It was Mark Twain who said: "Never let the truth stand in the way of a good story, unless you can't think of anything better.” Kevin McKenna's essay stuck pretty rigidly to Twain’s dictum (For the love of God, let Catholic clergy love women, Comment, February 21). The question of whether or not the Catholic Church’s position on celibacy is conducive to promoting and sustaining vocations is a reasonable one to ask. As a discipline, rather than a dogma, it could change. The article however did offer a shred of evidence to prove that it should.
We were told, "the Church is facing a crisis of personnel throughout the world.” It isn’t. After a fall between the 1960s and the 1980s, the number of priests worldwide has been growing, year on year. Likewise the number of men training for the priesthood has grown. The growth in vocations is greatest in Africa and Asia, but even in secular Scotland, we are seeing growth. As of 2015, for the first time in several years, there are students studying for the priesthood, for every diocese in Scotland, while the total number of students is four times higher than it was just 10 years ago.
If we look at attendance rates at Christian churches, which allow their clergy to marry, the picture is, sadly, a depressing one. Alone among Scotland’s main Christian denominations in the 2011 census, Catholic church numbers rose; for many of the others, married ministry did not prevent often dramatic collapses in attendance. We can of course debate the challenges the Christian church faces, but with the benefit of evidence from around the world, we should at least be able to agree that the simple expedient of allowing clergy to marry doesn’t offer an answer.
The truth can be awkward at times and it can certainly stand in the way of a good story. Incidentally, the late Pope John Paul II, is not "in the process of being made a saint by Rome”. He was canonised two years ago in April 2014.
Peter Kearney
Director, Catholic Media Office
Glasgow
Much of the general public and the press believe that priestly celibacy and chastity are one and the same. They are not. Chastity is assumed to be the natural state of a Catholic priest in that he refrains from sexual relations and since he has vowed never to marry will continue to refrain.
The Christian Church in general teaches that sexual relations being confined to marriage is to be encouraged.
The priesthood may be celibate but it is not entirely chaste. Ask the millions of abused children, ex-priests' girlfriends and priests' same-sex partners and they will confirm that chastity among priests is a mere myth. The Catholic Church may encourage chastity among the priesthood, but it certainly does not practise it.
WJ Graham
East Kilbride
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