Blogger Priest

Both marriage and priestly celibacy demand an exchange of life and love. Obvious for marriage, how is it true for the priest? The pastor is consumed by love of the Church. Her ways are his ways. Often particularized in the daily life of a parish, the priest belongs to the Church. She owns him and their union is so intimate that his presence immediately signifies Christ and his Church. If a priest does wrong, critics fault the Church. If people are angry with the Church, they attack the priest. The Church cares for her priests and the priest nurtures, protects and clothes her mystical body. Their mutual love brings forth children, new life brought about through the regeneration of the baptismal font. The Eucharist is the sacramental supper table for the family of God. He keeps house with the Church, living where he works. While parents might read bedtime stories to their children; the priest daily proclaims the Greatest Story Ever Told. Like a good spouse and parent, he speaks and listens, challenges and consoles, chastises and forgives, disciplines and heals. While couples often engage in love-talk; prayer consecrates every day of the priest’s life. He intercedes for the Church before God. He rejoices and swoons in her message of salvation that is realized in her members. He weeps over the sins and neglect of her children. The priest is quick to defend the Church. He may or may not wear a ring, but he is clothed in distinctive garb and a collar to alert others of his identity. Like any married man, he is taken and he has a possessive and demanding spouse. He loves her and theirs is an everlasting love.

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I do acknowledge a certain foreboding about the Anglican accommodation. While the Pope can release future ministerial candidates from mandatory celibacy; he is not strictly enjoined to do so. Given the place of married ministers in their tradition, and the desire for sons to follow fathers into ministry, might we have a precarious situation facing us in the years to come? They will likely want what their fathers had. In addition, I fret somewhat about what the inclusion of married priests will do to the general psyche of our Catholic people. Most people are not theologians able to make important distinctions. There has been little in the way of catechesis for our own people so that they might understand. The line between doctrine and discipline is blurred for many of them. We have already seen them confused or given the wrong ideas from modern novelties like altar girls and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion. What happens when more and more married priests enter our ranks? Even if we segregate these men into Anglican usage parishes, they are still Western rite and Catholics can fulfill their Sunday obligation in their churches.

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The celibate priest signifies Christ, the great high priest and bridegroom of the Church. His role points to Christ: not exclusively as at the final consummation, but as he is right now. Like all sacraments, the priesthood targets mysteries real but unseen. We look toward the ordained man at the altar and we see Father Joe or Father Jim or Bishop Marty or Pope Francis. However, what we do not see with our physical eyes is that it is Jesus who offers the sacrifice of the Mass and who forgives our sins. More than this, when we look to the celibate priest, he has no helpmate or life-companion walking by his side. Instead, the People of God look to one another, particularly the laity, so as to recognize the other component which we do not fully see, the mystical bride of Christ, the Church. The sacrament of marriage conveys something of this mystery as an analogy between Christ as the groom and the Church as the bride. But in the ordained priest, we have a sacrament that goes beyond analogy. The priest at Mass is Jesus. There is one high priest. The spiritual character or seal upon the priest is permanent while marriage is “until death do we part.” Married priests are genuine priests; but there is an inherent tension between the wife in the flesh and the spiritual spouse, the Church. Celibacy removes any possible confusion. A married man belongs to his wife. The priest belongs to the Church.

There are certain critics who hate the marriage analogy employed in understanding the relationship of the priest to the Church. Nevertheless Christ’s union as bridegroom to his bride is fundamental. One churchman recently suggested that given the reemergence of married priests in Western Christianity, it was time for the concept to be discarded. It is contended that too much has been made of a dispensable discipline. The prudence of Church authority is questioned. How dare we make mandatory that which we know from tradition is only optional? Why would the Church deny herself worthwhile candidates for ministry, only because they are married and/or do not have the gift of celibacy? How is it fair that converts are ordained as married priests when we deny marriage to our men raised in the Roman Catholic tradition?

What is my response to these challenges? First, the marriage analogy finds its origin in Scripture and is the logical conclusion of a strict and real identification of the ordained priest with Jesus Christ. Second, the perfect continence practiced by many priests, going back to the apostolic and patristic periods, is evidence that the association has ancient roots; indeed, it is inexorably imbedded in our tradition and sacramental understanding. Third, the analogy carries a doctrinal weight that permeates into many other important questions, like the prohibition of women priests as an offensive type of same-sex bride-to-bride relationship. Fourth, while celibacy is a discipline it remains one with critical doctrinal implications for our understanding of Christ, the Church, and our sacraments. Fifth, while a few are released from the obligation, most are held accountable for mandatory celibacy; we have confidence that God will give this gift to men who are truly called. The concession to men entering from outside traditions is a temporary accommodation for unity and reconciliation. We should not be jealous of the mercy and generosity shown to others. Celibate men should be happy that they have been gifted with the better portion, and thus not want to deprive any of our co-religionists from knowing single-hearted love. Sixth, the celibate and married priesthoods are not the same. We do not look down upon our good married priests, but we would be liars to say there is no divide. The Church has consistently viewed celibate priesthood as the preferred model and thus has made it almost absolute.

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Celibacy is often discussed in the context of a renunciation of the world through the self-denial of one of the natural exercises that men and women find most rewarding: the engagement of sexual congress. Of course, the apparent loss goes far deeper. There is the forfeiture of intimacy from a helpmate and the closure to the prospect of progeny. Many men and women feel that this loss would be too terrible to bear. And yet, some through circumstance never discover a spouse, or fail to pursue a love interest, or suffer a natural malady or other misfortune; with the end result being a permanent allotment to the single state. They may live in the hope that such a state might be stripped from them and replaced by matrimony; but, the celibate has put aside all such anticipation. He or she is not really single. They are taken. Indeed, some religious and clergy wear rings to signify their spiritual marriage. Celibacy is not one waiting at a bus station; no, it is the person reaching his or her destination. The Christian celibate sees his life not as a tragedy and loss, but as a joy and a gain. If he did not, then there would be a problem that left unresolved would sour his life and damage his discipleship. As I wrote before, marriage stops at the door of death; celibacy takes us clear through to the other side of that door.

The saints in heaven know a convergence of the mysteries of marriage and celibacy. Human saints will know bodily restoration and eternal celibate life. There is only one marriage in heaven and it is not carnal; it is the nuptial bond and banquet of the Lamb of God. The Church will become the immaculate bride of Christ.

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There is no intrinsic or necessary link between atheism and science. One of the most brilliant men I have ever known was the late Dr. Hank Dardy. A genius, he ranked with Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, and yet he worked for the Navy Department and gave his ideas away to others who made billions. He helped perfect HD television and there was a part of him in the guidance system of every ballistic missile in our country. There is a long list of advances made under his team in engineering, physics, and computers. Diverse in his research interests, he even assisted Spielberg in the fabrication of his virtual dinosaurs in the Jurassic Park film. And yet, this first-class mind and scientist was also known by the religious title, Deacon. He was a devout Catholic and clergyman who assisted at Mass, preached, was qualified to perform baptisms and to witness marriages. Further, while most deacons were married; Deacon Hank was celibate. His whole life was dedicated to his work for our country and for the Church. His celibacy was an important ingredient in who he was and in how he approached the world. Although worth a small fortune, he lived simply. There was his work and his prayers. He did not even have a television set, not because he did not want one, but because he watched what he wanted on the computer (which was more so than not, work related). A poverty of spirit matched up with his celibacy in a marvelous way so rarely realized in today’s world. He exemplified the value of faith, commitment and celibacy. Priests could learn a great deal from this deacon.

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