INTRODUCTION

    It seems that whenever anyone gets involved with a discussion about the Church, the issue of the decline in vocations occurs. With that, the standard remedy is given as allowing women priests and a married priesthood. It's as if the two are joined at the hip, inseparable. If you get one, you get the other. But they aren't. They're entirely different issues. Women can't be priests as a deposit of faith, that is, Christ didn't have women apostles, He didn't ordain women, even Mary, as an Apostle. He did have women disciples who were heavily involved in various ministries of the Church, like Phoebe and Lydia, but not as ordained priestess'.

    The married priesthood is not such as issue, it's a part of Canon Law, a discipline, which can be changed. Peter was married, many of the Early Church Fathers were married. In fact, the celibate priesthood didn't come into effect until much later. "It's remarkable how determined some media and other people are that we priests should be married. How they sympathize with us over the supposed cruelties of celibacy being imposed upon us by a Pope who purportedly has no understanding whatsoever of the compassion of Jesus." (CELIBACY ISN'T THE PROBLEM by Cardinal John J. O'Connor)

    The reasons are simple and Biblical. It works better that way.

    In the New Oxford Review, I read one editorial asking why we couldn't have married priests. After all, the Eastern Orthodox have them and it works fine. It also appears to work fine for Protestant ministers. But does it? In a recent editorial, I read from a man who was the son of a Protestant minister. He praised his father as a servant of God. His preaching was first rate, his love and concern for his parish was first rate. He was the perfect servant of God. But his family suffered. His son was angry because it seemed to him that his father cared more for his parish 'family' than his own. He would make time to help another family, but seemed to have little time for his son, or any part of his real family. This was a tragedy, no doubt about it. But this is one of the things that points to a celibate priesthood.

    "I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord; but the married man is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried woman or girl is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please her husband. I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord" (1 Corinthians 7: 32-35).

    St. Paul sees the almost inevitable conflict of interest in a married priesthood or religious life. He doesn't make it a requirement, simply because it isn't up to him (and he knows this) to make it so. Now, the wives of these ministers have to be very special people. It takes a lot to enter into a relationship, a marriage, knowing that, essentially, you'd have to be number two to your husband's job. We see a lot of these sorts of marriages, and see many of them fail. The Navy, or military, wife, who knows that she isn't going to see her husband for months at a time while he's at sea; or the soldier's wife who knows that at any moment, he (or she) may be whisked away to God knows where, for God knows how long; and putting their lives at risk. But these marriages do have success stories, and often it's because the spouses of these people go into it knowing what they're getting into, free of any allusions. But for even them, it's hard. But the children of these marriages don't enter into knowing the 'ground rules'. All they know is that Daddy is a stranger, that they can't be sure he'll be there to see their baseball game or watch their recital, or play. This, as with the fellow above, leads to sentiments of anger and estrangement. In short, a married priesthood is almost set up to fail. It wouldn't mean we'd have fewer headlines about pedophile priests or priests who are sex offenders. It just means that we'd have newer headlines of children of priests getting into trouble. Studies have shown that the married minister in Protestant churches are just as likely as celibate Catholic priests, to be sex offenders.

    "One of these is simply outrageous, namely that it would end such tragedies as pedophilia. And this after all that has been published on this horror, all the statistics gathered? Are those who propose this unaware that most sexual abuse, including pedophilia, apparently occurs within families, not excluding parental abuse of children and younger by older siblings? Do they not know that married and single people of all walks of life are accused of perpetrating such abuse on children and other minors? No one has ever been able to correlate celibacy with sexual abuse. Some sexual abuses have been perpetrated by some priests. That's tragic. But it has not been the fault of celibacy……Some priests are tempted to engage in sexual relations with women. Marriage, it is said, would cure their temptations. Perhaps in some cases. But are no married men tempted to be unfaithful to their wives? Are none of the huge number of divorces in the US attributable to 'sexual incompatibility'? Human nature is weak. Would a priest who married a particular woman never again have 'sexual problems'? That is, would he lose his humanity, hence, his weakness?" (CELIBACY ISN'T THE PROBLEM by Cardinal John J. O'Connor)

    So the notion that we'd eliminate these sexual predators with a married priesthood is to ignore the facts and reality. "The disciples said to Him, 'If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is not expedient to marry.' But He said to them, 'Not all men can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given. For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of Heaven. He who is able to receive this, let him receive it'" (Matthew 19:10-12).

