Celibacy is for the sake of His people

By Msgr. Pedro Lopez-Gallo

In 1563, during the 24th session of the Council of Trent, all the questions regarding the priestly celibacy were studied. Theologians and canonists expressed their contradictory opinions and arrived at these conclusions:

First, celibacy is the best condition for God’s service in the ministry. A married minister is too preoccupied with his wife and family to give such service.

Second, the priesthood, even in the Old Testament, requires a form of sanctity that implies the curbing of carnal desires. In the Old Covenant, priests were obliged only to a limited time of worship, but today’s priests should be totally and perpetually consecrated to God.

Their conclusion was that, even if in other rites marriage was possible before ordination, marriage and priesthood were incompatible. While good in itself, marriage rendered one unfit for the ministry.

Some of the theologians said that in consequence of this, celibacy for a priest was a duty based on divine law.

Others claimed that clerical celibacy was required only by ecclesiastical law, that it was only by the will of the Church that a priest was unable to contract marriage, and therefore, despite the suitability of celibacy for the sacerdotal state, the Pope might fundamentally dispense from this law that is only ecclesiastical.

The Council discarded the opinion that celibacy was of divine law. It said the Church had the right to prohibit priests from marrying and rejected the claim that celibacy was impossible. The grace of God would be sufficient to reinforce the priests in their resolve.

The current position of the Church today is that clerical celibacy is most proper to the sacerdotal ministry; it is, in no sense, a deprecation of marriage, but it is the condition for greater freedom in the service of God. The law of celibacy is of ecclesiastical origin and may be abrogated by the Church.

In the early Church, and in the East, ordination of married men as bishops, priests, and deacons was permitted for good reasons. Recent Popes have found similarly good reason to dispense from celibacy in the case of married Protestant pastors who convert and desire ordination.

Celibacy does not enjoy a very good image in our society these days, but if we consider it as an expression of faith, we must admit such dedication to God is worthy. It requires people whose belief in the Church is integral. Celibacy is a charism in, of, and for the Church.

It is ironic that the strongest advocates of optional celibacy are not priests (save some exceptions) but secular people, especially non-Catholics. It is more absurd that many of them ignore the fact that if the Vatican were to make celibacy optional, it would apply only to diocesan priests of Latin rite, not to religious priests, who on joining their religious orders took vows of obedience, poverty, and chastity.

For a local example, if the Vatican were to make celibacy optional the pastor of St. Jude’s Parish could exercise his option to marry, but all the priests of St. Helen’s, Our Lady of Sorrows, and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parishes could not, because they are religious. In Vancouver there are 180 priests, of whom 92 are religious and 88 diocesan.

The Vatican Statistics Office says the number of priests worldwide at present is 405,891. More than 50 per cent belong to religious orders and have taken a vow of chastity.

It would not be a spectacularly large number of priests who could take advantage of any new rules allowing them to marry. Only half of the present priests, those not in religious orders, could even consider that option.

The majority of the remaining half are approaching or beyond what is considered their “senior” years. It is unlikely that now, after having willingly and joyfully dedicated their whole lives in celibacy and chastity to the service of God, they would want to assume the worries and responsibilities of marriage in their sunset years.

Some people say the option would be only for the future, and for the younger priests. This seems to be secular thinking, a mirage, pretending that young priests want to marry, or that there would be more vocations if marriage was allowed.

The majority of priests feel disappointed and insulted when people assume they know what priests want. They say, “Why do people want us to give up something so enriching that is given to us though our ordination?”

In my experience, I can assure you, young priests are proud of their celibacy, by which they have consecrated the fullness of themselves to the service of God and to their parishioners. It must also be noted that neither in our Eastern Rite, which permits marriage before ordination, nor in Protestant religions, whose ministers are married, is the number of priests or ministers larger than in the Catholic faith.

Contrary to common opinion, a celibate priest is not supposed to live in isolation. That would be as pointless as expecting that a husband live in isolation from his wife. Celibacy is not to show the parishioners how to live alone, but to facilitate their living together as God’s children.

Celibacy is a gift of the Spirit that invites a priest to be accessible to his people. In fact, celibacy is ultimately for the sake of His people and the building up of the Church.

Msgr. Lopez-Gallo’s columns are available in two volumes for $20 each from St. Andrew’s Church Supply, 275 E. 8 Ave., Vancouver, V5T 1R9, or toll-free at 1-800-663-7161. Proceeds will go to Hogar de Nazareth Orphanage in Mexico, which he sponsors.