Sunday, 09 August 2009
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Celibacy and Clergy: Should Priests be Allowed to Marry?
A Roman Catholic priest from Miami Beach was relieved of his duties at a parish when photos surfaced of him kissing a woman on the sandy shores of Florida. Father Alberto Cutie--yes, that's his real, astonishingly-appropriate name--admitted that the woman was his girlfriend and professed to be struggling over whether to remain in the priesthood, which requires him to be celibate, or to resign in order to stay with his girlfriend.Cutie, 40, who says he is deeply in love with girlfriend Ruhama Canellis, told Univision: "I didn't stop being a man just because I put on a cassock. There are trousers under this cassock."
A few months ago, news emerged that Cutie has left the Roman Catholic church for the Episcopal church, which permits priests to date and marry.
As an Episcopalian, I'm fighting a sense of smugness that my church is more open-minded than others that demand celibacy of its members. After all, isn't it a bit far-reaching to ask clergy to forsake the natural human desire to marry and have a family?
But after all, Roman Catholic clergy freely admit themselves to the priesthood and voluntarily assume the Church's requirement of celibacy. According to the Catechism, priests are "called to consecrate themselves with undivided heart to the Lord and...they give themselves entirely to God and to men...[celibacy] is a sign of this new life to the service of which the Church's minister is consecrated" (Catechism 1579). Maybe we Protestants are getting it wrong by arguing to free priests of a burden that they don't see as a burden at all.
What do you think? Was Father Cutie right to have forsaken his priestly duties, or should he have been willing to forfeit his illicit relationship instead?
Do you think celibacy is an impossible demand to make of clergy, or is it truly a God-ordained and virtuous calling?
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Comments (59)
@Amarisa@xanga - There is evidence to suggest that St. Peter's wife was actually martyred, prior to him starting his ministry as the first Pope.
@jupiter312@xanga - Glad to se PZ Meyers fail to do his religion class homework again. (However, I do like some of his more legitimate works on biology)
Its just another reason to avoid the Catholic Church
Theophilus166@xanga Considering that celibacy is not in scripture, nor is it a tradition that goes back to the disciples (Peter was married), I don't see why the Catholic Church is so insistent upon it.
Jesus was celibate. The Catholic Church is based on Jesus, not Peter or Paul or anyone else
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Don't forget that Jesus was God in the flesh (John 1:1 & 14) and His mission on earth was to die for our sins. Plus, the Catholic Church and the Pope are based on Peter. It is an error of theology to not allow Priest to not marry if they want to. After all, the Priest of God were allowed to marry. John the Baptist father was a Priest.
@QuantumStorm@xanga - Clerical celibacy is not a universal requirement in the Catholic Church.
That's interesting. I was not aware of this. Could you give me more info? Would this Priest have been able to transfer?
@MC_Shann@xanga - In the Eastern Catholic Churches (that is, the Eastern Liturgical Rites), the rules for clerical celibacy differ. Some Rites allow for marriage after entering the priesthood; others allow for married priests provided that the priest be married before entering the priesthood. Some, like the Latin Liturgical Rite (Which is the largest and most prevalent Rite within the Catholic Church), enforce clerical celibacy.
Even in the Latin Liturgical Rite there are exceptions. For instance, a married Lutheran minister who decides to convert and become a Catholic could, under certain circumstances, maintain a position of priesthood even with a wife and family in tow. In effect, the situation would then give rise to a Latin Rite priest who happens to be married as well - with no objection or issue of heresy.
I'm not well-informed on priests who wish to transfer Liturgical Rites (eg: a Latin Rite priest who wishes to transfer to an Eastern Rite to gain marriageability), so you'll have to check on that matter.
What's important to note is that clerical celibacy is not considered a doctrine of faith and morals - technically, it can be reversed at any time. The REASON for the enforcement of the celibacy is based on the Latin Rite's perspective regarding how we must emulate Christ.
Here's a good place for starters:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clerical_celibacy_(Catholic_Church)#Eastern_Catholic_Churches
@QuantumStorm@xanga - Fascinating! Thanks for the info....
You wrote "What's important to note is that clerical celibacy is not considered a doctrine of faith and morals - technically, it can be reversed at any time."
In your opinion should they get rid of it? My thoughts are yes they should for reasons I noted in my first comment.
The church was wrong to dogmatically demand something Jesus never did.
@QuantumStorm@xanga - Really? What evidence is that? It's not something I've really looked into.
Some good questions have arisen here. If anyone interested in the topic of priestly celibacy/religious chastity would like to dialogue about it, I'd be happy to. I've only lived my vows (including chastity) for one year, but I plan on many more, and hopefully my knowledge and experience (what I have so far, anyways) can be helpful to someone, particularly:
@jupiter312@xanga -
)
@discover_hienie@xanga - (praying for you every day, by the way.
@CoZMuN@xanga -
@MC_Shann@xanga -
@Theophilus166@xanga -
@leadworshipper82 -
To @MC_Shann@xanga - in particular, since you brought up Christ's Bride, here is a post I did on my own thoughts/reflections on taking a perpetual vow of chastity. I hope that you find it helpful.
http://ancient-scribe.xanga.com/674382543/blessed-art-thou-amongst-women/
@Amarisa@xanga - see Clement of Alexandria in the Stromata works.
