First,for clarity:celibacy is a discipline, not a teaching. There are several married priests and deacons in communion with Rome.
This is relevant to the Pauline quotes. Disciplines can change; “new occasions teach new duties, time makes ancient good uncouth.”
Second, it’s not YOUR argument, but the Gnostic argument amounts to: rectangles have four sides; squares have four sides, therefore rectangles are squares. Until the Meiji Restoration in Japan, zen monks were celibate, therefore until that time Catholic bishops were Zen Monks?
Third, the “celibacy makes a haven for homosexuals” argument runs into the fact that it is among several denominations which permit matrimony that homosexual activity and marriage are being legitimized.
YES, especially some years ago when candidates for ordination were slapped into seminaries as if into greenhouses when they were in their mid-teens, that culture could and did offer some pathological refuge to boys and men who were, um, conflicted about their sexuality.
But in the early 70’s there were many Episcopal priests and seminarians who were homosexual and who mingled in a culture that promoted matrimony.
It’s interesting: I knew personally two Episcopal bishops who studiously ignored serial heterosexual adulteries among their priests, and one seminary professor who preyed (or, at least, attempted to prey) on the female students. It was swept under the rug and he was later made a bishop.
I also know that NO practical advice, cautions, prudential wisdom were offered in seminary. When female parishioners started hitting on me at first I couldn’t figure out what was going on and then I was staggered! Fortunately I picked up that for some women a priest is kind of a challenge.
People are weird, gang, and none of us has too much of a clue.
People are weird, gang, and none of us has too much of a clue.