There is a new book out written by Sister Jesme. She was previously the principal of a Catholic college in Thrissur before quitting last year. Her book details the allegations of a system of abuse within the convents in India ranging from mental and emotional abuse to physical and sexual abuse.
You can read more about the book by clicking this link.
However, upon reading this it stirred in my mind once again the futility of the Catholic system with regards to a celibate clergy. Like it or not, the New Testament records that the apostles — including Peter — had wives. Therefore, their sexual needs were being fulfilled within the context of a marriage commitment.
Somewhere along the way, man decided to trump God’s reasoning and require a whole host of clergy to take a vow of celibacy. It’s not biblical. It’s not required in scripture anywhere. It’s a man created doctrine which has resulted in the issues which continue to dog the Catholic church: hidden (or terminated) pregnancies among nuns, pedophilia, abuse by clergy of those under their care.
What’s the cure? One simple word: marriage. An institution which the Catholic church wholly acknowledges and supports.
Admit you have erred and gone beyond scriptural precepts and allow your clergy to marry. It would cure 90-95% of the problems in this area which have dominated the news in the past two decades — and centuries before that.
If you are a priest or nun in the Catholic church, consider switching to another group which acknowledges your God-given right to marry and procreate. And remember that the first institution God ordained and blessed was marriage, not the Church.
The story reminds me of the again priest who had asked to see the original scripture texts in order to work on a translation before departing the Earth. After working for some days, the archivists found him beating his head against his desk, weeping. They asked him what was the matter. He looked up with a tear-stained face and said, “It should be translated celeBRATE!”
What do you think?