@MC_Shann@xanga - I certainly appreciate the perspectives offered by both the East and the West regarding the issue, so for me I'm more or less ambivalent on the matter. In other words, I'm more of a "meh" on the issue.
I find that Scripture is quite clear that the clergy should be married, see the epistle to Timothy, among others.
aww thanks jacob! hehe =D yes, i need my prayers.. hehe
As far as I can understand, there is a process for a married man to join the priesthood in the Catholic Church as long as they meet the requirements for it. As for the vow of celibacy, either stay firm in your vows or leave the priesthood if you want to break it. I don't think a priest who made a vow of celibacy, then break it, and then wants to remain in the priesthood is a good shepherd. I certainly, don't want someone who can't even keep their vow made when they became a priest to lead me in my religious matter.I think that someone like that will only lead me astray. Just my opinion.
celibacy is a harsh requirement but i doubt it'll change anytime soon. i personally am fine with priest marrying, but i'm not a catholic, if they want to keep it that way its fine with me too.
he knew his vows when he took them he shouldn't have decided to become a catholic priest if he wasn't sure of his vows. if he doesnt believe in celibacy then why become a preist? He is being weak and indecisive. its one thing if this was a new rule or something, this isn't. i understand priests switching denominations when things are changed but not because of something that hasn't changed in centuries
i wouldn't want him as my priest because i wouldnt feel like he was certain enough of his beliefs. i don't want a waffel-y priest
@QuantumStorm@xanga - the catholic churches that I have attended DO NOT believe in a rapture, they believe in a the second coming. Two different things.
I don't think what he did was wrong. Yes, priests know before hand that they are promising celibacy to God and the church. Obviously, Cutie tried and knew it was something he couldn't commit to, and admitted it to the public, which is more than what most priests can say when they do this behind the church's back. I don't blame him for leaving the Catholic church. Had he stayed, he would have been given so much hell from the church for his decision. Celibacy is unnatural, and a stress that most men cannot commit to. As someone mentioned above, some are gifted to be able to endure it, but they are the exception to the rule. How many times have we heard about priests having relations with young children? I have a gay uncle whom lived with a 40+ yr old priest when he was 14 years old, and of course they had sexual relations. This priest was "commited" to celibacy and the church. I believe that if allowed to marry and have normal relations with a woman, cases such as those wouldn't be such a common occurrence.
---Also, not saying all priests are child molesters, but it happens. I just think it
would be silly to assume that all catholic priests are remaining
celibate just because they made a vow. I'm sure the majority have been able to fulfill their vows, but definitely not all, and most would never admit it such as Cutie did.
@QuantumStorm@xanga - Raised protestant, I attended mass regularly for about a year, went to my RCIA classes with plans of converting. I didn't however, because there were too many aspects of Catholicism that I still didn't understand. One of which was purgatory. Obviously, as a protestant I had never heard anything about it, and you say that there is scriptural evidence that it exists. Would you like to share with me the scripture I could refer to? That would really help put my mind at ease! And why should I confess my sins to a priest, other than directly to God himself?
God commands all to be fruitful and multiply.
Are priests no longer men?@Theophilus166@xanga - I agree. I completely understand if people believe that they are being called to a life of celibacy, but it would be better as an option rather than a requirement.
And I feel the same way about Father Alberto.
I just wish he would have left when he realized he didn't want to hold up to what he had originally thought was right for him instead of waiting until he got caught.
That's my only real problem with it.
Being called to the priesthood is truely a calling from God.
The Catholic Church also has the option of becoming a Decon. Which allows you to become married and still preform some duties of a priest. The decon proclaims the gospel, preaches the homily, he can do baptisms and a few other things. However is not allowed to say mass in its entirety and hear confession (and i do not think a decon is allowed to give last rites.. but dont hold me to that i might be wrong).
As it says somewhere in the bible no one is allowed to serve two masters. (yes i am the sterotypical catholic who does not read the bible). And so when a priest becomes a pastor of a parish his full attention must be on the parish (flock).
@KENDRA__D@xanga - FYI - this is a reply to let you know I read your comment - atm I'm busy so I will give you the info later tonight. Sorry for the inconvenience.
@Theophilus166@xanga - 1 Corinthians 7: 32-40. It talks about celibacy and marriage.
" . . . An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs—how he can please the Lord. 33But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— 34and his interests are divided . . . " 1 Corinthians 7: 32-34
Some people think that they personally need to focus on God entirely and that by giving themselves to someone else will take away from their relationship with God. I think that to be a priest you really have to trust God and allow him to work in you. If he calls you to it, then he will give you the will power and the way to do so. If not, then he will provide a wife.
My priest was telling his homily yesterday and he talked about how he had a friend since he was young who went to become a nun, they stayed in touch and they had feelings for each other. But then they realized that God was calling them both to something greater, so they stopped the communication with each other for awhile and focused completely on God.
Honestly, if you'd like to know more about this, why don't you just call up/drive by a catholic church and talk to a priest. They will be more than glad to talk to you about anything and can give you an answer from their perspective.
Hope this helped :)