Priests are all painted with the same brush. What one does, they all do. Any priest at the altar is every priest. The faces change, but the ministry and presence of Christ is still signified and efficacious. Sins are forgiven. The Eucharist is celebrated. Couples are married, children are baptized, the sick are visited and the dead are buried. A priest is a priest. This is one of the glories of Roman Catholicism. But it is also a two-edged sword. Just as a priest can be measured along with the saints; his reputation and ministry can be disfigured by association with hypocrisy and renegade clergy. This may explain why men that fall are often so quickly and completely cut out. The moral failure of any one priest becomes the scandal against all priests. Hypocrisy poisons the priesthood. Given the strong moral message in Catholicism, any violation of celibacy compromises the message of the Church and undermines the credibility of her priestly messengers. It also gives the Church’s enemies fodder for their attacks against her, both as an institution and as a player in the public forum.
Filed under: Anti-Catholicism, Apologetics, Catholic, Celibacy, Discipleship, Marriage, Priests, Religion, Sacraments, Sexuality |
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