Session 1 - Introduction to Priestly Celibacy and Definitions of Terms
Overview of the current crisis in the Church related to priestly celibacy, and definition of key terms (continence, celibacy, virginity, the Eastern and Western Churches, etc).
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Priestly Celibacy
The History and Theology of the Church’s
Discipline
Session 1: Introduction to Priestly Celibacy
I. Why
this course?
Since the
election of Pope Francis, there has been great unrest regarding whether the
discipline of priestly celibacy will be changed. This has increased greatly in
the last year, due to the Synod of the Amazon.
At this
time, it seems quite likely that there will be changes made (at least in some
parts of the Latin Church) to the tradition of priestly celibacy. In
preparation for (and in resistance to) these changes, I am offering a course to
explain the historical and theological foundations of priestly and clerical
celibacy.
I will
speak very freely and frankly in this course, and will not be afraid of
controversy.
II.
Overview of the series
A.
Session 1: Introduction, definition of terms, current crisis and biblical
foundations
B.
Session 2: History of the development of clerical celibacy
C.
Session 3: Theological Reasons for clerical celibacy
D.
Session 4: Is celibacy tied to the nature of the priesthood?
III.
Definition of terms: Continence and Celibacy, Virginity, Vows and Promises
A.
Continence vs Celibacy
Continence
is the practice of abstinence from relations within a marriage. Celibacy is
refraining from marriage, and living chastely by abstaining from all sexual
relations. A marriage man can be continent, but it is not correct to say that
married people “live as celibates”.
Should
priests encourage married people to embrace continence? See 1 Corinthians
7:3-5.
Should
priests encourage married women to make vows of widowhood?
B.
Virginity vs Celibacy
Perfect
virginity is both to have abstained from sexual relations for one’s whole life,
and also to have never committed any sin against purity. We also speak of
virginity simply as having refrained perpetually from all sexual relations. The
Church’s tradition really only speaks of women as virgins – with the exception
of St John the Evangelist.
Celibacy
is the resolve not to marry, however this does not require that an individual
is necessarily a virgin – since a man or woman can promise celibacy after a spouse
of a first marriage dies, or even after having fallen to sin.
C. Vows
vs Promises
Vows are
made by religious (monks and nuns), whereas promises are made by diocesan
priests (as well as by third order religious, like the Nashville Dominicans).
This will
be important to keep in mind when we discuss the history of clerical celibacy,
since there have been times in which the dedication to celibacy has not been
explicitly made, but is understood to have been promised by virtue of
ordination – and likewise, this is important when considering the current
practice of ordaining married deacons or married converts as priests.
D.
Diocesan/Secular Clergy vs Religious
Diocesan
priests/deacons are “secular” – we do not make the vows of poverty, chastity,
and obedience. Diocesan priests do promise prayer, obedience, and celibacy, and
married deacons promise prayer and obedience – but these are not vows. The
religious, however, is bound by the vows.
Thus, the
religious vocation is more perfect than that of the secular priest – since the
religious is wholly consecrated to God and is living on earth the life of
Heaven.
E.
Ordaining married men as clerics vs Allowing deacons/priests to get married
It is
very different to consider the possibility of allowing a married man to be
ordained a deacon or priests, than allowing a man already ordained to get
married. Although it is possible to allow an ordained man to get married – it
is currently forbidden even for married deacons or priests to remarry if their
wife were to die.
We will
comment much more on the reasoning of the Church and the tradition behind this
practice – as this will greatly enlighten us regarding the connection between
celibacy and holy orders.
F. The
East vs The West
Note that
there are Eastern Catholics (in union with Rome) and Eastern Orthodox
(schismatics), who have true priests who are married. There is a different
tradition that developed in the East as compared to the West.
Eastern
Canon Law is likewise different from the Canon Law of the West. The Eastern
tradition can be accepted as valid while still holding to the Western practice
for the Latin Catholic Church.
G.
Discipline vs Doctrine
Disciplines
can be changed, while doctrine remains always. Clerical/Priestly celibacy is
only a discipline, it can change – however, just become something can change,
doesn’t mean it should change. Other
examples of disciplines that could change: Allowing religious orders to exist,
the liturgical year (Advent/Christmas, Lent/Easter), the College of Cardinals,
Canon Law, etc.
Furthermore,
like many disciplines, clerical celibacy does seem to be tied to certain
doctrines about marriage/virginity and Holy Orders.
