February 11, 2011 – 1 Corinthians 6 - 7:16

The beginning of Chapter 7 talks about being married and how it is a good think for a majority of people.  Yet, Paul says that if you are able to control yourself, it is better if you are not married.  How can people read this and not understand the Church’s teaching on the celibacy of priest and religious.  Many will point to the scandals in the Church and say that it all happened because priest are not married.  That just isn’t the case.  Pedophiles are found in all walks of life.  That doesn’t mean it should have happened or was inevitable, but it can’t be blamed on the priestly call to celibacy.  And the cover up and hiding the facts shouldn’t have happened, but again, that has nothing to do with celibacy.  The celibacy of a priest is a beautiful and sacred things and allows his commitment to be to the Church and to God.  And it is shown right here by Paul to be a preferred way to live life, if you have the strength to do it.  We should all pray for our priest and that they have the strength to live out that vocation to the fullest.