Sandro Magister has an excellent commentary on the Holy Father's 'rethinking' of clerical celibacy. No, he isn't doing away with it, but rather giving priestly celibacy a deeper theological foundation to help ground the understanding of the necessity of priestly celibacy not in a pragmatism, but as an eschatological sign of the Kingdom of God. Celibacy marks out the priest as totally God's, and as such is a sign for the rest of the faithful and for the world.
Be sure to read the whole post, which also includes the Holy Father's comments on Vocations, further reflections on priestly celibacy and other remakrs given to priests over the last week as well.
A snippet:
It is the speech that he addressed to the Roman curia on December 22, 2006, commenting on his travels outside of Italy that year.
(snip)
"Celibacy, in force for Bishops throughout the Eastern and Western Church and, according to a tradition that dates back to an epoch close to that of the Apostles, for priests in general in the Latin Church, can only be understood and lived if is based on this basic structure. The solely pragmatic reasons, the reference to greater availability, is not enough: such a greater availability of time could easily become also a form of egoism that saves a person from the sacrifices and efforts demanded by the reciprocal acceptance and forbearance in matrimony; thus, it could lead to a spiritual impoverishment or to hardening of the heart. The true foundation of celibacy can be contained in the phrase: 'Dominus pars' – You are my land. It can only be theocentric. It cannot mean being deprived of love, but must mean letting oneself be consumed by passion for God and subsequently, thanks to a more intimate way of being with him, to serve men and women, too.
"Celibacy must be a witness to faith: faith in God materializes in that form of life which only has meaning if it is based on God. Basing one's life on him, renouncing marriage and the family, means that I accept and experience God as a reality and that I can therefore bring him to men and women. Our world, which has become totally positivistic, in which God appears at best as a hypothesis but not as a concrete reality, needs to rest on God in the most concrete and radical way possible. It needs a witness to God that lies in the decision to welcome God as a land where one finds one's own existence.
"For this reason, celibacy is so important today, in our contemporary world, even if its fulfilment in our age is constantly threatened and questioned. A careful preparation during the journey towards this goal and persevering guidance on the part of the Bishop, priest friends and lay people who sustain this priestly witness together, is essential. We need prayer that invokes God without respite as the Living God and relies on him in times of confusion as well as in times of joy. Consequently, as opposed to the cultural trend that seeks to convince us that we are not capable of making such decisions, this witness can be lived and in this way, in our world, can reinstate God as reality."
Showing posts with label celibacy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label celibacy. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Why Clerical Celibacy
Jeff Pinyan, who incidently was also on The Son Rise Morning Show this week, responds to 40 challenges to clerical (priestly) celibacy, a good thing to check out for those discerning.
In my stop at the studios of Sacred Heart Radio this morning, I left a gift for news lady Anna Mitchell. She's always cold, so I thought I would help.
I will be speaking at Theology on Tap - Cincinnati this week, tomorrow in fact! Topic: The Real Men in Black: A Biblical Perspective on the Priesthood. Join us at 7:00 pm at Ticket's Sports Cafe in Covington, across from Mother of God Catholic Church, for what is to be an inspiring talk! (I hope)
Other than that, keep prayers for our applicants coming, two new phone calls in the last week with a 'It's time to go' to the seminary, putting us firmly into double digits of new men for the Fall!
In my stop at the studios of Sacred Heart Radio this morning, I left a gift for news lady Anna Mitchell. She's always cold, so I thought I would help.
I will be speaking at Theology on Tap - Cincinnati this week, tomorrow in fact! Topic: The Real Men in Black: A Biblical Perspective on the Priesthood. Join us at 7:00 pm at Ticket's Sports Cafe in Covington, across from Mother of God Catholic Church, for what is to be an inspiring talk! (I hope)
Other than that, keep prayers for our applicants coming, two new phone calls in the last week with a 'It's time to go' to the seminary, putting us firmly into double digits of new men for the Fall!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Priestly Celibacy from the first centuries after Christ
Rome Reports has the following news report on priestly celibacy in the Early Church:
As always, a big swing of the thurible to New Advent.
As always, a big swing of the thurible to New Advent.
Monday, October 26, 2009
What the Church says about Celibacy
Jeff Pinyan has a well researched post exploring the discussion of priestly celibacy in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church over at The Cross Reference.
Thanks for bringing all of this to bear in one post, Jeff!
Thanks for bringing all of this to bear in one post, Jeff!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Questions about Celibacy
Answers about Celibacy from the very fine Catholic Edudcation Research Center
UPDATE: Eric adds a link to an article from the wife of a former Protestant minister who has come into the Church and been ordained a priest.
