Celibacy and the Priesthood

[JimR-OCDS]

There is no clear picture of guilt against most of the accusations against Catholic priests either, especially since many of the accusations happened decades before they were reported and the priests aren't alive to even try to present a defense. And for those that were, it's almost impossible to present a defense when that much time has passed.

Agreed! Most of the accusations we see today are against priest who are no longer alive.

There was abuse, I have no doubt about it, but out of my 71 years as a Catholic, I know of only
one priest who had a reputation of being touchy feely with young teen boys if they sat next to
him in the car he was driving. He had other issues that drove me out of the Catholic Church in
my younger days.

Ministers too, had sexual abuse cases, but as I said before, the majority were by ministers cheating
on their wives with young females.

 

[narnia59]

Agreed! Most of the accusations we see today are against priest who are no longer alive.

There was abuse, I have no doubt about it, but out of my 71 years as a Catholic, I know of only
one priest who had a reputation of being touchy feely with young teen boys if they sat next to
him in the car he was driving. He had other issues that drove me out of the Catholic Church in
my younger days.

Ministers too, had sexual abuse cases, but as I said before, the majority were by ministers cheating
on their wives with young females.

Yes the victim pool is different.

Most Protestant ministers who have been abusers commit adultery and have young female victims. Most Catholic priests who have been abusers have violated their vow of celibacy and have young male victims. But there are definitely exceptions to those patterns.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Yes the victim pool is different.

Most Protestant ministers who have been abusers commit adultery and have young female victims. Most Catholic priests who have been abusers have violated their vow of celibacy and have young male victims. But there are definitely exceptions to those patterns.

There are always exceptions. I'm dealing with the norm.

I've seen a couple of false accusations by homosexuals against priest and one
accusation by a female against a lay person. All turned out to be fabrications by
the accusers. However, the damage done to the accused is something that is never
mentioned by the media, nor people in general.

 

[zippy2006]

The impact on a deacon's family is enough of a reason the wife has to assent regardless of any requirement to abstain from sex, which is not the case.

You are just believing what you wish to believe on the basis of loose inferences. Go inquire at a diaconate formation program or speak to a scholar of the Catholic diaconate if you actually care about what is true. The practice has fallen by the wayside, but the history is unambiguous and the remnants remain.

If my argument doesn't work then that would mean that those ordained under the pastoral provision aren't valid priests.

Your argument fails there but also more generally. All development involves change, as Pope Benedict XVI pointed out explicitly in his famous Christmas address of 2005. For Newman it is only particular sorts of changes that are beyond the pale.

 

[concretecamper]

Tell me of one healthy male, that if deprived of sexual intimacy with a woman, would resort to abusing prepubescent boys.

All traditional priests I know consider celibacy a gift.