    There's also the notion that, if we allow married priests, men would flood the seminary wanting to become priests. Again, reality wouldn't justify this notion. Where would they live? With what money? As of now, most priests live in a rectory, a religious barracks of sorts. Just as a married soldier can't live with his wife and children in barracks with the rest of his unit, a priest couldn't live with other priests in a rectory. He'd have to have a place of his own. How is he going to pay for it? A priest isn't exactly a rich man. In fact, compared with other professions, he's poorly paid. Many parishes have priests using their own money in an effort to keep the parish running. For many, it's difficult to make ends meet to pay the bills for maintaining the parish, imagine also having to maintain a home. Yes, the wife could work to help, but here again we run into problems. We see many children feeling neglected by being 'latch key' kids. As their parents go off to work, they're dropped off at day care. Then, as they go to school, they get home before their parents do. Estrangement from their parents sets in again, and problems crop up. And we may well begin to hear, "If he (the priest) can't take care of his own family, why should we believe he can care for the parish?"

    Now, there are successful married priests, (such in the Episcopal Church and some Eastern rites) but it seems they're more the exception than the rule. "He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon" (Luke 16:10-13). "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon" (Matthew 6:24).

    A married priesthood would have the same effect, essentially setting up two 'masters', his vocation as a priest, and his vocation as a husband. Consider what Christ told the rich man. "'Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?' And He said to him, 'Why do you ask Me about what is good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.' He said to Him, 'Which?' And Jesus said, 'You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' The young man said to him, 'All these I have observed; what do I still lack?' Jesus said to him, 'If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven; and come, follow Me.' When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions" (Matthew 19:16-22).

    "But I know other priests who are unhappy for reasons quite unrelated to celibacy. It's the human condition and again priests are not exempt. Marriage would not change it. We all struggle to be happy, but priests seem to hear in a special way the words of Christ to the rich young man: 'If you would be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor. Then come follow me.' We are told in the Scriptures that the young man turned away sorrowing, because he had many possessions. And Jesus, too, was sad, because He had loved the young man and hated to see him lose what might have been his - not his soul, but a very special friendship with Jesus.

Most priests, most men and women religious, have never had to give up great material wealth to follow Jesus in this special way. Most of us come from families of very modest means. But we are asked by Jesus, to give up that which can be worth far more than money or other possessions, the love of a good wife, the pleasure of happy, healthy children of our own, a home that is ours, truly ours. For some, it's harder than for others. Some turn away sorrowing, because they love Jesus and He loves them." (CELIBACY ISN'T THE PROBLEM by Cardinal John J. O'Connor)

    Was Christ chastising the rich man for not following him? Not really, He was asking him to take the next step. To leave everything behind to follow Him and be His servant. This is what the Church asks of her priests, to be perfect followers of Christ. To sacrifice having a wife and children, but to gain hundreds, even thousands more, as their spiritual father in a parish. To forgo wealth and earthly honor for the wealth and honor of God and Heaven.

