The beauty of priestly celibacy

[Michie]

*You are in the Catholic forum*

There are many perfectly logical reasons to abandon priestly celibacy, and there always have been. Why did the Latin rite never do so?

Continued below.
The Beauty of Priestly Celibacy

 

[peregrinus2017]

Celibacy for the sake of Christ is a beautiful thing. I do wish that it was seen as a healthy and legitimate calling for any Christian that is drawn to it rather than something expected only of priests and monastics.

 

[anna ~ grace]

Celibacy for the sake of Christ is a beautiful thing. I do wish that it was seen as a healthy and legitimate calling for any Christian that is drawn to it rather than something expected only of priests and monastics.

My husband had a friend from seminary back in India. He sounded like a good, humble guy, and feeling called to celibacy, had never married. He was qualified to preach, lead, and teach, but no church would have him. It sounds like he went to every Protestant church in his area. No one would hire him.

 

[archer75]

My husband had a friend from seminary back in India. He sounded like a good, humble guy, and feeling called to celibacy, had never married. He was qualified to preach, lead, and teach, but no church would have him. It sounds like he went to every Protestant church in his area. No one would hire him.

He didn't start out Catholic, right? Some sort of liturgical Protestant?

Hm...

 

[anna ~ grace]

He didn't start out Catholic, right? Some sort of liturgical Protestant?

Hm...

No, he was always Protestant. Just, as a single, voluntarily celibate man with no plans to marry, no Protestant church would hire him on. They thought it was weird.

 

[archer75]

No, he was always Protestant. Just, as a single, voluntarily celibate man with no plans to marry, no Protestant church would hire him on. They thought it was weird.

Very strange. I thought at least the Lutherans had some celibate priests.

 

[anna ~ grace]

Very strange. I thought at least the Lutherans had some celibate priests.

They may. But the non-denom, Methodist, Pentecostal, and unaffiliated Bible fellowships out there seem to essentially require marriage. There is apparently so much hostile, irrational, knee-jerk aversion to anything viewed as Catholic that a theologically Protestant man who has no problem with any of the Solas is passed over if he chooses to be single for the sake of Christ.

 

[archer75]

They may. But the non-denom, Methodist, Pentecostal, and unaffiliated Bible fellowships out there seem to essentially require marriage. There is apparently so much hostile, irrational, knee-jerk aversion to anything viewed as Catholic that a theologically Protestant man who has no problem with any of the Solas is passed over if he chooses to be single for the sake of Christ.

I didn't know this. I might have guessed, but didn't. That's really not cool...

Although the RCC is thought of as requiring celibacy, that's mostly the Latin Rite (which of course is most of the RCC by the numbers). There are plenty of married Catholic priests...and celibate. Same over our way. Mostly married, but we still have both. Seems really un-okay to forbid celibacy....

 

[Michie]

Celibacy for the sake of Christ is a beautiful thing. I do wish that it was seen as a healthy and legitimate calling for any Christian that is drawn to it rather than something expected only of priests and monastics.

There are many out there that choose to be celibate that are just laypeople.

 

[peregrinus2017]

There are many out there that choose to be celibate that are just laypeople.

I agree, but in my admittedly limited experience, people, particularly in the church look at those who choose celibacy as if there is something wrong with them. It seems like if you're not aiming for monasticism or priesthood, you're supposed to be making babies, or looking for someone to make babies with. I don't mean to disparage marriage, it is a beautiful way to work out your salvation, if you are called to it. So is celibacy.

 

[Michie]

We have many celibates in our Church of all ages among the laity. I've never seen anyone think there is something wrong with them. Celibacy is a normal state in life for all of us at one time or another. And there are a lot of people called to it on a permanent basis. If those are the attitudes you are encountering, I can assure you it is their problem. Not yours.

I agree, but in my admittedly limited experience, people, particularly in the church look at those who choose celibacy as if there is something wrong with them. It seems like if you're not aiming for monasticism or priesthood, you're supposed to be making babies, or looking for someone to make babies with. I don't mean to disparage marriage, it is a beautiful way to work out your salvation, if you are called to it. So is celibacy.