does not require celibacy for priests (Eastern Rite) the charism, or grace, of chaste celibacy may or may not be given and the call to the married or celibate state of life must be discerned by the candidate.

If they are going to marry, candidates for priesthood in the Eastern Rite must be married before receiving Major Orders (the diaconate and the priesthood). They may not marry after being ordained. (This also applies to Permanent Deacons in the Latin Rite. It seems a good rule; how awful to imagine a pastor eyeing his flock with wedding bells ringing in his ears....)

[Arkinsaw]

Calling LadyDoc frigid because she pointed this out to you was childish and uncalledfor.

But its okay to question someone who is unable/unwilling to follow the path of a priest voluntarily (while still admiring their fortitude) as to their pedophile/prostitute visitor/cheater leanings? Here is a hint, don't unfavorably and unfairly classify others sex lives unless you expect to have yours unfavorably and unfairly classified in return and in spades. It happens sometimes.

[roachie]

Aye. She'll still be here in 3000, and past that. This problem we have with priests causing strife now is just a ripple, but nothing will ever bring down the Church. Our Lord founded His Church and He said that things will come to try to bring it down but will not be successful.

[joanofarc]

Allowing Priests to marry does not solve the problem of gays invading our Seminaries or our Boy Scouts or any other young male institution that attracts homosexials.

They have to be classified as the DEVILS invading anything that affects our morals.

[De Fide]

p.s. I discern another point you may be making: If the Church does not require priestly celibacy universally, then how can some priests (Latin Rite) receive the charism of celibacy, and others (some Eastern Rite) not?

The answer is, that special charisms of this sort are given for the benefit of the Church (the whole Church or part of it), not the individual -- just as being understood by foreigners of another tongue, or just as prophecy (private revelation) also may be. The charism does not depend upon the individual (except they be disposed to receive it) but the needs of the Church.

The Holy Spirit responds to the need of the Church for celibate priests by manifesting the Gift of Celibacy within individuals, so they may answer their vocation and live it faithfully, for the greater glory of God.

(Testosterone levels are irrelevant -- apropos a different poster.)

[Romulus]

The sex drive like many other appetites (with the exception of eating) loses its pull on a person when they don't engage in it for a long period of time.

Speak for yourself.

[qwertyz]

The Pope's work on the Theology of the Body beautifully illuminates celibacy. Too bad it's not better known. Check it out here, then spread the word!

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

Scripture also deals with the issue of fornication which some of these cretins obviously don't know the definition of.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

No where in the Bible does it speak of celibacy. That is enough proof I need to say it isn't necessary.

You don't know the Bible very well. Tell me where it is written in Scripture that Scripture is all that is needed. Also tell me where one can find the words Trinity, Incarnation and Bible in the Bible. As for celibacy, see the following verses.

Matthew 19:12, 27-29

1 Corinthians 7:8, 32-33

These would be good for you to read, maybe for the first time, as well.

1 Corinthians 11:2

2 Thessalonians 2:15, 3:6

Since you're ignorant of where celibacy is written about in Scripture you're probably also ignorant of where fornication is written about in Scripture as well. You do know what fornication is, don't you?

[Notwithstanding]

What? The bible does not mention the bible?

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

More linguistic literalism. St. Paul is warning Timothy of the Gnostics, Marcionites, Encratites, Manicheans and other ancient heretics who absolutely condemned marriage. The Roman Catholic Church does not condemn marriage, but you already knew that, didn't you.

[Loyalist]

There are many references to Scripture in the Bible, but the word 'Bible' appears nowhere in any book of the Bible.

The canon of the Bible was not fixed until the 2nd century.

It seems a little odd to suggest that Our Lord came not to found the Church to give us the Bible, but to give the Bible upon which the Church would be founded, when not a word of the New Testament had been written at the time of His Ascension.

[joathome]

"I don't see the need for celibacy (I'm not Catholic), but even so, the current problem has more to do with inappropriate behavior (criminal also) than celibacy."

But I'm sure you realize the problem is more complicated than that. With the shortage of vocations over the last few decades, bishops feel a lot of presure to re-assign a priest who has engaged in inappropriate behavior, has serious addictions to alcohol or drugs, has other mental health problems, etc. That doesn't excuse anything. I, personally, think the bishops who coverup these criminal acts belong in jail.