UPDATE: Eric adds a link to an article from the wife of a former Protestant minister who has come into the Church and been ordained a priest.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Cardinal Arinze: Letter to a Young Priest
Zenit brings word of a new book by Cardinal Arinze, the recently retired Nigerian head of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments:
A priest who lives his celibacy with joy, fidelity and a positive spirit is a testimony that cannot be ignored in today's world, says Cardinal Francis Arinze.The cardinal, who just retired last week from his post as prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, affirmed this today when he presented on Vatican Radio his book "Riflessioni sul sacerdozio. Lettera a un giovane sacerdote" (Reflections on the Priesthood: Letter to a Young Priest). Excerpts from the volume were published by L'Osservatore Romano."The Church has always had great esteem for the celibacy of priests," the cardinal wrote. "Christ lived a virginal life, taught chastity to his disciples, and proposed virginity to those who are willing and able to follow a similar call.""In priestly life, perpetual celibacy for the Kingdom of Heaven expresses and stimulates pastoral charity," he added. "It is a special fount of spiritual fruitfulness in the world. […] It is a testimony that stands out before the world as an efficacious way to follow Christ."The cardinal said that in today's world, "immersed in an exaggerated preoccupation with sex and the violation of its sacredness […] a presbyter who lives his vow of chastity with joy, fidelity and a positive spirit is a testimony that cannot be ignored."Through priestly celibacy, the prelate continued, "the presbyter consecrates himself more directly to Christ in the exercise of spiritual paternity." He is more available "as a minister of Christ, spouse of the Church," and he can "truly present himself as a living sign of the future world, which is already present through faith and charity."
A priest who lives his celibacy with joy, fidelity and a positive spirit is a testimony that cannot be ignored in today's world, says Cardinal Francis Arinze.The cardinal, who just retired last week from his post as prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, affirmed this today when he presented on Vatican Radio his book "Riflessioni sul sacerdozio. Lettera a un giovane sacerdote" (Reflections on the Priesthood: Letter to a Young Priest). Excerpts from the volume were published by L'Osservatore Romano."The Church has always had great esteem for the celibacy of priests," the cardinal wrote. "Christ lived a virginal life, taught chastity to his disciples, and proposed virginity to those who are willing and able to follow a similar call.""In priestly life, perpetual celibacy for the Kingdom of Heaven expresses and stimulates pastoral charity," he added. "It is a special fount of spiritual fruitfulness in the world. […] It is a testimony that stands out before the world as an efficacious way to follow Christ."The cardinal said that in today's world, "immersed in an exaggerated preoccupation with sex and the violation of its sacredness […] a presbyter who lives his vow of chastity with joy, fidelity and a positive spirit is a testimony that cannot be ignored."Through priestly celibacy, the prelate continued, "the presbyter consecrates himself more directly to Christ in the exercise of spiritual paternity." He is more available "as a minister of Christ, spouse of the Church," and he can "truly present himself as a living sign of the future world, which is already present through faith and charity."
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
"I am priest and I am not lonely!"
Is being a priest lonely? Absolutely NOT! I crave the times I can be alone, in the silence, no radio, no TV, just sitting before Christ.
Fr. Ed in Cleveland writes a great piece on the percieved loneliness of the priesthood versus what it is really like.
Fr. Ed in Cleveland writes a great piece on the percieved loneliness of the priesthood versus what it is really like.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
The other side of the coin
As fallen creatures, we often look across the fence to see a bright green yard, neatly mowed. We see the outward appearances of a happy family. The house is painted in bright colors and all seems perfect and peaceful.
In the Catholic context, especially as the Church continues to face a decline in the number of clergy (which I am trying to stop!), we look at married Protestant clergy and think that this might be a possible answer. This particular answer seems even more favorable when we look to our own history and know that there used to be married clergy in the Catholic Church.
But, we also need to look at the cracks that can appear in the foundation of the house next door, that there are some weeds in the yard, and that the family next door has their own issues which they face and can make life difficult.
I just found an article in April 23, 2007, edition of Newsweek, well actually someone brought it to my attention. In the Beliefwatch section of the Periscope, there is a short article on Mary Winkler, who is on trial for the killing of her husband, a pastor in the Church of Christ. Certainly, this is a sad story and one deserving of prayer, and while this is an extreme case, it does not seem to be an isolated case.
The article states:
Though Winkler's case is, to say the very least, extreme, her apparent frustrations are not. Statistics indicate that beneath the smiling, steadfast veneer of a pastor's wife, there often lies a deeply isolated woman who, due to her husband's constant commitment to his congregants, frequently feels neglected and left without a support system of her own. According to research by the late B Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, 80 percent of pastors' wives feel left out, unappreciated and underqualified. A survey by Focus on the Family found that 88 percent have experienced depression. The divorce rate among pastors, about 50 percent, is no better than the national average.
