Learning Fatherhood (5): Celibacy again.

"Learning Fatherhood" are reflections on Spiritual Fatherhood. They are not mature reflections on the theme and may be considered more "experiences" and meditations through which we come to Spiritual Fatherhood in the Priesthood. As a seminarian I know that this will be the identity and challenge I am called to take on especially in these last years of priestly formation.

Any given Sunday...

...you can find yourself walking as a Priest alongside a homosexual couple, sexually active youth, and parents. In the diversity that you can discover in the world - What is it that a celibate Priest brings into the arena of life?

2. The Purpose of Celibacy

Beyond the question of the "Rich Young Man" we discover another very sincere question: 

"What must I do to live Chastity today?:

It takes a lot and very little. First it takes Grace. Without it there is no purpose to begin with. It was only by grace that we discovered our calling. Second comes Desire.Without a desire to live Celibacy how could it possibly take root? But Why should I desire to be celibate? 

St. Paul speaks about the need to search out the things that are above, namely that of God's will:

If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. (Col 3:1)

If Our Lord spoke of marriage as something pertaining only to this world (Cf. Lk 20) then it is a calling to seek that which is beyond. But what is this "beyond" if we're seek to fulfill our desires? On the other hand not everyone is called to it as Jesus says, "He that is able to receive it, let him receive it." (Mt 19:12). Paradoxically below we discover the same Pauline admonition but the other way around in Ecclesiasticus:

Seek not the things that are too high for thee, and search not into things above thy ability: but the things that God hath commanded thee, think on them always, and in many of his works be not curious. (Sir 3:22)

The treasure lies deep, very deep. Celibacy is a gift and mystery - a vocation. This calling launches the called to "launch into the deep" (Lk 5) and trust completely in God's Mercy and Providence yet to launch out requires a discernment to discover the call to celibacy. 

Celibacy (as life is) is a risk taken. There is no guarantee to live it out perfectly. We can only go into "the deep" trusting in the Mercy of God and seeking to do our best. In the Christian Life there are so many instances where we can also "walk on water". The Earth does not seem to be so firm - we don't feel all that secure - who's to say that the Apostles ever felt perfect? To that Jesus shouts, "Be not Afraid!"

Spanish seminarians between classes

The Beautiful and Celibacy

"Beauty so old yet so youthful, how late I have loved you" (St. Augustine, Confessions)

We naturally seek out the beautiful. If we don't it's because something is not right with us psychologically. It means that we are 'perverse' or 'perverted'. Each and every one of us has to make an effort to embrace the beautiful which transcends the where and the when of this Earth, to embrace the Divine and all his things. This is a life journey of the "pure of heart...who shall see God" (cf. Mt 5).

So what exactly does a Celibate Priest bring to the table? A Big Pure Heart Open to God. In the case of a homosexual couple, a sexually active college student, and married couple fighting to keep their marriage afloat a Celibate Priest can be a "Father" that  is hard to find in this Fatherless world. "To whom shall we go?" (cf. Jn 6:68)

Can I be Celibate and Happy? Yes. In the end it depends on God more than on me. On the other hand God is depending on me too. How can I respond? Seek out the treasure. How can I find it? the narrow gate. 

David Henrie with seminarians

Five Thoughts on the Priestly-Celibate Life: 

1. A Grand Devotion to Mary: The First Woman of our Lives
2. Learning to have good and healthy relationships with others - especially within the Priesthood.
3. Finding the special place or identity of "Spiritual Fatherhood" in the lives of those around you.
4. Thoroughly examining the relationships in place and purifying any sort of desire: "what's in it for me?".
5. Get to know the Female Genius, insist that women conserve it to live out a rich Spiritual Motherhood as their way of bringing souls to Our Lord.

On Earth as It is in Heaven

 

 

Gran Corno Peak during the Sunday climb

 

 Sunday was one of the most beautiful days of my life. I carried your prayer intentions-causes around my neck in a sleeve. I received 6 pages worth of prayer intentions and I spent most of the time in prayer. With me were a few friends from the seminary. They have been with me since practically day one of my vocation.

 

 As we reached further up into the mountains the air got thinner. Since I was without breath I prayed during much of the journey. One lesson I learned was just as when there is little oxygen no matter how much one inhales your body cannot recover and just so it is when you are without grace.

  

At 12 noon we reached our vertical limit. I confess, we didn't make it to the top. There was the possibility that since the trails are still snowed over we would have had to have pro gear (and thanks to a vow of poverty I didn't have crampons and an ice ax nor a guide). We stopped to pray a psalm and a decade of the rosary. I hope you joined me wherever you were. To date Gran Corno (tallest peak in the circuit) is the only mountain that I haven't been able to summit in my life.
I guess I'll have to be back this summer! Throughout the day I prayed (mainly because I didn't have extra breath) and this psalm came to mind.



Psalm 121

 

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills,

from whence cometh my help.

My help cometh from the LORD,

which made heaven and earth.

He will not suffer thy foot to be moved:

he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

Behold, he that keepeth Israel

shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD is thy keeper:

the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.

The sun shall not smite thee by day,

nor the moon by night.

The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil:

he shall preserve thy soul.

The LORD shall preserve thy going out and

thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

 

 





View of Campo Pericoli - on the right is Corno Grande

 

 



After a long descent (some times I find them more difficult than the climb) we made it safe and sound to the base just about a vertical mile below. It's hard to imagine that I had climbed up a complete vertical mile up. Not only that climbed back down with a smile.

 

We visited a beautiful shrine dedicated to Blessed Pope John Paul II and I left our prayer intentions under his feet asking for special graces. 

 

"If you are what you should be you will set the world ablaze"

John Paul the Great

 

 

Here are a few things I'd like to share:

 

Video: 44 seconds of what life is like at 8576 ft (2614m)

Photo Gallery

PS: I hope we can do it it again this summer.