Is celibacy avoiding sex and not getting married?
Celibacy is more than that. It is a way of loving outside of the context of marriage and sexual intercourse. In order to live happily as a celibate person, you will need an awareness of your social or relational side. In other words, you should be able to tell your thoughts and feelings to another person. This means more than talking openly to a mentor, spiritual director, or counselor. You will also need to form trusting relationships with peers. This type of intimacy allows a priest to experience the give and take of relationships, instead of being only on the giving side as he reaches out to others in ministry. A celibate person abstains from sex, but not from meaningful relationships. He or she must be able to form mutual friendships. This opens up the possibility of falling in love. If that happens, the priest will need to be able to set appropriate boundaries so that he is not controlled by his emotions. Celibate people need to be able to have their emotional needs met. If they a