H. Clergy
vs laity
The
clergy are those who have been ordained (whether secular priests or religious,
whether deacons or priests or bishops). The laity are those who have not been
ordained. It is very important to remember that deacons are not laity, they are
members of the clergy – even though they are not priests. Furthermore, although
there are three degrees of Holy Orders (deacon, priest, bishop), it is still
only one Sacrament.
IV.
Current Crisis
A. Sexual
abuse scandal: Many say that celibacy is repressive and causes priests to act
out in sinful ways. However, this is not substantiated by statistical data, nor
is there any logical connection – pedophilia is a disease, but celibacy doesn’t
cause it. Furthermore, the real problem
is more closely linked to homosexuality.
B. Priest
shortage: No doubt we would have more priests if married men could be ordained
– but what would the quality of these priests be? And how devoted could they be
to the work? Consider the difficulties
of seminary formation and priestly ministry for a married man. Also, would married
men be as respected as priests?
C.
Permanent Diaconate: The proliferation of married deacons is causing a real
crisis in the Church. Married deacons make people wonder, Why can’t priests be
married? Many times, people assert that the married deacons should just be
allowed to become priests (I’ve heard bishops say this, and the Amazon Synod
document expressly called for this).
Further,
in many place (like our own Diocese), the priest shortage is being “solved” by
having a permanent deacon run the parish while a single priest races between many
parishes – but then how is the priest really a spiritual father for the parish,
and how will this encourage young men to consider the priesthood?
Further,
the fact that many openly state that, if we required deacons to live continence
we wouldn’t have any deacons, is an indication of a grave problem! These men
are promising never to remarry if their wives die, if they cannot even imagine
living continence, how can we possibly believe that they will accept never
remarrying?
Further,
why is it that many parishes that have never produced a single priestly
vocation (or not for many years) suddenly are producing many many “vocations”
to the permanent deaconate? And more, how is it that some dioceses which are
not producing any vocations to the priesthood, yet are suddenly producing many
many “vocations” to the permanent deaconate? Is this authentic discernment?
Something is fishy.
D.
Married priests (converts): Anglican converts (and others) are permitted to be
ordained priests even though they are married. This causes people to wonder,
Why can’t a catholic man be married and still become a priest? Why special
treatment for the converts? [note: I do
not oppose married converts being ordained as priests, nor do I believe this
truly is a threat to clerical celibacy – but it can cause some confusion]
E. The
Synod on the Amazon: The synod on the Amazon (like the whole Pontificate of
Pope Francis) has caused massive confusion and uncertainty about the current
state of the Church. In particular, there are many now calling for allowing
married priests.
V.
Biblical Foundations:
A. Is
virginity/celibacy a “higher calling” than Marriage? Yes.
St Paul
would prefer that all be celibate: “I would that all men were even as myself;
but every one hath his proper gift from God .... But I say to the unmarried and
to the widows, it is good for them if they so continue, even as I.” (1 Cor
7:7-8) and “But I would have you to be without solicitude. He that is without a
wife is solicitous for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please
God. But he that is with a wife, is solicitous for the things of the world, how
he may please his wife: and he is divided. And the unmarried woman and the
virgin thinketh on the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and
spirit. But she that is married thinketh on the things of this world how she
may please her husband. And this I speak for your profit, not to cast a snare
upon you, but for that which is decent and which may give you power to attend
upon the Lord without impediment.” (1 Cor 7:32-35)
St John
Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, 16 – “the Church, throughout her history, has
always defended the superiority of this charism [celibacy] to that of marriage.”
B. Is
celibacy possible for all? By God’s grace
“At this,
his disciples said to him, If the case stands so between man and wife, it is
better not to marry at all. That conclusion, he said, cannot be taken in by
everybody, but only by those who have the gift. There are some eunuchs, who
were so born from the mother’s womb, some were made so by men, and some have
made themselves so for love of the kingdom of heaven; take this in, you whose
hearts are large enough for it.”
(Matthew 19:10-12)
C. Did
the Apostles embrace perfect continence? Yes.
“Hereupon
Peter said, And what of us? we have forsaken all that was ours, and followed
thee. Jesus said to them, I promise you, everyone who has forsaken home, or
parents, or brethren, or wife, or children for the sake of the kingdom of God...” (Luke 18:28-30)
