I was getting ready to cook my dinner ( the last bits of an Italian seasoned rotisserie chicken becoming Roasted Garlic Chicken Alfredo over Angel Hair Spaghetti, and, BTW, I had already planned the dinner). My TV was on in the background, tuned, as usual on weekdays, to the local ABC affiliate, when the Oprah Winfrey show started. I stopped what I was doing so I could carefully watch Lisa Ling talk about her sister's ordeal in North Korea. When the ESPN sports reporter started to complain about her experience with the paparazzi over the nude pictures of her that had been posted on the internet I lost interest, not because her situation was not deplorable so much as it seemed that she was enjoying being a victim, but as the last segment started, I found myself watching intently again:

http://www.oprah.com/article/oprahshow/20090827-tows-father-cutie

I heard the man point out that the church was far more upset over this priest's affair with a married woman than it had been over far more serious problems (The man was being very discreet. It was Oprah who pointed out that he was referring to the "incidences where priests were involved with boys."

In spite of the man's plight, I found myself thinking that we must be making some progress. Perhaps "The Church" is still not ready to do away with celibacy, but, hey; they castrated Abelard.

Ann

Thanks for the article, Marie. As an Episcopalian, I feel that the celebration of the Eucharist is probably the single most important ritual in the church.

There was a time I considered Catholicism. This prerequisite of celibacy was one of the primary reasons I chose the Episcopla church instead.

This comment in the blog you referenced is a big part of my reasons for my decision:

"Virginity and Celibacy makes the body and soul more similar to God, conforming one more perfectly to Christ."

Maybe it's the Protestant in me that has trouble understanding, but, then again, from what I know of Protestants, maybe not.

I'm not altogether certain that the man we call Jesus was all that celibate. That seems to me to be the church's interpretation.

But I wasn't raised a Catholic. Perhaps I would understand better if I had been

Ann

From an historical perspective, many of those celibate guys tried to hide their promiscuity. They preached one thing and behind closed doors acted like rabbits.
When they are exposed, they are forgiven. So what's the big deal?

Read through that entire "Future Church" site and the hypocrisy is amazing. Seems there were many women-haters in the early days and some probably exist today.

They certainly made it easy for some of us to ignore.