Celibacy

Priestly Celibacy Certainly, celibacy, as a disciplinary norm of the Roman Catholic Church, is often subject to scrutiny and analysis in the modern age. It is due to the differences that occur within our communities and the divisions. These differences and divisions are often caused by the disapproval of some of those who have freely embraced the so-called priestly ministry in our Church. However, most of the time the ecclesiastical practice of priestly celibacy is not discussed under the right parameters. Priestly celibacy must be analyzed, understood, and valued in light of certain theological and pastoral considerations, which can be found in Sacred Scripture, especially the nineteenth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew and, in a particular…

perpetually, it creates much confusion that undermines the main church sect. Although, there is a limited amount of writings about celibacy in the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament, the whirlwind around the practice undeniably takes hold quickly ‘after’ Jesus’ resurrection. Centuries before the arrival of Christ, the conscious sanctity of God Divine’s sexual relationship with the His people grew less and less for reasons that a large amount did not discern its real meaning; nevertheless,…

Writing Celibacy by definition is the state of not being married; abstention from sexual intercourse; abstention by vow from marriage. The practice of celibacy has been directly linked to many religions throughout history. Because, celibacy is a series of actions undertaken to discipline and control the body, many religions felt like it was a way to become one step closer to purity. Let’s place the microscope on the long shared history of celibacy in Christian practice. The practice of…

The blessed Apostle John was known as the example of celibacy. By most accounts, early celibacy was considered to be unmarried to an earthly spouse and being married to God. (I pray this insertion of celibacy will not confuse people. My purpose is to intertwine this “state of being” into what ‘I believe’ is the true meaning of this position with God; therefore please bear with me to explain this.) After Jesus’ crucifixion, some of the disciples formed different groups with different…

(I pray this inclusion concerning celibacy will not confuse people. My purpose is to intertwine this “state of being” into what ‘I believe’ is the true meaning of this position with God; therefore, please abide with me to explain this.) In the Old Testament, a few people known for celibacy or bachelor- hood were Elijah, Joshua and Gideon, along with the Jewish Essenes. While there were other outside groups (such as; Hinduism, Buddhism and numerous monks in organizations, etc.), and…

Sometimes it is easier to deal with, and sometimes it is not so easy. One thing which is certain, it is not for everybody. Celibacy seems to relate to the practical level of an individuals experience. It has to do with how one feels in concrete situations. On the other hand, the joys seem more related to the achievement of goals and values. In conclusion, it has become clear that in Buddhism It is not necessarily an inferior ideal to marry and have sexual relationships. The most important thing…

The topic of Celibacy and those that practice it has been subject to ridicule and/or misunderstanding for quite some time. However, this is a subject that has been forced to become more relevant. Is it as a result of the advancement of technology that allows for easier access to explicit content? Or is it simply a change in times that could have potentially caused a shift in moral standards about sex? Celibacy is a free and individual choice that should not be made susceptible to mockery nor…

Why Has the Church Upheld a View of Celibacy for the Priesthood? For centuries, the holy Church has upheld a view of celibacy for its priesthood- meaning that any priest cannot marry. The reasoning for this is that they will stay focused on their Church, and their holy duties instead of secondary matters. But why has the Church upheld this view for the amount of time that is has? There could be several reasons for this view for the holy priesthood and how long it has been in order. For…

St. John Paul II said, “A need for spousal love dwells in man, a need to give himself to another.” Then, some choose the way of matrimony to fulfill this natural desire for spousal love. Others, however, renounce to marriage to give themselves to God through an undivided love for Him. Among those two kinds of vocation to spousal love, St John Paul II claims that consecrated celibacy is objectively superior because it calls for a higher level of love. To demonstrate, I will be discussing three…

marriage, idolatry, excommunication, and many spiritual issues plaguing Christians of the time. Though it applied only to Spain at the time, it is considered to contain the “oldest positive ecclesiastical ordinance concerning the celibacy of the clergy” (“Council of Elvira”). The canon in question is Canon 33, which states that any ordained minister is to abstain from sexual activity with their wives and the creation of children. Disobeyment of this canon resulted in removal from their clerical…