Priests must be like Christand celibate

THE EDITOR: I thank Imaam Iqubal Hydal for his response (“Celibacy unnatural law of God,” April 1) to my letter (“Celibacy is not the problem,” March 24). It provides the chance to refine my arguments. However, I think he may have misunderstood some of the things I said.

The comparison between sexual abuse by clergy and in the sporting arena was not mine, but that of the psychologist who I quoted. The purpose was to compare the statistics of abuse to ascertain whether abuse was higher among the Catholic clergy than any other group that has access to minors and exercises some degree of authority over them.

Statistics show that it is not. In addition, as there have been culprits in the sporting world who are married men, again I’m not sure that celibacy is to blame.

I have never doubted the scandalous nature of the abuse but simply hoped to add some context and explain why I thought celibacy was not the issue. I also explained the Catholic Church’s possible reasons for embracing celibacy.

Pope St Paul VI once said that “Christ, by remaining celibate, signified his total dedication to the service of God and men (“The Celibacy of the Priest,” June 24, 1967). Christ served God and man, and celibacy was essential to this mission for Him.

For Catholics, the priest acts “in persona Christi” (in the person of Christ). He dedicates himself to the service of God and man as well. The priest has to be another Christ, Christ himself. And so, preferably celibate.

It is precisely the holiness of marriage that makes celibacy a worthy thing for the person called to live it. For only what is good and holy in itself can be given up for God as a sacrifice. Celibacy is to give up the goodness of marriage for a greater good: God’s service and the service of others.

ISIDORE M GABRIEL, Maraval