08/04/02
Priest calls for end to celibacy
He says sex abuse scandal shows need to rethink requirement
By JEFF COLE of the Journal Sentinel staff
A south side priest, the latest in the archdiocese to speak out about sex abuse problems in the Roman Catholic Church, used the pulpit Sunday to call for an end to celibacy as a requirement for the priesthood - remarks that led his congregation to give him a standing ovation.
Quotable
The church has had some very sick attitudes about human sexuality. It has had some very unhealthy, some very negative attitudes about sexuality. Jesus did not put those attitudes into our community.
- Father Thomas Suriano pastor, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church
Father Thomas Suriano, 63, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, also apologized from the altar to all the victims of sexual abuse by priests. He said it is time that the church be as open as possible about the issue of sexual abuse by priests. Suriano had made similar remarks in a homily during services on Saturday.
The problems stem from the church's attitude about human sexuality, Suriano said.
"The church has had some very sick attitudes about human sexuality," Suriano said. "It has had some very unhealthy, some very negative attitudes about sexuality. Jesus did not put those attitudes into our community."
The congregation listened quietly during most of Suriano's homily but twice broke into spontaneous standing ovations. At the end of the service, many of the parishioners hugged the priest and congratulated him for what he had said.
Among the people listening to Suriano was Sister Mary Howard Johnstone, a member of the five-member commission appointed by Archbishop Rembert Weakland to examine how the archdiocese has handled allegations of sexual abuse of minors by priests.
"I appreciated his message," Johnstone said. "He has named the bigger issue."
In addition to serving as a parish priest, Suriano has been a professor of Scripture at St. Francis Seminary's School of Pastoral Ministry.
Suriano started the service by telling the congregation he was going to discuss the issues surrounding recent revelations of priests who have sexually abused children.
"It is very difficult to talk about," he said. "It is just about impossible to deal with perfectly."
Requiring celibacy has stopped many believing, caring people from becoming priests, Suriano said.
"Are you aware in the United States today there are more priests over 90 than there are under 30?" Suriano said. "There are 433 over 90 and 290 under 30 years old.
Standing at the altar, Suriano spread his arms wide to indicate the entire membership in the Catholic church.
He then halved the distance between his hands, indicating Catholic women who are barred from becoming priests because of their gender. He then put his hands very close together, saying this represented the elimination of all of the men who might be willing to be priests but will not be because they do not want to be celibate.
"I am afraid the church is not always getting the best of the best," Suriano said. "If the pool is small enough, even if you get the very best (of that pool), they may not be good enough. I am embarrassed to say this."
Among those listening to the homily was Eugene Bleidorn, 86, who said he left the priesthood in 1970 because of his dissatisfaction with the way the church was governed. Nine months after he left the priesthood, Bleidorn married.
Suriano said he was told recently by some men in his congregation that the only thing preventing them from becoming priests is the requirement of celibacy.
The damage done by priests who have abused children has been horrific, Suriano said. Ending celibacy is one way to prevent that, he said, because the pool of candidates will increase.
"Now, I don't know how many times I have had someone tell me that celibacy does not cause pedophilia," Suriano said. "I know many pedophiles are married.
"But there is another implication we need to discuss about the celibacy policy. Celibacy does not cause pedophilia, but it does limit the pool of candidates who choose to be priests."
People with sexual dysfunction are sometimes drawn to the priesthood because of celibacy, he said.
Along with dealing with celibacy, the church has to look at how it governs itself, Suriano said.
"I pray through all this mess that there is a change in the functioning model of the church," Suriano said. "We know from the New Testament that the primary recipient of the Holy Spirit is the community."
If the Holy Spirit rests with the people, than decisions on the church should not be made an ocean away, Suriano said.
Priest calls for end to celibacy
He says sex abuse scandal shows need to rethink requirement
By JEFF COLE of the Journal Sentinel staff
A south side priest, the latest in the archdiocese to speak out about sex abuse problems in the Roman Catholic Church, used the pulpit Sunday to call for an end to celibacy as a requirement for the priesthood - remarks that led his congregation to give him a standing ovation.
Quotable
The church has had some very sick attitudes about human sexuality. It has had some very unhealthy, some very negative attitudes about sexuality. Jesus did not put those attitudes into our community.
- Father Thomas Suriano pastor, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church
Father Thomas Suriano, 63, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, also apologized from the altar to all the victims of sexual abuse by priests. He said it is time that the church be as open as possible about the issue of sexual abuse by priests. Suriano had made similar remarks in a homily during services on Saturday.
The problems stem from the church's attitude about human sexuality, Suriano said.
"The church has had some very sick attitudes about human sexuality," Suriano said. "It has had some very unhealthy, some very negative attitudes about sexuality. Jesus did not put those attitudes into our community."
The congregation listened quietly during most of Suriano's homily but twice broke into spontaneous standing ovations. At the end of the service, many of the parishioners hugged the priest and congratulated him for what he had said.
Among the people listening to Suriano was Sister Mary Howard Johnstone, a member of the five-member commission appointed by Archbishop Rembert Weakland to examine how the archdiocese has handled allegations of sexual abuse of minors by priests.
"I appreciated his message," Johnstone said. "He has named the bigger issue."
In addition to serving as a parish priest, Suriano has been a professor of Scripture at St. Francis Seminary's School of Pastoral Ministry.
Suriano started the service by telling the congregation he was going to discuss the issues surrounding recent revelations of priests who have sexually abused children.
"It is very difficult to talk about," he said. "It is just about impossible to deal with perfectly."
Requiring celibacy has stopped many believing, caring people from becoming priests, Suriano said.
"Are you aware in the United States today there are more priests over 90 than there are under 30?" Suriano said. "There are 433 over 90 and 290 under 30 years old.
Standing at the altar, Suriano spread his arms wide to indicate the entire membership in the Catholic church.
He then halved the distance between his hands, indicating Catholic women who are barred from becoming priests because of their gender. He then put his hands very close together, saying this represented the elimination of all of the men who might be willing to be priests but will not be because they do not want to be celibate.
"I am afraid the church is not always getting the best of the best," Suriano said. "If the pool is small enough, even if you get the very best (of that pool), they may not be good enough. I am embarrassed to say this."
Among those listening to the homily was Eugene Bleidorn, 86, who said he left the priesthood in 1970 because of his dissatisfaction with the way the church was governed. Nine months after he left the priesthood, Bleidorn married.
Suriano said he was told recently by some men in his congregation that the only thing preventing them from becoming priests is the requirement of celibacy.
The damage done by priests who have abused children has been horrific, Suriano said. Ending celibacy is one way to prevent that, he said, because the pool of candidates will increase.
"Now, I don't know how many times I have had someone tell me that celibacy does not cause pedophilia," Suriano said. "I know many pedophiles are married.
"But there is another implication we need to discuss about the celibacy policy. Celibacy does not cause pedophilia, but it does limit the pool of candidates who choose to be priests."
People with sexual dysfunction are sometimes drawn to the priesthood because of celibacy, he said.
Along with dealing with celibacy, the church has to look at how it governs itself, Suriano said.
"I pray through all this mess that there is a change in the functioning model of the church," Suriano said. "We know from the New Testament that the primary recipient of the Holy Spirit is the community."
If the Holy Spirit rests with the people, than decisions on the church should not be made an ocean away, Suriano said.