The Church – Contraception and Celibacy
Some people are confused as to my position on the Roman Catholic Church. Here’s the story. I was baptised and confirmed as a Catholic. I attend Mass every few weeks. I believe in the Church doctrines i.e. transubstantiation, papal infallibility, immaculate conception, virgin births and being pro-life. I have no real desire to change any of the above or any of the theological basis of the church. I do however take umbrage with two main issues – the Church ban on contraception and priestly celibacy.
Contraception
As I stated above, I am pro-life. This stance has evolved over the past number of years from a position of being neutral and even some times pro-choice to near militant pro-life. I am now at the stage in my life where I can see where there are justifications for ending a pregnancy i.e. life of the mother is at risk, and where the child if born will suffer severe pain and most certain death. Here is where I just cannot understand the Churches position. The Church is against using Abortion as a means of contraception. Therefore, the most immediate thing that should be done is the stop the high levels of unwanted pregnancies. Using a condom does not kill a foetus, it simply places a barrier thus stopping the sperm from fertilising the ovum and forming a zygote which in turn is implanted on the wall of the vagina. I dont see any killing of babies here, do you? The argument that it is stopping the natural progression of life being created is a bit of bull to be honest. Sure what happens if people cannot produce sperm or ova, should they have not been allowed to marry in the first place? St. Thomas Aquinas states that “And the end of matrimony is the begetting and upbringing of children: the first of which is attained by conjugal intercourse”.
I’m looking for help in understanding the Churches position on this matter. I really want to understand. Any devout Catholics out there to enlighten me?
Priestly Celibacy
Last week, we heard about the new Apostolic Constitution for Anglicans who wish to be in full and visible communion with the Pope . Included in this new Constitution is the ability of currently married Anglican clergy to become fully licensed Catholic priests and keep their wives. If I were a Catholic priest or indeed a Catholic seminarian, I’d be rightly annoyed at this. The church is saying we will bend our rules for Anglican converts but will remain stringent with Roman Catholics.
Let’s look at the history of the whole thing. Prior to the 11th Century, priests could be married across the Christian Churches. Following the Great Schism of 1054, the Churches of the West (Roman Catholic) and East (Orthodox) spilt due to issues regarding who was top dog so to speak. As before, priests in the Orthodox Church were allowed to marry but then could not become a Bishop. However, in the Western Church, priestly celibacy began to be enforced until such a time where it became nearly dogmatic. Some people have claimed that the Church Hierarchy was worried about church property and especially land. What would happen if a married parish priest died? Who would inherit the land However, in the 21st Century, I think there are enough legal mechanisms to allow us bypass any of these concerns, don’t ya think? The other main reason used in favour of priestly celibacy is that a priest must be free from family pressures and ties to tend to his parishioners. Again, has the Orthodox Church crumbled as a result of these pressures? Indeed, has the Anglican Church been damaged by their priests and Bishops being married? I think not.
On the above two issues, I cannot see any justification for the ban on Contraception and the enforcement of priestly celibacy.
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