IS IT okay for a husband to become a priest? Should priests be allowed to get married? I love you Pope Francis! I know that in our midst there are men who belong to the “viriprobati” (married men of great faith).
A good husband of strong faith who is an ideal father of a family is needed in our Catholic Church to be an ideal priest for the faithful. We have good priests who have been serving the flock of Christ. They, too, have their biological needs… and have the willingness to partake in the legal and normal process of “go and multiply.” Why should we oblige them “to be boxed” in celibacy.
The imposition of celibacy by the Church (not by God) to our priests has already created “discreet scandal.” We all know that there are good priest in our parishes who have children. I call it “spiritual accident.” It is hard to believe that a charismatic priest will not be courted by the young beautiful women in the parishes. I call it “mutual admiration begets mutual admiration.”
A human priest is a normal being. He experiences erection and wet dreams. He cannot just play his toy while mouthing a litany of ejaculations for the saints. Just like water in the river, that emotion will flow in low-lying areas to find its level. We have heard of scandals that women (hopefully young) get inside the room of the priest in a convent and stay there for two hours. We cannot just conclude that they are praying the rosary.
There are ministers and pastors serving other religions who are perceived to be happy husbands. Their wives and children become part of their congregation. My grandfather, Padre Leon Fabillar, was an Aglipayan priest. He was assigned in several missions and churches in Panay. He was well-loved by his parishioners. His second wife (Cerela) took good care of mother and me when he died. It was rumored that women were running after him in his younger days. That could be another story.
The church dogma (that includes celibacy) sometimes made the normal life of the ordinary priests abnormal. We are even tempted to believe that Jesus Christ had a “companion” during his 33-year stay on earth. The Jesus that we know lived a conventional life by being closer to women.
When he was nailed on the elevated log he was accompanied by women up to his death. That simply goes to show that in every rise and fall of a man there are always women around.
Pope Francis is infallible when it comes to deciding what is moral. It could be his time to give his “Papal Authority” to married men of great faith to become priests.
Many believe that priesthood as a vocation should be made enjoyable. We would like to see single priests who are comfortable with single women. Husband priests could be more effective in preaching about family life.
Letting the priest marry could be handled easily by Pope Francis. We know that there are other horrible problems in the Church like pedophilia, sex abuse, politics, drunkenness, and unchristly lifestyle of priests. The Gospel is about love and good life. Let us accommodate married priests to become a part of this Gospel. There should be transformation in the Catholic Church. Let this be a part of that wonderful transformation. No celibacy to priesthood!
Celibacy has its origin in pagan practices. Pagan priests in the past castrated themselves so that they could be free from the stain of sex in order to serve the people better as mediator between the people and the gods. Pagan priests believe that asexual abstinence is needed to be close to gods. This practice was adopted by the early theologians who were “against” sex and marriage. Funny, they are now saints… Augustine, Aquinas, Jerome.
This became a part of the canon law in the Council of Trent. Many did not want to be priest anymore. This dogma did not stop some priests from having concubines… including some popes. (Read your Church History.)
Concubines were expensive but having them could be the only alternative for the priests, bishops, cardinals and popes to satisfy their biological need… lust.
The most important reason during that time behind celibacy is money. The Church abhors competition from the legitimate children who will inherit from their cleric father. The priests upon their death will have to bequeath their estates to the Church. Jose Rizal made the lives of the friars palatable in his “Noli Me Tangere” and “El Filibusterismo.”
I am not sure if I want to be a priest. I want to check first my “great faith.” I could be “Daddy Priest” or “Grandpa Priest.” The Lord be with you.