Have you ever wondered what priests think of the vow of celibacy? Personally there are aspects of the religious life I've always been curious about. It wasn't until recent years when I became actively involved in my parish and had the opportunity to get to know my priests that I discovered they are actually regular people! I certainly recognize that they have an indelible mark on their souls as a result of Holy Orders and because of them we are able to receive the Sacraments. This is something we can never take for granted. We should pray for our priests and appreciate them.
What I mean is that they enjoy regular things like everyone else. One of our parish priests is an avid golfer and boxes to stay in shape. The other has quite the sense of humor and has just taken up learning how to cook. The post below is from a young priest who was a former associate pastor in my local parish and low and behold, he is a regular guy too! The following is a reprinted post that he shared on facebook (It has been reprinted with his permission). He is a great example of the kinds of priests that are coming out of the seminary in recent years. They are passionate about the Catholic faith and not afraid profess what she stands for.
Read what Father Joe Post says about priestly celibacy:
As Pope Francis continues making waves with his humble and passionate service to the Church as Pope, I'm assured that his love and commitment to the celibate life is an important part of that sustaining humility and passion.
Since I have been ordained almost 6 years now, I have been asked numerous times why priests are still "forced" to be celibate? or When will the Church finally get with the modern times and change it? As this article states, "No one understands it anymore." Well first of all, celibacy is not "forced" upon any man that answers the call to the priesthood. Many are called and few are chosen, and that few choose to sacrifice and offer up that part of their lives for the greater glory of the Church. Let's face it in real terms, sex is a beautiful part of the way we love one another. It comes with a great responsibility. This responsibility, fully lived out within the sacrament of marriage, expresses the two becoming one flesh, and bringing life into the world. What a great joy and a great responsiblity by a husband and wife to live out that love. In the same way, celibacy is that same love, sacrificed and offered by a priest as a gift to the Church. Although the physical actions aren't a part of it, the disposition of the priest's heart and love are directed to the Church. Even married couples are called to celibacy at times in their marriage. Yet "sex" is merely fornication, aka a sin, unless the heart is directed in love and humility for the other and is open to life. Likewise a priest whose heart is not focused and humbled for the good of the faith in service to the Church will also find himself in sin and his ministry will be misguided. Celibacy is a wonderful gift, that like sex within marriage, if properly lived out has amazing life-giving and sustaining ability.
Secondly, just because common society has lost its understanding on what celibacy is, does not mean that we should abolish it to get with the times. If the Church applied this idealogy to other parts of it's ministry, we would be the Church of "here today, gone tomorrow." If it not understood or appreciated, all the more opportunity to education on what a gift it is. There is a tragic and fatal movement of approach and understanding moving through our society, that when encounter Definitions and Traditions that we no longer agree with, we need to simply re-define them or abolish them. This is fatal to the sustaining of any body of people because it throws out long-standing beliefs and customs that have endured centuries of growth and success, unity and virtue. Creating a "whimsicle society" that wants to constantly change and re-define itself leads to fragmentation and ultimately failure.
One of the aspects of the "Priesthood Scandal" is just how tragic the impact of the heinous actions of those priests were felt in the world. Why? well because the reality of it is that people know that their priests are called to live that life of virtue and sacrifice, and to lose that focus on virtue and sacrifice, they not just affect their own identity, but more so the identity of the Church they serve and the image of Christ.
The spousal love I have for the Church, is a complete offering of self to her service. As great and wonderful the joy a couple shares in that nuptial union, that same joy is experienced in the many different sacraments I celibrate. For it is not the physical action that defines the joy and the gift, but the heart that is open and offering that outward sign of love. Besides, not every aspect of love will ever be understood in this life, part of the mystery of love, is just that, to remain a mystery that continues to draw us closer to the author and creator of love, Christ. For man is not created to know and understand everything. For where we are limited as individuals, we are unlimited in our community. That community (the Church) is brought forth and sustained by both a nuptial of man and woman (Married life), and a celibate love (priesthood) that make together live out the Sacraments we are given.
As Pope Francis continues making waves with his humble and passionate service to the Church as Pope, I'm assured that his love and commitment to the celibate life is an important part of that sustaining humility and passion.
Since I have been ordained almost 6 years now, I have been asked numerous times why priests are still "forced" to be celibate? or When will the Church finally get with the modern times and change it? As this article states, "No one understands it anymore." Well first of all, celibacy is not "forced" upon any man that answers the call to the priesthood. Many are called and few are chosen, and that few choose to sacrifice and offer up that part of their lives for the greater glory of the Church. Let's face it in real terms, sex is a beautiful part of the way we love one another. It comes with a great responsibility. This responsibility, fully lived out within the sacrament of marriage, expresses the two becoming one flesh, and bringing life into the world. What a great joy and a great responsiblity by a husband and wife to live out that love. In the same way, celibacy is that same love, sacrificed and offered by a priest as a gift to the Church. Although the physical actions aren't a part of it, the disposition of the priest's heart and love are directed to the Church. Even married couples are called to celibacy at times in their marriage. Yet "sex" is merely fornication, aka a sin, unless the heart is directed in love and humility for the other and is open to life. Likewise a priest whose heart is not focused and humbled for the good of the faith in service to the Church will also find himself in sin and his ministry will be misguided. Celibacy is a wonderful gift, that like sex within marriage, if properly lived out has amazing life-giving and sustaining ability.
Secondly, just because common society has lost its understanding on what celibacy is, does not mean that we should abolish it to get with the times. If the Church applied this idealogy to other parts of it's ministry, we would be the Church of "here today, gone tomorrow." If it not understood or appreciated, all the more opportunity to education on what a gift it is. There is a tragic and fatal movement of approach and understanding moving through our society, that when encounter Definitions and Traditions that we no longer agree with, we need to simply re-define them or abolish them. This is fatal to the sustaining of any body of people because it throws out long-standing beliefs and customs that have endured centuries of growth and success, unity and virtue. Creating a "whimsicle society" that wants to constantly change and re-define itself leads to fragmentation and ultimately failure.
One of the aspects of the "Priesthood Scandal" is just how tragic the impact of the heinous actions of those priests were felt in the world. Why? well because the reality of it is that people know that their priests are called to live that life of virtue and sacrifice, and to lose that focus on virtue and sacrifice, they not just affect their own identity, but more so the identity of the Church they serve and the image of Christ.
The spousal love I have for the Church, is a complete offering of self to her service. As great and wonderful the joy a couple shares in that nuptial union, that same joy is experienced in the many different sacraments I celibrate. For it is not the physical action that defines the joy and the gift, but the heart that is open and offering that outward sign of love. Besides, not every aspect of love will ever be understood in this life, part of the mystery of love, is just that, to remain a mystery that continues to draw us closer to the author and creator of love, Christ. For man is not created to know and understand everything. For where we are limited as individuals, we are unlimited in our community. That community (the Church) is brought forth and sustained by both a nuptial of man and woman (Married life), and a celibate love (priesthood) that make together live out the Sacraments we are given.
Visit www.parishbookclubs.com for book picks, reviews, and discussion questions.
Visit www.parishbookclubs.com for book picks, reviews, and discussion questions.
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