As the wind whipped the leaves around the parking lot this morning on my walk over from Mass I found myself reflected on all the controversy "whipped up" in the church these past years by incidents all related, one way or another, to celibacy. I do not wish to suggest that all the scandals we have experienced are the direct result of clerical celibacy; I do, however, believe that many of these sexual scandals are exacerbated by the culture of celibacy. Don't get me wrong. I have great respect for the spiritual discipline of celibacy. But more and more I question whether making it mandatory for diocesan priests is the wisest policy.
Personally I think that Eastern Christianity has it right. Mandatory celibacy is the province of the monastic life, where it is by definition necessary. The parish clergy, for the most part, is married. Bishops are chosen from the monastics and thus are celibate. The reasons for this arrangement make abundant sense. In the monastery one has a built-in "family," a ready-made support network. In the parish, the priest is permitted the support of a wife and family.
Are there problems in Churches with a married clergy? Certainly! Would making celibacy optional solve all the pressing problems of the Catholic Church? Most assuredly not! But I can't help but think that it would make a difference.
About Me
- Fr. Charles Ledderer
- The Dakotas, USA
- Hi! I am a Catholic priest new to this thing they call "cyberspace." I thought I'd take a shot at expresses my opinions and sharing them with all the world.
8 comments:
I disagree.
While it is important to note that it is indeed a discipline, and thus can change, I don't think changing this discipline would help at all; in fact, I fully believe it would open up a LOT more problems!
I base this on a couple things: first, as a woman, I would not want to be married to a priest. Why? Because Marriage is its own Vocation, thus the family life should come first. But the priest/husband would be constantly called to serve the larger parish family, to the detriment of his own. Certainly, sacrificial love is important to any family (thus I would be willing to be married to, say a Deacon), but the priesthood is an entirely different thing.
A friend of mine, an Evangelical Protestant Pastor, revealed that he saw the conflict while he was doing full-time ministry, and realized his true Vocation; that to his wife and children.
Other matters; financial. God knows Catholics in so many places are stingy. Who would support the family?
One thing that should really be expanded upon (in a different post) if you can; you bring up the support network provided by a family. And that's very important. Do you see a way within the current system of Celibacy that would allow the parish to better support you in that Vocation?
Where DON'T you have support that you wish people would recognize?
Thanks for your comment. BTW, your blog is one of the GOOD. I enjoy reading what you write.
I used to think a lot more along the lines of what you said here. But time has a way of changing one's perspective. Seeing good priests leave because they no longer want to "be alone," hearing countless young men say they would definitely consider the priesthood "if they could marry," and facing the prospect of being worked to death as the corps of priests shrink has caused my view to evolve over the past several years.
From what I see, many men feel quite isolated out there. The support of the parish community doesn't necessarily alleviate the sense of loneliness. Certainly a deep prayer life is necessary (without that no one would last) but even very devoted, prayerful men sometimes "throw in the towel."
Others try to deal with their loneliness in quite unhealthy ways. Alcohol is all too often abused. Some priests become obsessed with their "toys" and other material possessions. And celibacy in many instances isn't being lived. It isn't unusual for a man, be he gay or straight, to at some point fail in that department. Some have longterm, "secret" relationships. And in some parts of the world celibacy is joke; it is regularly violated and officialdom just looks the other way.
I am not implying that there aren't good men living celibate lives, fulfilled in their vocation. These would be the ones who have been authentically called to the celibate life by God. But there are many who, based on the evidence at least, appear not to have been truly called.
My chief concern here is that things are quickly reaching a crisis stage. In many Diocese a large "bubble" of priests is rapidly approaching retirement age. In a few years the Catholic landscape in many places is going to look startlingly different. And I can imagine a snowball effect; there could be guys who leave simply because they can't deal with the pressures that are going to placed upon them, further exacerbating an already bad situation.
I really believe the Church has to look honestly at this question.
I do understand what your saying, esp. from the point of view of being alone. And every so often I am hit with various temptations surrounding that issue; that's the human condition, is it not?
And while on one hand I understand that priests are human as anyone else, and realize that in some places celibacy is a joke, well, why hold them up as an example of why it doesn't work? I see that as more of an issue with regard to formation - which points straight to the seminaries and the screening process. I've heard stories of men who have fled certain seminaries...you've heard these stories too, no doubt, and probably in greater detail.
I just don't see changing the discipline to meet the lowest common denominator as an option. The Church exists to save our souls...those of priests included! And celibacy, lived out faithfully in that Vocation is a gift not only to the priest himself, but to everyone else, esp. when we see him and recognize what he is giving up as well as that unspoken sense of solitude. THAT is sacrificial love!
As I'm going through my classes, it is helping me to understand this concept more; sacrificial love. What we won't do because we love someone else more than that thing we desire or that act we desire to do.
