UNITED STATES
Questions from a Ewe
Truly, when I publish a blog article, I think it is my last one…until…something in the church cries out for commentary that does not seem to be getting expressed.
First, my last blog article about sexually active priests quickly catapulted to one of my most read articles. I am always humbled that people invest their time reading my blog.
But, I neglected to highlight one extremely important point in that article so I will do so now before delving into some recent comments Pope Francis made. The one African priest discussing priests’ sexual activity with me blurted out, almost as a defense for priests not honoring the implied chastity of their celibacy, that such sexually active priests do so in “secret.” What he saw as insignificantly dismissible, making priests’ sexual activity permissible, to me exposes significant moral disconnect and systemic foundational rot in the church.
Over 125,000 priests have fallen in love and done the honorable and healthy thing for themselves, their lovers and their relationships…they married. And as a reward for their honest, healthy relationships, these men were expelled from the priesthood.
Instead, we are left with the cowardly, selfish priests who engage in sexual relationships that they hide as though their lovers are some sort of embarrassing sin whom they publicly pretend do not exist so that they may continue in their prestigious role, deluding themselves that they serve some higher purpose as a priest, and therefore it’s ok to stuff their lovers in closets…for the greater good of humanity. These insidious men, who number 50% of the priesthood, are the ones we are stuck with…playing some perverted charade that they, who are fundamentally dishonest about their relationships and sexuality, provide the most astute moral guidance to lay people about human relationships and sexuality. Is my mind the only one numbed by the painful realities this demonstrates about the clergy’s moral fiber and the resulting systemic societal impact of revering categorically dishonest men as ultimate guardians of truth?
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