As his 95th birthday approached, Chicago’s most revered priest, Msgr. Ignatius McDermott told me (as we sat eating corned beef sandwiches at Manny’s) that he believed priesthood students should not be allowed to enter the seminary until they were in their late 20s. He did not elucidate beyond saying that they would be more mature then. As he wished to say nothing more, I pondered the reason why as we ate—and came to the conclusion that he meant several things. First, yes undeniably men are more mature than when they usually decide to go into the priesthood which, in pre-divinity, is high school (Quigley). Secondly, and this may well be what he meant, there should be a time when they have lived a little bit—dated, certainly. Then I remembered that in his era, priests and nuns came through Catholic schools and all but picked the smartest boys for the priesthood—the picking being touted as an honor to devout Catholic families where there was subtle encouragement to follow the wishes of “Father” (who was better educated and certainly more devout than the congregation).
I’ve thought about this often ever since. McDermott was a priest’s priest, one who not only was a model but an exemplar of compassion and feeling for the downtrodden. But since he was put on a course to the priesthood at age 14, perhaps he had misgivings that he should have started his trek at an older age. Certainly the immaturity and undefined sexuality that underscores many priests today—and in particular those caught up in sexual scandals—would argue against a later time. But more significant, I believe, a matter of choice given to those who are serious about the priesthood.
I have felt for a long time that celibacy should be voluntary. That’s not as draconian as it sounds. As all Catholics know, celibacy is not essential to the priesthood (as is the male nature of the priesthood). Peter was married (in fact Christ healed his mother-in-law) and for centuries, Catholic priests were allowed to marry. Some early popes were married and celibacy for the Latin (Western) rite did not become mandatory until the early Middle Ages. The Greek (Eastern) rite, still in communion with Rome, still allows priests to marry (in fact a friend of mine, married and the father of five, is a pastor nearby). Celibacy is not a prescribed rule without which one cannot be a priest, but is a discipline. The argument since Gregory VII is that celibacy is not necessary to fulfill the priesthood, is a disciplinary not doctrinal, injunction but is a discipline one should be prepared to undergo in order to be a better priest. There are auxiliary reasons. A man who has the responsibility of supporting a family regards this as his first task—not the priesthood. Yet, marriage was never regarded as second to celibacy. It is a sacrament of equal worth to Holy Orders.
The changing times and the base culture of our times would warrant—to me, at least—that celibacy should be voluntary. By this I don’t mean that those who skipped out of the priesthood to marry should be invited back—not at all…but that those who would qualify to be good priests should not be forbidden to marry. There will always be those who wish not to marry and want to put the priesthood first—they should be honored. But increasingly I am concerned that many who enter the priesthood do not view celibacy as a sacrifice—rather than an opportunity to associate with men. And that’s wrong. A distinguished priest I visited with once said that when he interviews prospective candidates, he asks them if they feel they can live with celibacy. Those who say full-heartedly that they can, he doubts very much, because he very strongly wanted to marry and have a family but put God first. I feel that many if not most of the priests who have erred have not felt this way.
Likewise, he would quite probably feel disadvantaged personally if the rule were to change. Here he made a tremendous sacrifice for the love of God and now it’s optional to allow those who put marriage and family equal to the priesthood can be satisfied. He has a very good point. But the decline of the priesthood is a very serious problem with the church as is the need to interfere with what I call the Lavender priesthood—men who if not actively performing homosexuality have a strong inclination to it.
Now is the time to clear up, I think, the difference between celibacy and chastity. Erasmus wrote that not all celibates are chaste and not all chaste persons are celibate. Chastity can be pursued in both married and single lives. Celibacy requires a person refrain from marriage and, therefore, sexual intercourse. Chastity requires a permanent change of character that disposes one to maintain a reasonable moderation in everything pertaining to the passion of lust. Remember that the greatest of saints experienced carnality, witness Augustine’s famous prayer when he was a young man-about-Rome: O Lord, make me chaste but not right now!
You have the opportunity to make me smarter—and right now by giving your views on this in Readers’ Comments. It would be helpful if you say whether or not you’re Catholic…but Catholic, Protestant, Jew or pagan, go right ahead…or rather write ahead. Would it be prudent to support celibacy being made a voluntary option for priests?
I am Catholic (and a member of St. John Cantius Parish).
ReplyDeleteTom, one important distinction you overlooked (or, at least, left unmentioned): In the Catholic tradition (as well as the Eastern Christian tradition) there has always been a difference between the question of ordaining married men and the question of allowing ordained men to marry. The former was practiced in the Western Church until the eleventh century, and is still practiced in the Eastern Churches. The latter is not and never has been an accepted practice in Eastern or Western Catholic Churches (nor in the Eastern Orthodox Churches).
In the Catholic Church and in the Eastern Orthodox Churches, once a man is ordained a priest or deacon, he may not subsequently marry (at least not without relinquishing his ministry and receiving dispensation). This rule applies regardless of whether the man was married before he was ordained, and it seems to be confirmed by 1 Timothy 3:2. Hence, what was really introduced during the eleventh century was the practice of reserving ordination for unmarried men.
ReplyDeleteMoreover, the idea of mandatory celibacy for priests also preceded the eleventh century: Throughout much of the Church, married priests were expected to live with their wives "as brother and sister." Scandals caused by the failures emerging from such an awkward situation were part of the rationale behind the eventual reserving of ordination for unmarried men.
In the Catholic Church and in the Eastern Orthodox Churches, once a man is ordained a priest or deacon, he may not subsequently marry (at least not without relinquishing his ministry and receiving dispensation). This rule applies regardless of whether the man was married before he was ordained, and it seems to be confirmed by 1 Timothy 3:2. Hence, what was really introduced during the eleventh century was the practice of reserving ordination for unmarried men.
ReplyDeleteMoreover, the idea of mandatory celibacy for priests also preceded the eleventh century: Throughout much of the Church, married priests were expected to live with their wives "as brother and sister." Scandals caused by the failures emerging from such an awkward situation were part of the rationale behind the eventual reserving of ordination for unmarried men.
Finally, it must be added (because it so often seems to be overlooked) that changes in the discipline of mandatory celibacy for priests will not in the least way affect priests who are members of religious orders (e.g., Jesuits, Franciscans, etc.). While celibacy is not essential to the Sacrament of Holy Orders, it is an essential element of the vowed religious life. A married Jesuit would be as oxymoronic as a wealthy Franciscan.
ReplyDeleteMore details on the general subject can be found in “The Case for Clerical Celibacy”, a slim volume by Cardinal Stickler, and in “The Apostolic Origins of Priestly Celibacy”, a thick volume by Christian Cochini, SJ, both published by Ignatius Press.