Folia Canonica 4. (2001)

STUDIES - Pablo Gefaell: Clerical Celibacy

CLERICAL CELIBACY

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Still, I think that it cannot be said that both states - celibacy and matrimony - have the same meaning and fittingness with priesthood. The entire Tradition (even the Eastern one) speaks of celibacy as something more suitable for priesthood. Based in the tradition of the Church, which unquestionably allowed married clergy, it is said that celibacy does not pertain to the essence of priesthood (PO 16 a)13 but, nevertheless, it has multiple relationships of suitability with priesthood (PO 16 §2). But if this is so, what does it mean that celibacy has a relationship of suitability with priesthood? In what kind of situation does this assertion leave the relationship married life - priesthood?.... [that of a less suitable situation permitted by the Church: I will try to show it in the next paragraphs].

III. The Problem of the Origin of the Discipline on Celibacy

In the last sentence of CCEO can. 373, it is asserted that the status of married clergy is something «sanctioned through the centuries by the practice of the primitive Church and the oriental Churches». This assertion, even if true in itself, nevertheless needs some explanations:

In the primitive Church married priests did exist: this cannot be denied. It is less clear, though, what the style of life of those married priests was. Some authors14 have recently affirmed that the primitive practice included married priests, indeed, but living in perfect continence after ordination.

On this matter I do not aim at delegitimizing the oriental discipline. In fact, it enjoys full recognition by the particular legislation of many sui iuris Churches and by the Supreme authority of the Church15 and, therefore, it is to be retained

13 “It is true that it [celibacy] is not demanded of the priesthood by its nature. This is clear from the practice of the primitive Church and the tradition of Eastern Churches where in addition to those - including all bishops - who choose from the gift of grace to preserve celibacy, there are also many excellent married priest” (PO 16), A. Flannery (ed.), Vatican Council II, the Conciliar and Post Conciliar documents, New York 1981, 892. But saying that celibacy does not pertain to the essence of priesthood simply means that marriage does not make sacred Orders invalid.

14 C. COCHINI, Origines Apostoliques du célibat sacerdotal, Paris-Namur 1981 (English augmented translation: Id, The Apostolic Origins of Priestly Celibacy, San Francisco 1990); R. Cholij, Clerical Celibacy in East and West, Fowler Wright/Gracewing 1989 (see also Id, Priestly Celibacy in Patristic and in the History of the Church, in Aa.Vv. For Love Alone. Reflections on Priestly Celibacy, London 1993, 31-52); A.M. Card. STICKLER, II celibato ecclesiastico. La sua storia ed i suoi fondamenti teologici, in Ius Ecclesiae 5 (1993) 3—59 (from the same author, in English, cf. Id, The case for clerical Celibacy: its historical development and theological foundations, San Francisco 1995).

15 Cf. Pius XII m.p. Cleri Sanctitati, cc. 68 and 71; OE 17, PO 16; PAULUS VI, lett. enc. Sacerdotalis coelibatus, n. 38; IOANNES Paulus II, ep. Novo incipiente, 8. IV. 1979, n. 8; CCEO cc. 373; Catechism of the Catholic Church, nn. 1579-1580; etc.