Which of the following most accurately applies to a Catholic priest (select one): “celibate”, “unmarried”, “celibate and unmarried”, “celibate or unmarried”, “________________”?
The Catechism of the Catholic Church devotes around eighty words to the subject of priestly celibacy in the Western Rites [1579]. Paragraph [1580] acknowledges a different discipline in the Eastern Churches where priestly celibacy is held in high esteem though not required . But “In the East as in the West,” it states, “a man who has already received the sacrament of Holy Orders can no longer marry.” This subtle segue from the positive sense of the term “celibacy” to the negative sense of the word “marry” begs some interesting questions.
Isn’t every unmarried male (or female) morally bound to a life of celibacy? Isn’t any unmarried priest likewise bound to celibacy? Isn’t any additional ordination-related celibacy rule redundant when a ban on marriage achieves the same ends?
If celibacy, and not marriage, is the real issue, then we must conclude that the Church is teaching that a celibate marriage is not valid. This is, of course, incorrect as affirmed by the marriage of Mary and Joseph. The Church could, it seems, simply require priests to be unmarried and let the issue of celibacy take care of itself . This could make the entire debate more interesting.
