The Roman Catholic Church & Sexual Abuse
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According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, celibacy for the clergy of the Catholic Church is "the renunciation of marriage implicitly or explicitly made, for the more perfect observance of chastity, by all those who receive the Sacrament of Orders in any of the higher grades" (Thurston, 1999, http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03481a.htm). This disciplinary rule was initiated in the 12th century in an effort to systemize and regulate a scattered church (White, 1999). During the Middle Ages, offering daily Mass had become the standard and some considered it inappropriate to have sexual relations the evening before celebrating Mass, a celibate clergy would relieve this concern. In addition, there was the consideration of whether or not sons of clergy could inherit Church property (National Catholic Reporter, 1998). These were two of the major reasons that celibacy was instituted.However, either despite this rule, or because of it, the Catholic Church has had a history of abusing the very people that they are pledged to pastor. During the Middle Ages, for example, clergy were known to solicit sexual favors from their female penitents and some priests kept concubines. It was also known that Pope Alexander VI had several illegitimate children and that the nuns of Godstow were the ones who spread syphilis to the husbands of the families who lived around their convent (Durant, 1980; Mee, 1972). This type of abuse has continued down through the centuries to
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hange of discipline at Vatican II decided that adjustments are indicated "when there is urgent necessity of obvious usefulness" (Jabusch, 1998, p. 11). Since the requirement for celibacy is not a doctrinal issue or dogma, but more of a disciplinary rule, then there is no reason why this requirement cannot be amended to reflect the changing times.
Argument #2
As noted before, the majority of parishioners, including many members in the hierarchy of the Church, believe that changing the celibacy requirement may prevent abuse from happening in the first place (National Catholic Reporter, 1998). Because of the decline in those entering the priesthood, there are fewer priests to serve their communities. In Dodge City, for example, the diocese takes up 28 counties. Six parishes have been closed and ten more will be closed by 2005. By that time, 24 priests will be serving 13,700 households in 41 parishes (Jabusch, 1998). Many of the priests now serving who are close to retirement age are delaying retirement until their replacements may be found. Others live alone in rectories that used to house 4 or 5 priests. Those who do enter the ministry now are often given heavy pastoral duties before they are ready and burn out after only
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Approximate Word count = 1513
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)
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