Clerical Celibacy: Concept and Method | Alfons Maria Cardinal Stickler | From The Case for Clerical Celibacy
1. The first and most important prerequisite for a knowledge of the historical
development of any institution is the proper understanding of the meaning of
the concepts on which it is based. For ecclesiastical celibacy, we have a
particularly clear and concise reference in the writings of one of the greatest
of the Decretists--commentators on Gratian's Decretum--who around 1140 collected and explained all the
material concerning the juridical tradition of the first millennium of the
Church. This Decretist is Huguccio of Pisa (d. 1210), who in his Summa on the Decretum, composed around 1190, began his treatment of celibacy with these
words: "In hac Distinctione incipit (Gratianus) tractare specialiter de
continentia clericorum, scilicet quam debent observare in non
contrahendo martimonio et in noti
utendo contracto." [1]
A reading of this text clearly indicates a double obligation with respect to
celibacy: not to marry and, if previously married, not to use the rights of
marriage. In addition, it is clear that even in this period, namely, the end of
the twelfth century, there were clerics in major orders who had been married
prior to ordination. In fact we know from the Scriptures that the ordination of
married men was a normal enough event.
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There are lots of things widely misunderstood about the Catholic Church. Priestly celibacy is one of them. We're told that celibacy for priests was a medieval invention without any foundation in the New Testament. Not so, demontrates Cardinal Stickler. His brief but careful analysis of early Church history reveals that priestly celibacy is rooted in a biblical understanding of the ministerial priesthood, not in medieval myths and misconceptions.
Posted by: Mark Brumley | Saturday, March 03, 2007 at 08:23 AM
Thank you for calling attention to Cdl. Sticker’s little gem. Let me assure non-professionals, Stickler’s book is quite readable without a heavy law/theology background. Folks might also like to know of Fr. Ryland’s recent fine essay in Crisis (October 2006), and my technical look at some related issues in “Canonical considerations on diaconal continence”, Studia Canonica 39 (2005) 147-180, abstracted here: http://www.canonlaw.info/a_deacons.htm.
Posted by: Ed Peters | Saturday, March 03, 2007 at 08:48 AM
PS: the Ryland essay is on-line here: http://www.crisismagazine.com/october2006/ryland.htm
Posted by: Ed Peters | Saturday, March 03, 2007 at 09:37 AM
Yes, men expect sex as an "inalienable" right after paying for the date, and women are not just "pressured" to conform; we are COERCED. When I was in my 20s and living in a dorm setting, the guys made my life sheer you-know-what just because I wouldn't "put out." Is it any wonder that "date rape" is such a burgeoning concern today?
Posted by: JMC | Sunday, March 04, 2007 at 01:25 AM