Folia Canonica 4. (2001)
STUDIES - Pablo Gefaell: Clerical Celibacy
CLERICAL CELIBACY 89 Celibacy of priests has a theological basis distinct from that which is lived as an eschatological testimony in the consecrated life (cf. Sacerdotalis caelibatus n. 15). Consecrated celibacy has the meaning of the spousal donation to Christ. But what is the theological basis for the relationship priesthood-celibacy? I suggest that its meaning and foundation goes in the correlative-opposite direction than consecrated celibacy. The relationship is based on the very nature of the sacrament of Orders, as can be read in the ap. exhort. Pastores dabo vobis n. 29d: «It is especially important that the priest understand the theological motivation of the Church’s law on celibacy. Inasmuch as it is a law, it expresses the Church’s will, even before the will of the subject expressed by his readiness. But the will of the Church finds its ultimate motivation in the link between celibacy and sacred ordination, which configures the priest to Jesus Christ the head and spouse of the Church. The Church, as the spouse of Jesus Christ, wishes to be loved by the priest in the total and exclusive manner in which Jesus Christ her head and spouse loved her.» The priest is Christ, and he gives himself in a spousal donation to the Church, to the souls, in an exclusive manner. This exclusive manner is called pastoral charity, as the same ap. exhort. Pastores Dabo vobis n. 23 illustrates: «The internal principle, the force which animates and guides the spiritual life of the priest inasmuch as he is configured to Christ the head and shepherd, is pastoral charity, as a participation in Jesus Christ’s own pastoral charity (...). The essential content of this pastoral charity is the gift of self, the total gift of self to the Church, following the example of Christ. (...) “the priest, who welcomes the call to ministry, is in a position to make this a loving choice, as a result of which the Church and souls become his first interest, and with this concrete spirituality he becomes capable of loving the universal Church and that part of it entrusted to him with the deep love of a husband for his wife.” (To priests taking part in an assembly organized by the Italian episcopal conference [Nov. 4, 1980]: Insegnamenti III/2 [1980], 1055).»37 38 37 Congregation for the Clergy, Directory on the Ministry and Life of Priests, 31.1. 1994, Città del Vaticano 1994, n. 57. 38 Italics are mine. Under this optics, the priest being Christ husband of the Church, he becomes also “Father” of the sons and daughters of the Church (cf. L. Touze, Paternidad divina y paternidad sacerdotal, in J. L. ILLANES - J. SESÉ - T. Trigo - J. F. POZO — J. ENÉRIZ, El Dios y Padre de Nuestro Serior Jesucristo. XX Simposio Internacional de Teológia de la Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona 2000, 655-664). “Father” is the name given to priests everywhere. And I find very relevant that the Ethiopians call the celibate priests “Abba” [Father] while the married priest are simply called “Keshi” [married priest] (SODARO, Keshi. [nt. 36]).