    So, on a purely practical level, religious celibacy is not a hindrance but a blessing, a gift, as well as a discipline. But this is not how many want us to view it. To listen to them, and the world, chastity and celibacy are not only wrong, but unhealthy. This is nothing new. "All at once Vigilantius, or, more correctly, Dormitantius, has arisen, animated by an unclean spirit, to fight against the Spirit of Christ. and to deny that religious reverence is to be paid to the tombs of the martyrs. Vigils, he says, are to be condemned; Alleluia must never be sung except at Easter; continence is a heresy; chastity a hot-bed of lust…And now this tavern-keeper of Calagurris, who, according to the name of his native village is a Quintilian, only dumb instead of eloquent, is mixing water with the wine. According to the trick which he knows of old, he is trying to blend his perfidious poison with the Catholic faith; he assails virginity and hates chastity; he revels with worldlings and declaims against the fasts of the saints; he plays the philosopher over his cups, and soothes himself with the sweet strains of psalmody, while he smacks his lips over his cheese-cakes; nor could he deign to listen to the songs of David and Jeduthun, and Asaph and the sons of Core, except at the banqueting table. This I have poured forth with more grief than amusement, for I cannot restrain myself and turn a deaf ear to the wrongs inflicted on apostles and martyrs." (ST. JEROME AGAINST VIGILANTIUS)

    "Now, however, We want you to rally to combat the abominable conspiracy against clerical celibacy. This conspiracy spreads daily and is promoted by profligate philosophers, some even from the clerical order. They have forgotten their person and office, and have been carried away by the enticements of pleasure. They have even dared to make repeated public demands to the princes for the abolition of that most holy discipline. But it is disgusting to dwell on these evil attempts at length. Rather, We ask that you strive with all your might to justify and to defend the law of clerical celibacy as prescribed by the sacred canons, against which the arrows of the lascivious are directed from every side. " (Pope Gregory XVI 15 August 1832 On Liberalism and Religious Indifferentism MIRARI VOS (On Liberalism and Religious Indifferentism)

    In Pentecost Sunday's Second Reading, we read: "...no one can say 'Jesus is Lord' except by the Holy Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12:3). This doesn't mean that God, the Holy Spirit, keeps one from saying Jesus is Lord, but rather that the person feels and acts as Jesus is Lord. When we hear of people attacking the Church on issues such as priestly celibacy, women priests, even abortion and artificial contraception, etc. are they saying "Jesus is Lord"? Aren't they really saying "I am Lord"!?!

    Some of you may have had the alternative second reading, but it speaks to this as well. "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you would. But if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" (Galatians 5: 16-24).

    With all the rhetoric, with all the false arguments about stopping pedophilia, sexual predation, that it's unhealthy (ever read about anyone dying of celibacy?), etc., the fact is that the basis of their argument is "MY will be done."

    Not that there aren't those priests who find celibacy a burden. "Make no mistake. We have some priests who are unhappy because they may not marry and continue to function as priests. I understand that and feel for them very sincerely. Their unhappiness is no reason either to condemn them or to abolish celibacy. I meet with a certain number of them; any who wish. I talk very sympathetically with them because I honestly feel their suffering. Ultimately, some are dispensed and do marry, some happily, some unhappily. I understand them. I don't like to see them unhappy. I believe they know I want to help them. They also know that I believe wholeheartedly in the incalculable value of celibacy and in the mystery of grace that makes it not only tolerable, but immensely liberating. They know that I will encourage them to remain celibate and to continue as celibate priests, but that if they leave, I will condemn neither them nor the women they marry, but will try to expedite a request for dispensation, if they wish and Holy See approves. I try to treat them and their spouses sensitively, whatever happens." (CELIBACY ISN'T THE PROBLEM by Cardinal John J. O'Connor)

    But notice, this doesn't refer to those who 'demand' that they be allowed to marry. When a priest says "I will not serve" by demanding he be allowed to marry, is he acting as Christ's servant or his own? When we hear the volumes of empty arguments against prestly celibacy, we have to recall that there very logical, realistic, practical and Scriptural supports for it.

    Again, the priest and seminarian, as well as all of us, have to replace "My will be done" with "God's will be done."

Pax Christi,

June 19-20, 2000
volume 11, no. 110
Pat Ludwa's VIEW FROM THE PEW

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