If this were to be a viable option (and not that I advocate for it, just raising the question), the stresses and experiences of married clergy in the Protestant communions needs to be addressed.
In a recent conversation with a Lutheran pastor, who is married with two small children, I asked him about this very situation. He mentioned that he has to be very diligent with his time, and how he balances that out with his congregation, which he considered to be of a fairly large size at around a couple hundred families. "Any bigger and I couldn't do it by myself," he told me. When I told him that the parish down the street where I used to serve, and with which he was familiar, was considered average size at 2,000 families, his jaw dropped.
The crux of the matter is that married priests is not the quick fix that idealists make it out to be.
In the Catholic context, especially as the Church continues to face a decline in the number of clergy (which I am trying to stop!), we look at married Protestant clergy and think that this might be a possible answer. This particular answer seems even more favorable when we look to our own history and know that there used to be married clergy in the Catholic Church.
But, we also need to look at the cracks that can appear in the foundation of the house next door, that there are some weeds in the yard, and that the family next door has their own issues which they face and can make life difficult.
I just found an article in April 23, 2007, edition of Newsweek, well actually someone brought it to my attention. In the Beliefwatch section of the Periscope, there is a short article on Mary Winkler, who is on trial for the killing of her husband, a pastor in the Church of Christ. Certainly, this is a sad story and one deserving of prayer, and while this is an extreme case, it does not seem to be an isolated case.
The article states:
Though Winkler's case is, to say the very least, extreme, her apparent frustrations are not. Statistics indicate that beneath the smiling, steadfast veneer of a pastor's wife, there often lies a deeply isolated woman who, due to her husband's constant commitment to his congregants, frequently feels neglected and left without a support system of her own. According to research by the late B Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, 80 percent of pastors' wives feel left out, unappreciated and underqualified. A survey by Focus on the Family found that 88 percent have experienced depression. The divorce rate among pastors, about 50 percent, is no better than the national average.
If this were to be a viable option (and not that I advocate for it, just raising the question), the stresses and experiences of married clergy in the Protestant communions needs to be addressed.
In a recent conversation with a Lutheran pastor, who is married with two small children, I asked him about this very situation. He mentioned that he has to be very diligent with his time, and how he balances that out with his congregation, which he considered to be of a fairly large size at around a couple hundred families. "Any bigger and I couldn't do it by myself," he told me. When I told him that the parish down the street where I used to serve, and with which he was familiar, was considered average size at 2,000 families, his jaw dropped.
The crux of the matter is that married priests is not the quick fix that idealists make it out to be.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Radio Goo Goo
Today marked the inaugural broadcast of The Son Also Rises, the new local morning show on Sacred Heart Radio, 740 AM, with a stellar line up today that included both local bishops: Bishop Roger Foys of Covington and Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk of Cincinnati. Tomorrow, the guest list drops down a bit as they have invited me to speak with Brian Patrick on priesthood, specifically on celibacy and how it relates to the scandals over the last five years. I will be on between 7:30 and 8:00 AM, and you should be able to listen online at www.sacredheartradio.com
Right now, this is not scheduled to be a 'call in' period, but I am sure I will be back on fairly regularly, during some periods I am sure we will take calls.
Right now, this is not scheduled to be a 'call in' period, but I am sure I will be back on fairly regularly, during some periods I am sure we will take calls.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
The Joys and Blessings of Priestly Celibacy
My next article appears in this week's Catholic Telegraph:
However, the Church has consistently held that priestly celibacy is a good thing. In fact, it was first exhorted to the priests in the year 295 at a local council in Spain; which is twenty years before Christianity was even legalized in the Roman Empire! Also, the Church has always upheld Jesus’ public example of living a celibate life, as well as his teaching in Matthew 19:12 (“There are some who freely renounce marriage for the sake of God’s Kingdom. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it.”) as indications that this is something that the Church desires for her priests.
Read the whole article at the Cincinnati Seminarian Blog.
However, the Church has consistently held that priestly celibacy is a good thing. In fact, it was first exhorted to the priests in the year 295 at a local council in Spain; which is twenty years before Christianity was even legalized in the Roman Empire! Also, the Church has always upheld Jesus’ public example of living a celibate life, as well as his teaching in Matthew 19:12 (“There are some who freely renounce marriage for the sake of God’s Kingdom. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it.”) as indications that this is something that the Church desires for her priests.
Read the whole article at the Cincinnati Seminarian Blog.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Celibacy
When I go out to parishes to preach on Vocations, I usually address two topics: Celibacy and Obedience. These are two main characteristics of the priesthood in the Latin Rite. Celibacy has been much in the news lately, mostly in the negative sense. I wanted to offer my reflections, not on a why of celibacy, but more on a fruit of the charism.
