A gift or a burden? Priestly celibacy

Celibacy calls priests to live in charity and relate inclusively.

DAVAO CITY—In this Year of the Clergy and Religious Life, one issue that has been debated in different parts of the world is about allowing priests to get married and have a family.

Celibacy is a choice to renounce marriage for the sake of the Kingdom. It is one of the vows that a priest promises during his ordination along with obedience and poverty.

“I have always believed that priestly celibacy is first of all a gift—in fact, a great gift and treasure—in the life of the persons involved and of the Church in General.”

This is according to DCHerald columnist Fr. Roy Cimagala in his article entitled “On Priestly Celibacy”.

“Priestly celibacy conforms one to Christ as head of the Church in a more intense way,” he said adding that: “With celibacy, a priest like Christ can be more available to the people in their spiritual and moral needs.”

He explained that in the gospel episode when Christ was asked whose wife a man was who got married to seven brothers and that in the resurrection on the last day and in heaven they will be like angels—in heaven the 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. There will be no more births nor deaths. That is why priests and consecrated persons have to dress up and behave in such a way as to give some kind of public witness to this truth of our faith,” he said, adding:

“How I wished this aspect of the reason for priestly celibacy had been more highlighted!”

He added that a priest has grave duties and responsibilities in living the gift of celibacy, saying there will always be a need for them to have vigilance, spiritual struggle and sacrifice.

DIFFICULT, STILL

“Priestly celibacy is difficult in a way because you are holding on something you wish to indulge with naturally but you simply cannot and must not,” said Fr. Simeon Samson, a priest from the Archdiocese of Cotabato during an interview with DCHerald.

He added that a priest must strive to become a role model despite his frailties.

He said that through the grace and mercy of God, and constant prayers, priests like him will be able to see the beauty of celibacy.

CELIBACY THROUGH THE YEARS

Celibacy in the priesthood has long been a tradition of the Roman Catholic Church, with bishops selected from the celibate priests—a tradition that has been there before the mandatory celibate priesthood.

It was in 11th century when St. Gregory VII issued a decree requiring all priests to be celibate, asking bishops to enforce it. It has been the norm ever since in the Latin Rite, with special exceptions made for some Anglican and other Protestant pastors who converted to Catholicism and then become priests.