Denver Catholic

8 JUNE 25-JULY 8, 2016 | DENVER CATHOLIC Interview with author Father Gary Selin W hy does the Church continue to require priests to prac- tice celibacy? One simple answer is that it was the path Jesus himself chose to follow, says Father Gary Selin, assistant professor at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver. The author of the recently published "Priestly Celibacy: Theological Founda- tions" (CUA Press), explained to Denver Catholic that just as Jesus was "poor, celibate and obedient to the Father's will…. Likewise, the priest seeks to imitate Jesus in these ways through his priestly ministry and life." In "Priestly Celibacy," Father Selin, who earned a doctorate in Sacred Theology from Catholic University of America in 2011, o¦ ers a theological presentation of priestly celibacy, begin- ning with the biblical foundations for the practice, and including the history of the discipline from the very founda- tion of the Church. In this interview, Father Selin speaks of the positive aspects of priestly celi- bacy as a "gift," and his hope that more Catholics will learn to appreciate the practice as "a blessing bestowed upon the Church as whole, rather than a burden or imposition." DENVER CATHOLIC: Pope Francis recently said that priestly celibacy is a "gift for the Church". In what ways is that true? FATHER GARY SELIN: Jesus Christ promised great rewards to the dis- ciples who would leave all things, including marriage and the family, in order to follow Him (Lk 18:28-30). Jesus himself was poor, celibate and obedient to the Father's will. Like- wise, the priest seeks to imitate Jesus in these ways through his priestly ministry and life. To enable the priest to fulfi ll his mission, the Holy Spirit gives to him particular gifts, or charisms, among which is priestly celibacy. Seen in this light, celibacy is a gift for the Church that needs to be protected and cher- ished. It is noteworthy that Pope Francis described celibacy as a gift for the Church. That is, it is a blessing bestowed upon the Church as whole, rather than a burden or imposition, as many believe today. DC: Is this approach of seeing celi- bacy as gift new to the Church? GS: From the time of the Apostles, the Church has understood celibacy as a gift. St. Paul o¦ ered celibacy as a way of life for men and women, for he wanted them to be free from worldly anxieties: "The unmarried man is anx- ious about the a¦ airs of the Lord, how to please the Lord; but the married man is anxious about the a¦ airs of the world, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided" (1 Cor 7:32-33). Priestly celibacy as such enables the priest to be united, with an undi- vided heart, to Jesus Christ, the Eter- nal High Priest. This gift of divine inti- macy is the fi rst fruit of celibacy. Con- sequently, the priest is better able to pour himself out in a life of service to the Church through pastoral charity. DC: We are often told that celibacy is a "discipline" in the Catholic Church. What does this mean? Could the requirement for celi- bacy ever change? GS: Every treasure must be pro- tected. For example, we have banks that secure our money. Likewise, priestly celibacy needs to be pro- tected by a law of the Church, which provides a safeguard for the priest's chaste celibacy, and also defends this treasure from those who would seek to destroy it. Therefore, the discipline of priestly celibacy is the juridical protection that the Church provides for the gift of Around the Archdiocese May God bless you and your work with Notre Dame abundantly. We all look forward to working beside you and our prayers are with you. The Sta and Parishioners of Notre Dame Catholic Parish and School extend a very warm welcome to Monsignor Edward Buelt, our new Pastor. Celibacy: a blessing, not a burden BY KARNA SWANSON karna.swanson@archden.org @KarnaSwanson

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