Sir, - Fr Jackie Robinson writes (June 17th) that "celibacy is not a divine law but a church law". He adds that married people find as "insulting" any suggestion that, unlike celibates, they cannot give themselves completely to Christ because of their married status.
Celibacy is basically a vocation which the Church sees as "profoundly connected" with priesthood apart from any law. As the Pope says: "The priest is called to be the living image of Jesus Christ, the Spouse of the Church" (Pastores dabo vobis, no. 23). Even in the early centuries before there ever was any law on celibacy, it has been proved that those being ordained priests, even married men, saw themselves as henceforth obliged to observe complete continence. Similarly today, the Pope says that it is "downright bad faith" to suggest that celibacy is in any way "imposed" on those being ordained. Unless they freely accept it as inherent in their priestly vocation, they cannot be ordained. It is a serious distortion to present celibacy as merely a Church law. Celibacy goes back to Christ.
The Pope also says that throughout history the Church has defended "the superiority" of virginity or celibacy (cf. Familiaris Consortio par. 16). As a vocation, it goes back to Christ. This does not in any way lower the dignity of marriage. Marriage is a sacrament and, as Chrysostom said in the fourth century, it is only because marriage is good that virginity is better. The whole tradition of celibacy defends the dignity of the marriage bond. It is significant that, after the Orthodox Church had abolished the obligation of celibacy for its priests, it also began to allow for divorce in marriage. - Yours, etc.,
Rev Michael Manning, Millstreet, Co Cork.