Celibacy in no devalues human sexuality and marriage. Given how much we prize marriage and family life, there is a realistic appreciation of how tremendous a sacrifice it is. Today, perhaps more than ever before, celibacy contributes to the priestly life as a means to imitate Christ and to put on his heart: “There is no greater love than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 5:13). The priest lives not for himself, but for the people he serves. He has been configured to Christ in such a way, signed by a special spiritual character at ordination, that he can absolve sins and act at the altar in the person of Christ the head. Celibacy indicates a total consecration to our Lord that shows itself in service of the flock of Christ. If our Lord could take the form of a slave (see Philippians 2:7-8); then the ordained priest must also image himself as a servant willing to surrender everything for the Gospel.
Filed under: Catholic, Celibacy, Marriage, Priests, Sacraments, Sexuality |
Blogger Priest 
Dear Fr Joe,
I can neither fault not devalue the sacrifice made by most genuine Catholic Priests when they embrace celibacy as it is an enormous decision for any young man to make, I would also like to suggest that there are those of us who also choose to make a similar sacrifice and one that I believe is more difficult and less rewarding than that of Holy Orders; I’m talking of the difficult decision to accept Church Teaching when it comes to dealing with a marriage that has ended in divorce.
There are several options available to those of us, men and women, who, possibly through no fault of our own, are left, possibly abandoned, by our spouses. We can reject Church teaching and just shack up with another partner, or even marry again outside of the church. Or we could try to use the annulment route, possibly paying quite a large amount of money and choosing all sorts of rather dubious legal (canon) arguments to get our own way. Or we can just knuckle down and get on with celibacy, accepting a terrible isolation and mistrust that this state can bring. There is very little consolation, and certainly no reward that Holy Orders would give.
And there is the loss to deal with, often for a man, the loss of a family and a family home and a whole life style that was just a normal part of married life.
So it is not only Real Catholic Priests who have to deal with the loss of something that was never there in the first place, it is us divorcees who want to remain in Communion with The Church who have to embrace celibacy no matter how prickly that embrace might be.
With love and understanding,
Paul Brann
Father Joe, I just started reading your blog a short while ago. Unfortunately, I waste far too much time reading blogs but I don’t often comment.
Your blog is interesting, educational and demonstrates Church teaching with a kind, sensible “voice.”
Our priests at St. Michael’s in Annandale, VA are great, and your parishioners are equally blessed, it seems.