"The notion being: Separate yourselves from the worldly and focus on the transcendent. As the demand for the sacraments increased, these men were abstaining from sex all the time. Thus, like all things in the Church, a practice rooted in tradition evolved over time and eventually was codified into law."
....these men were abstaining from sex all the time. ..... GUESS NOT!!!! But it would have been a GOOD IDEA if they had!