IRELAND
Irish Independent
Friday April 13 2012
I grew up hearing that a Catholic priest needed to be celibate so he could focus exclusively on his flock. It was presented as a boon for congregations to have clergymen with no distractions beyond their spiritual welfare.
How burdensome celibacy might be for the priest was glossed over, as the price he had to pay for being entrusted with the care of others’ souls. People knew, in theory, there were religions that allowed ministers to marry, but it seemed a poor sort of vocation. The consensus was that other faiths had lower standards than Catholicism.
Sometimes, a priest might find the condition of celibacy to be troublesome, and whispers would circulate about him leaving the priesthood. Generally, there was a woman involved, and parishioners agreed it was a mortal pity she couldn’t leave the poor man in peace.
When I was in my teens, one of the priests in the parish acquired a puppy, and people began to comment on the amount of affection and attention he lavished on it. Dog-lovers become attached to their pets, but this was exceptional: that animal filled a void in his life.
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