On priestly celibacy
The other day, the Cebu clergy held their monthly recollection with priestly celibacy as the theme. This topic is part of the lineup meant for thisYear of the Clergy and Consecrated Persons.
While the speaker gave a thorough and also humorous treatment of the topic, what struck me was that priestly celibacy sounded more as a burden rather than a gift of God.
I have always believed priestly celibacy is a gift in the life of the persons involved and of the Church in general. It should make priests more happy and welcoming rather than worried and hesitant.
That’s because priestly celibacy conforms one to Christ as head of the Church in a more intense way. With celibacy, a priest like Christ can be more available to the people in their spiritual and moral needs.
Besides, priestly celibacy holds the eschatological meaning of reminding everyone that in our state of life in heaven, all of us will be celibate.
And that’s because Christ clarified in that gospel episode where he was asked whose wife a woman was who married seven brothers, that in the resurrection on the last day and in heaven we will be like angels. (cfr Lk 20,27-40)
In heaven our resurrected body will be completely spiritualized, like that of Christ after his resurrection. There will be no need for any carnal or marital activity since the population there will be fixed. No more births or deaths. That is why priests and consecrated persons have to dress and behave to give some kind of public witness to this truth.
How I wish this aspect of the reason for priestly celibacy had been more highlighted!
I believe the problem was because the main approach to the theme was priestly celibacy as an ecclesiastical requirement rather than a gift. It gave more focus on the frailties of men rather than on the grace and mercy of God and the beauty of celibacy.
It cannot be denied priestly celibacy requires nothing less than heroic efforts. Given our weaknesses and the temptations around, we cannot exaggerate the need for effort.
Without detracting from the more fundamental truth that priestly celibacy is a divine gift, we should be realistic enough about the grave duties and responsibilities we priests and consecrated persons have in living that gift.
That is why the life of genuine prayer, sacrifice, vigilance, spiritual struggle, and developing the appropriate virtues and skills, cannot be overemphasized. There’s no way one can live priestly celibacy if these means are not taken up.
In a recent statement, Pope Francis confessed that he had been talking to victims of clerical sex abuse and he considered this scandal of erring clerics the “greatest desolation that the Church is undergoing.” He also said the scandal expresses both the Church’s fragility as well as its level of hypocrisy.
Those strong words should stir up in all those concerned the need to get serious in loving God and others more, because only with that love can one truly live priestly celibacy, and continually wage war against human frailty, temptations, and sin.
Email: roycimagala@gmail.com