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No more celibacy for priests in the Catholic Church? – The newspaper
Pope Francis assures that there is no contradiction for a priest to be able to get married
The Bishop of Rome in a recent interview with an Argentine media, which collects information for Europe, in which he was interviewed about the possibility of reviewing celibacy, Pope Francis explained that celibacy in the Western Church is a “temporary prescription.”
MAKES MANIFEST
That “Celibacy in the Western Church is a temporary prescription: I don’t know if it is resolved one way or another, but it is provisional in this sense; it is not eternal like priestly ordination, which is forever, whether you like it or not. Whether you leave or not is another matter, but it is forever. Instead, celibacy is a discipline.”
It is a debated topic that in history has been the cause of scandals due to judgments that despite presenting important cases of personal relationships of priests in situations that are not desirable or permitted socially or for the ecclesial authorities, so then they are opposed.
THE POPE UNDERLINES
He recalled that the priests of the Eastern Church are married and have children, while there is “no contradiction for a priest to get married.” In addition, he points out that celibacy can “lead to machismo.”
The holy pontiff expresses “All those of the Eastern Church are married, or those who want to. There they make an option before ordination to marry or to be celibate ”, he pointed out.
“Here in the Curia we have one, I came across it today, that his wife has, his son” he adds.
However, he is indifferent to the possibility that by annulling the obligation of celibacy, vocations to priests will increase.
He details that “sometimes celibacy can lead to machismo” and criticized that there are some priests who do not know how to “work with women” because they “miss something” after verifying that the Vatican in the past “was very macho”.
1,165 women work in the Vatican, compared to 846 at the beginning of his pontificate in 2013, so the percentage increased from 19.2% to the current 23.4%.
Priestly celibacy is when this choice is made in exchange for a total dedication to religious services, through priestly ordination, it is a total dedication of the person to the service of God and the community, according to history.
It is linked to the virginal vocation, but it is not exactly the same. Religious who do not exercise the priestly function can also maintain the virginal vocation. Married people, who therefore cannot be celibate, can assume a virginal vow at a certain point in life, staying together but not having further sexual relations.
Virginity is the condition of one who has never had sexual relations, but the virginal vocation is the resignation of active sexual life, that is, one does not have to be a virgin to choose it. In this case, the person renounces an active sexual life in order to channel all his energy and his entire person in his relationship with God.
PEREIRANOS REACT
The specialist Guillermo Valencia, Clinica psychologist explains and opines: “Within his liberalities he had introduced this possibility of considering celibacy within the Catholic priesthood is something interesting that touches the entire Catholic community worldwide and on that we all know that there have been very divergent points of view for a long time that some go through to explain the justification for all this type of scandals of a sexual nature, peidophilia, homosexuality and heterosexuals.
What I want to express with this is that many priests, the choice of spiritual virginity, which is what they conceive, is very difficult to maintain, now one thing must be taken into account: celibacy is not a matter that is a mandate from the church, that is not within the parameters and dogmas of faith in the church, it is not an obligation.
Of the Judeo-Christian religions, only two practice celibacy, which are Catholics and Orthodox, and in two Eastern religions, Hinduism and Buddhism, in other ancient and modern religions celibacy does not exist, so from a psychological point of view, my opinion it is that although it is true it is a choice that is made because being a priest is a resignation that is done to many things but that resignation has to incorporate the worldliness of all human beings who are the priestly subject, I would say no, that that many religions understand it.
It would be much better, psychologically and socially more profitable, if priests were allowed to have a life in addition to being a monarchy, a life that could be compatible with the marital, this would contribute enormously to the mental and sexual health of the Catholic Church that precisely to a greater degree of The frustration of a society as modern as it is, eroticized to death, is hedonistic and has exposed priests to this situation, so I adhere to that line of people who can agree with the Pope in an eventuality and I think it would help and It would greatly benefit the ecclesial institution, to the extent that I do not see that it is incompatible that a good priesthood is also carried out with a very deep spiritual and family marital life”.
REACTIONS
NORALDO FAJARDO
“I think it could be because, like evangelical pastors, they get married and have children, and are more consecrated than Catholics, I agree that what they can’t do is have lovers, but married yes”
ROSALBA PERÉZ
I see that as very normal, as long as they do not abandon the priesthood, whatever they decide, have a wife or have their children, I don’t see a problem, he is still a priest, fulfilling his duties in the church “
MARIO LOPEZ
“It is fair that a man who consecrates himself to the Catholic, also has the right to his own married life, to have his wife, to establish a home, as long as he knows how to manage it. He does not stop being a man, he is a human being, besides one goes to church to believe in their personal word, but in God’s, he only preaches the word ”.
FATHER ANIBAL HURTADO
“What the Pope has said is true, the origin of celibacy comes from the Lateran Council in 1139, it is said that it was at the beginning when celibacy was imposed for priests in the western church, although some speak of the fourth century. In any case, the prohibition of celibacy is ecclesiastical, it is not of divine law; therefore the Pope can abolish the law of celibacy in the church”.