The Philadelphia Inquirer Sun Aug 8 1993
Why all the emphasis on the fallen priests?
By JOHN M. HAAS
Judging by the media coverage, there is a preoccupation today with the sexual misdeeds of Catholic priests.
Granted, it is a great scandal when ministers of religion take advantage of the vulnerable who come to them for help. As the Pope said recently, quoting Jesus, it would be better for them to have a millstone hung about their necks and to be cast into the sea.
Catholics believe that through ordination priests are made to represent Christ in His loving concern and compassion for all in need. It is therefore singularly shocking when priests violate the trust that is placed in them.
But there is no evidence that sexual misconduct is greater among Catholic priests than among the clergy of other churches. Why does the Catholic Church seem to be singled out for such intense media attention and others are not?
There are undoubtedly many reasons, but two seem very likely. First of all, the church is absolutely uncompromising in her sexual teaching which is viewed by many as unspeakably hard and unrealistic. Any sexual activity outside of marriage is considered sinful.
The Catholic Church has never fudged on this teaching. So when one of the official teachers of this “hard doctrine” falls, he seems to be particularly vulnerable prey.
Another reason surely for such media attention (since it is mentioned in virtually every article on the subject) is a Catholic practice which most Americans simply find incomprehensible: celibacy, or the promise never to marry. It should be noted that celibacy is principally not about sex but about giving up the great human goods of marriage and the family for another good – unfettered service to God and the church.
Obviously in giving up marriage, celibate Catholic men and women also give up any thought of sexual activity. In a society as promiscuous as our own, however, such a practice seems beyond belief. Sex is often put forward as essential to self-fulfillment.
In fact, marriage has been so devalued and sexual activity so exalted that people tend to focus on the wrong issue in celibacy: the forsaking of sexual “fulfillment” rather than the giving up of marriage and children.
So why does the Catholic Church insist on celibacy? The least important reasons are the obviously practical ones. Tens of thousands of men and women can thereby place themselves entirely at the service of the church in its mission to the world. Furthermore, this service is provided very economically since there is not the necessity of providing housing and salary and benefits for ministers and family.
Also, celibacy provides a tremendous freedom to Catholics to serve anyone – from those living in the most abject poverty to those of tremendous wealth and influence. Priests or sisters never have to hesitate to work among the poor out of concern for their own children’s safety, living conditions, or educational opportunities.
This is not to deny that married clergy in other Christian churches do not place themselves and their families in difficult situations out of love for those whom they serve. But even as they do so, there are always family considerations that must be taken into account which celibate ministries simply do not have to face.
Another reason for celibacy is to provide witness to the world that people do not have to be slaves to their sexual passions. This is another reason why sexual sins in a celibate are so shocking. But celibacy well lived is an example of true sublimation. Faithful celibates make sublime use of their sexual energies by channeling them into acts of charity toward others and expressions of worship and praise toward God.
But the principal reason for celibacy is to allow certain men and women to pattern their lives in a unique and radical way after Jesus of Nazareth.
“The birds have their nests and foxes have their lairs but the son of Man has no place to lay his head,” says Jesus of Himself. “May it be so with us,” say the celibates who give up any opportunity of having a spouse and family so that they can imitate Jesus in His life of complete service to God and to humanity. Married Catholics also imitate Jesus in a life of service to God, but primarily through their families. For the celibate priest, however, the whole world has become his family.
We know that followers of Jesus have not always been faithful. It has been so from the beginning. Jesus was betrayed by one of his closest collaborators, Judas. From the very beginning some priests have not been faithful. But there is no indication from any studies I have ever seen that the institution of celibacy contributes to sexual misconduct.
Indeed, Dr. John Berlin at Johns Hopkins University points out that there is nothing to indicate any higher incidence of pedophilia among Catholic clergy than among the general population.
Since we are dealing with a pathology rather than a moral weakness, as we have learned from the insights of psychiatry, that is to be expected. However, better screening tools must be developed to alert church authorities to candidates to the priesthood who may have this problem. Procedures must be in place to deal firmly and effectively with men who are already ordained and in whom this problem has been discovered.
Yes, there are celibates who break their vows just as there are married men and women who break theirs. The fact that there are unfaithful spouses, however, does not call into question the very institution of celibacy.
In 1992 there were more than 158,000 Catholic men and women in the United States alone who had given up the possibility of having a spouse, home and family (and sexual gratification) so that they could be of complete service to their God and to the world in education, health care, spiritual direction, and many other fields.
The Catholic Church has problems with infidelity, yes. But there are few institutions that can boast such unselfishness and generosity on the part of so many. To them we owe a tremendous debt of gratitude.
To those who have fallen in the pursuit of so lofty an ideal – and to those whom they have sinned against – we owe our prayers and support, not abuse. As the Pope said recently: To sensationalize sin and moral weakness is in itself a sin.
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John M. Haas is John Cardinal Krol Professor of Moral Theology at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary