I AGREE with Pat Walker (“God must be priest’s No. 1 focus”, CL 25/4/10): “As with all of us, God should be given top priority, not just slotted in when it suits.”
Church Law, C277, includes the statement, “Celibacy is a special gift from God by which sacred ministers can more easily remain close to Christ with an undivided heart”.
I assume that “No. 1 focus” means the same as “undivided heart”.
These phrases sound romantic but they contradict Jesus’ command: “I give you a new commandment: love one another; as I have loved you, you must also love one another”.
Jesus gives “love for one another” as a sign of discipleship.
An all inclusive heart (love) would be a better phrase than an undivided heart because our love must include God and all that God has made.
And some also say that Jesus loved his Father with an undivided love. Jesus loved not only his Father, but he also loved Mary and Jospeh, Martha, her sister Mary and their brother Lazarus and others.
Hence his heart was not undivided; his love was an all inclusive love.
The words “undivided love” contradict Jesus’ teaching on love. Nevertheless, the words “undivided heart” are used as one of the reasons that are given, not just for celibacy, but for mandatory celibacy.
To infer that family affairs may distract us is not a satisfactory reason for mandating celibacy for all priests even though Paul also gives this reason for recommending that people remain single.
A couple, a woman and a man, who love each other sincerely, can together love God with an all inclusive love. With their children they all love God as a family unit while retaining their individuality.
The husband, with the support of his wife and children, could minister to Jesus’ disciples and at the same time give an example of Catholic family life.
Jesus’ disciples may be inspired by the dedication and self-control of the celibate priest, but as most of the disciples are married people an example of sincere married life is more relevant to them.
All lives have their ups and downs, including the lives of celibate priests. So both celibate and married men are necessary. “God bless and thank them all”, always.
MERVYN ZIESING
Toowoomba, Qld
