[Oldcath-l] Celibacy Is Not The Problem

[Fr. Gregory Ned Blevins]

--- +Marty <FrMarty_Patton at fuse.net> wrote:

> Telesphor R. Magobe is a Roman Catholic Missionary
> Priest of the Society of the Missionaries of Africa,
> traditionally known as White Fathers. 

Ah, yes.  The White Fathers, who brought you the late
Archbishop LeFabvre.  Be that as it may, Fr. Magobe
has a couple of good points.  

However, IMHO, celibacy is, and is NOT, the problem. 
The most basic problem, it seems to me, is that Rome
confuses two vocations, or perhaps better, two
vocational axes, the one regarding celibacy vs.
marriage and the other, priesthood vs. lay status. 
The two are not the same and should not be confused. 
As the history of the rest of the Church has shown,
the call to the priesthood does not necessarily
correlate to the call to celibacy, and vice-versa.  

OTOH, the religious life, by definition, requires
celibacy.  While I could envision a form of same that
does not so require, I doubt that it could be
integrated with, say, the Jesuits, or the Poor Claires
of Perpetual Adoration, Mamma A.'s girls.  It would
require new forms, which would not be a bad thing and
possibly even a good thing.  The point is, however,
while Rome can and should drop the celibacy
requirement for its diocesan ordinands and POSSIBLY
for those currently in the priesthood, it should not,
wily-nily, do the same for those in religious life, as
it is currently constituted.  

This, IMHO, is one of the few basic things that Rome
needs to "fix"  (others include dropping the filioque,
restoring the integrity of the Baptism,
Confirmation/Chrismation, First Communion process,
and, of course, finding a way out of the black hole
that is Vatican I).

Just my $0.02.

M'shlama,
Fr. Greg 

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