My answer, then, from that perspective, revolves around better formation, not changing the discipline.
Locally, our seminary used to be in poor shape, but they've turned it around, and now it's BURSTING at the seams. All because of faithfulness.
People want a faith they can die for. Men go into the seminary because they see a Truth they are willing to die for, and many are entering, having already lived out the empty life of secularism. God is always something more than this earth and all its pleasures will ever be able to provide.
Just recently I was musing about that question people like to ask Singles, men or women. "Why aren't you married?" (Dumbest. Question. Ever. Don't ever ask it.)
Well, how to respond charitably. And the answer came to me; two pronged: 1. I'm not willing to settle, and 2. I haven't met a guy who can even hold a candle to Jesus.
You HAVE Jesus. Awesome. Beyond words, and He himself acts through you in the Sacraments. Profound.
So priests are having that battle described by Paul; the spirit at war with the flesh.
Formation, formation, formation, prayers prayers prayers. (By us, for all of you).
We need to pray more. We need to sacrifice more.
I realize you may think all I've said here is trite, and perhaps it is. For now, the my idealism hasn't been completely jaded out of me, so I'm taking advantage of it! :-)
I can see that "loneliness", especially in the rural areas of the Dakotas and of Minnesota must be very difficult for a priest.
And not all priests are "social butterflies" who can make friends quickly (also true in the big cities, too). I would expect that there are lonely priests in Minneapolis and St Paul.
But when you are 50 or 100 miles from your confreres (the Diocese of Anchorage has only 14 diocesan priests), even if you were gregarious you might not be able to make friends easily.
Blogging is one answer, by the way.
But, interestingly enough and I speak from experience, it is almost impossible to get bloggers together as a group for coffee or a beer or anything like that.
Setting up groups, attending classes and having regular meetings are some ways to combat the problem. I talked to one local priest who had set up a group with some other who ALWAYS met on Mondays for a long lunch and some other activities.
Maybe the rural dioceses should provide an extra transportation allowance (or flying lessons) for those in the boonies. I believe all the rural priests in Anchorage fly their own planes to their various missions.
With respect to your "double posting your comment "as a comment and your post", I've not seen that before. But it's not a bad idea. But then you end up with with replying with comments in two different places.
You might be better served with just a short post with a link to your comments section of the original message (and if you are knowledgeable with HTML coding, you can make a link to a specific location within your comments, I believe.)
I think there are many Catholics who would not be opposed to a category of married priesthood. Anglican priests who have come into the Church are married and seem to do well. The Eastern Uniate Churches allow married clergy don't they? (I know the Orthodox do as you mentioned.)
The difficulty in the Eastern Churches is they must be married before ordination, as I understand it - a Melkite seminarian told me he would have to marry before ordination - and I think he was Melkite.
It remains the discipline of the Roman rite and I, who have no say in the matter, accept it. However, it isn't a sin to disagree or be open to the idea of optional celibacy.
I've known some very good men who left orders to be married. They would still be wonderful priests and pastors.
Parish life and parishoners do not exactly satisfy a man's desire for companionship. Having worked in a parish in Boston, I always wondered how the priests could endure living where they worked - which proved to me I did not have a vocation.
I like your honesty Father.
I have a book called "God Alone Suffices", by Slawomir Biela, which really takes a look at real life and our relationship to God. And why He should be enough.
There are parts specifically for single and married, so this is a book for everyone. Even from a single perspective, reading about marriage and how it's not an answer, well...it has helped form my attitude also with relation to celibacy. (As in the priesthood or religious life).
From what I understand, although I haven't researched it, other Catholic rites have stated that marriage isn't necessarily an answer there, either.
And just to go on record and second what has been said about how someone would view your position on this...well, ignore them. The celibacy requirement can change. Period. And we are all called to obedience so if Papa changes the rule, I'll support what he says with all my might.
I read all of the comments, as a 77yo man who left the priesthood in 1966 to earn aliving and raise a family. I am actively involved as a layman in my parish. I am working hard to persuade people to accept their coming responsibilities as Lay Presiders at Eucharist. The Holy Spirit is hard at work emptying the seminaries while increasing the numbers of the faithful. Remnants of the male celibate clergy will always be with us and they deserve our gratitude for their sacrifices over the ages. The old order passes....We can no longer justify voluntary celibacy as an obstacle to the Eucharist. It does not make sense and Christ NEVER proposed it.
How much longer will we try to justify voluntary celibacy for those who preside at Eucharist in the Western Latin church?
We are fast approaching the need to allow non-ordained to preside at Eucharist, just as it was done in the early church.
Marriage is not a panacea for the clergy shortage, but it is foolish in the extreme for Rome to insist that there is no other way. And there is so much work to be done to prepare people for the exercise of the powers received at Baptism. No one suggests outlawing celibacy. But it should not be allowed to serve as an obstacle to the availability of the Mass.
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