To me, celibacy is about freedom; a freedom to serve God's people in a radical way. It is about allowing the priest the flexibility and to respond to the promptings of the Spirit in this service. The concept and gift of a celibate preisthood is in complimentarity to the married life as well. I think it is important to keep in mind that in the Church's theology of marriage, especially as developed by John Paul the Great, Christ primarily comes to each member of the couple through his or her spouse. It is a one on one on one relationship, Christ in the midst drawing the two together so that they might be one.
As a celibate man, my relationship with Christ is different. In the parallel to marriage, instead of Christ in the midst of a one on one relationship, I see it that he comes to me through the community that I have been called to lead and serve. In the inverse, Christ should also then come to His people through the leadership and guidance of the priest. He acts in persona Christi, shepherding and leading God's people. That is why he is called 'pastor' and 'father.'
There is a spirituality about celibacy, and if it is not approached prayerfully and with an idea that it is a sacrifice, I think it can be fruitful. Jesus never promises that it will be easy, he does promise that He will be with those who call on Him and ask for His guidance.
May God Bless you during this Advent Season.
To me, celibacy is about freedom; a freedom to serve God's people in a radical way. It is about allowing the priest the flexibility and to respond to the promptings of the Spirit in this service. The concept and gift of a celibate preisthood is in complimentarity to the married life as well. I think it is important to keep in mind that in the Church's theology of marriage, especially as developed by John Paul the Great, Christ primarily comes to each member of the couple through his or her spouse. It is a one on one on one relationship, Christ in the midst drawing the two together so that they might be one.
As a celibate man, my relationship with Christ is different. In the parallel to marriage, instead of Christ in the midst of a one on one relationship, I see it that he comes to me through the community that I have been called to lead and serve. In the inverse, Christ should also then come to His people through the leadership and guidance of the priest. He acts in persona Christi, shepherding and leading God's people. That is why he is called 'pastor' and 'father.'
There is a spirituality about celibacy, and if it is not approached prayerfully and with an idea that it is a sacrifice, I think it can be fruitful. Jesus never promises that it will be easy, he does promise that He will be with those who call on Him and ask for His guidance.
May God Bless you during this Advent Season.
Friday, November 24, 2006
Celibacy misunderstood
Fr. Donald Cozzens just does not get it. As he once again takes a minimalist view of the gift of celibacy, his agenda shines forth loud and clear. He speaks of many priests who are frustrated by living a single life and how everything would be grand if priests could get married.
I don't think so.
The question of optional celibacy of priests brings up many issues that would have to be addressed:
- wages: priests make enough for us to live comfortably, but raising a family would be tough on our salary.
- pressures on wife: what role would she be expected to have in the life of a parish.
- children: the scrutiny that they would be under
- freedom: celibacy for priests is about a freedom to serve God's people completely, as a married priest I would feel torn in two by my obligations to the parish and to the family.
- priest as 'Pastor': as pastor, the priest is the head of the family of the parish, leading them all (hopefully) closer to God the Father, who is the model of the priest's fatherhood.
There are many other issues that would need to be adequately examined before the rule on celibacy could be relaxed. And I keep falling back that if married clergy were an absolute success in Protestant communities, it would help. But it is not. The rate of divorce among Protestant married clergy is high, because the non-clergy member of the union (husband or wife) feels second class or does not want to put up with the stress that comes with the territory. I've heard: I married you, not the church you work for.
If the priesthood were a job, maybe. But as it is, the priesthood is a way of life and a vocation, a calling by God to something more. Only those who embrace this completely can transcend the ho-hum operation of a parish to flourish as the spiritual father of his own slice of the world.
I don't think so.
The question of optional celibacy of priests brings up many issues that would have to be addressed:
- wages: priests make enough for us to live comfortably, but raising a family would be tough on our salary.
- pressures on wife: what role would she be expected to have in the life of a parish.
- children: the scrutiny that they would be under
- freedom: celibacy for priests is about a freedom to serve God's people completely, as a married priest I would feel torn in two by my obligations to the parish and to the family.
- priest as 'Pastor': as pastor, the priest is the head of the family of the parish, leading them all (hopefully) closer to God the Father, who is the model of the priest's fatherhood.
There are many other issues that would need to be adequately examined before the rule on celibacy could be relaxed. And I keep falling back that if married clergy were an absolute success in Protestant communities, it would help. But it is not. The rate of divorce among Protestant married clergy is high, because the non-clergy member of the union (husband or wife) feels second class or does not want to put up with the stress that comes with the territory. I've heard: I married you, not the church you work for.
If the priesthood were a job, maybe. But as it is, the priesthood is a way of life and a vocation, a calling by God to something more. Only those who embrace this completely can transcend the ho-hum operation of a parish to flourish as the spiritual father of his own slice of the world.
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