Catholic priests and chastity?

Question

I'd like to get down to the meat of question, so to speak. I have always been very curious about priestly chastity. So this vow is against any sexual activity at all, even masturbation (which I reck'n it should be, since masturbation is a sin)? Here's the thing. This does not seem psyhiologically practical. Given enough time without release, things happen all on their own. And I don't mean wet dreams. After a while, it's just not possible to not masturbate.

I know I'm stumbling over this question. What I'm asking, I guess, is do they really expect me to believe that priests never orgasm??

Drizz: does that mean you've never had an orgasm?

Answer 1

It is not good for man to be alone, said God. The Catholic church seems to think otherwise.

Answer 2

When a Catholic priest takes a vow of chastity, it's true that he can't have sex (oral or otherwise.) It is a stern principle yes, but in truth he's married to Christ's church on earth. The Bible calls Christ the bridegroom and the Church he founded is His bride for all time if that makes sense- it can be confusing even for Catholics. Anyway when a priest is ordained he is commissioned to lead God's people. He is 'in persona Christe'- the person of Christ even though he's human with many flaws, failings, and yearnings. When a priest is ordained he doesn't magically lose his sexuality, he has chosen freely (and hopefully for the right reasons) to give it to God as a precious gift. If his mind is ordered to God's kingdom, and his station, he wouldn't masturbate, if not, he probably would from time to time. Priests no doubt notice beautiful women, but the vast majority treat it as a temptation and don't let fantasies run their lives.

Answer 3

OK, so back when I was an erotic dancer, a new customer was very talkative and he was saying some things that were rather odd. I couldn't hear him well. There was something weird about him. I asked him, "Are you gay?" Now in the context of an adult entertainment establishment, this may seem an odd question, but heck, you never know. We had plenty of gay clients, most were there to try to spy on the straight guys, but anything can happen in the land of fantasy.
He replied, "No. I'm a priest."
Oh. Crap. I realized that the last thing he'd said to me before I asked my question was "I should have worn my collar in here."
I feel it's a big faux paus to ever ask a straight man if he's gay, and even more so if that man happens to be a priest.

And on a more serious note, there are "mystical ways" that you can transfer sexual energy away from your sexual organs.

Answer 4

It didn't used to be against the Church's law for priests to marry. Then the church realised they were losing a lot of money and property - it was going to the children of the priests rather than to the church.

And wa-la, no more marriage for priests. And of course they wrapped it up in a "holier than thou" package that sex is wrong and bad, and unholy, and it's ever-so-holy to be celibate instead. They did that to Jesus too, if he actually even existed. No way would he have been celibate. He would have been married and had children by age 30, or he wouldn't have been ALLOWED to be a rabbi. Nobody would have given him his certificate, so to speak.

In fact, this has always been the Jewish prophecy for the messiah. Born of a married Jewish man and woman in the usual way, father from lineage of king david, grows up, gets married, has sons to whom he leaves an inheritance, etc. etc. lives a good long life, and isn't killed as some sort of pagan virgin bloody human sacrifice for sin.

So see what the Church did to this? They SANITIZED him, is what they did. Took away his sexuality, his marriage, his children, his mortality, and his entire role as the Messiah as given by God on Mt. Sinai.

So if the church would do this to Jesus, sure they would do it to the priests - as much of it as they could anyway. They couldn't turn the priests into God but they could take away their ability to live happy normal lives and have children to leave an inheritance to - ever since then it's all gone to the church instead.

It's all about money and power, and that's all it's ever been about.

As for masturbation, I believe the church stole that law from the Jewish Torah "Old Testament" as it only ever applied to Jewish males (not females, either). However, Jewish males are required to marry and produce children, so perhaps masturbation wasn't that all THAT big a deal to lose, since they would be having relations with their wives.

In any case, stealing this law and applying it to non-Jewish priests was just one more way the church uses to keep their priests under total control.

Of course sexual control over others by an institution never completely works.

Answer 5

Catholics believe that since Jesus never married and neither of the apostles did the priests should not get married. It's like a form of tradition. I'm Catholic and this has been a hot button issue in the Church since the sex scandal. It is up to the Pope to decide whether or not priests can ever get married.

Answer 6

God created man with certain parts and desires, and commanded him to replenish the earth (have sex and kids). Nowhere in the Bible does it mention that priests should remain chaste forever - that would be breaking God's commandment. So I kind of agree with you in a way - priests SHOULD be getting married and using their procreative powers. Otherwise, they are disobeying God's commandment and the purpose for which he created their bodies and human desires. Perhaps not intentionally, but still - WHERE is it commanded that they never marry or have children? Ditto with nuns.

Answer 7

Hi there! It;s not only about (catholic) priests but to all who celibate individuals, they can do it because their mind focus on other things.

When you feel you have lots of free time in your life, you would tend to find pleasure for yourself, but when you have something in life that you are after, it looks that time flies.

Try to get what you want in life and there you would now that you can leave all sexual activities very very easily.

If you believe in God, ask Him for guidance and yes, He will show you Himself that He exists , listens and cares of your problem.

Answer 8

I hate to be the one to tell you, but most priests aren't celebate! They have the same needs as all men, and a good many of them find it's impossible, and go about a normal man's business with a degree of discretion!

Answer 9

You must not forget the grace of God. Jesus has said "My Kingdom is not of this world" so why do we continue to look at his priesthood from this world's standards? He provides the grace once the decision is made and it is not that hard to do.

Answer 10

I have never masturbated. its not that hard not too.