Are celibate priests lonely?

With all the hubbub surrounding Archbishop Charles Scicluna’s opinions on priestly celibacy, many voices are being amplified while others have been lost.

Several clergy members have been open about their opinions for or against the celibacy mandate following the archbishop’s interview with The Sunday Times of Malta (January 7, 2024). However, many did not wish for their opinions to be out in the open and be publicly scrutinised or criticised by others.

Furthermore, it is important for priests and the rest of society that discussion be held about the effect that celibacy is having on priests’ psychological well being.

First, there is loneliness – a common psychological buzzword being thrown around. The loneliness epidemic the country is facing needs to be understood and addressed. It is not just celibate people who feel lonely.

Is loneliness caused by the absence of a partner or of a family? Since companionship, particularly romantic love and sexuality, are so deeply ingrained and emphasised by society, does the lack of it have any effect on clergy members?

Or could it be that priests find fulfilment in their promise of celibacy as they see in it both a deeper commitment to God and neighbour? Giving oneself to God and others through celibacy can be considered by priests as a way of enhancing their humanity. Some may feel that celibacy frees them from an exclusive commitment to one person, thus enabling them to find fulfilment in their commitment with the community.

Perhaps one’s calling for priesthood need no longer be mutually exclusive of the relationship or partnership with another human being, which includes a sexual relationship, although it goes beyond that as well.

It might be worth considering the idea that both can co-exist in the Latin rite of the Catholic Church as they do exist, albeit in different forms, in the Catholic Oriental rite and in Protestant churches.

We do not know much about priests’ loneliness, perhaps as a result of the sensitivity of the issue. Could this loneliness be a deterrent to those considering the idea of joining the priesthood? Or, since married people feel loneliness too, could it be that celibacy is not a prime factor of loneliness?

Secondly, there is the matter of manhood. The Catholic Church often emphasises hegemonic and stereotypical forms of masculinity within the Church. Importance to sex has been highlighted as one of the main tenets of the ‘masculine’ man.

Again, priests themselves are not often very vocal about their opinions on masculinity. The lack of a seemingly important pillar of manhood in the lives of priests could be having effects that we are not being made aware of. Or could it be that priests find a new dimension of their masculinity in their altruistic commitment to the community?

All of these aspects of celibacy are being researched as part of a project within the University of Malta’s Faculty of Social Well-being. The qualitative and quantitative research methods are addressed to priests who would like to express their attitudes towards celibacy and masculinity.

If you wish to contribute, please fill in the anonymous questionnaire through the link below.

https://forms.gle/rgnMae3Dr7XWteWGA