THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA On the Christological, Ecclesiological, and Eschatological Dimensions of Priestly Celibacy in Presbyterorum Ordinis, Sacerdotalis Caelibatus and Subsequent Magisterial Documents A DISSERTATION Submitted to the Faculty of the School of Theology and Religious Studies Of The Catholic University of America In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree Doctor of Sacred Theology © Copyright All Rights Reserved By Gary Selin Washington, D.C. 2011 On the Christological, Ecclesiological, and Eschatological Dimensions of Priestly Celibacy in Presbyterorum Ordinis, Sacerdotalis Caelibatus and Subsequent Magisterial Documents Gary Selin, S.T.D. Director: Paul McPartlan, D.Phil Magisterial teaching on priestly celibacy prior to the Second Vatican Council was somewhat restricted in scope because of its reliance on two fundamental arguments: the superiority of celibacy over marriage and the need for the priest to maintain ritual purity. This view of priestly celibacy, as useful as it was, did not utilize the full substance of the Catholic theological tradition in this area. The document, Presbyterorum Ordinis (1965), of Vatican II presented a richer and more ample teaching on priestly celibacy that was largely organized around a threefold scheme, highlighting the christological, ecclesiological, and eschatological dimensions of celibacy, respectively. Pope Paul VI, in Sacerdotalis Caelibatus (1967), contributed to the further development of the scheme by using it as an organizing principle in his presentation of the Catholic understanding of priestly celibacy. This study aims to evaluate magisterial teaching on the threefold dimension of priestly celibacy as introduced in Presbyterorum Ordinis and Sacerdotalis Caelibatus, to explore its origins, and to analyze its influence on subsequent magisterial teachings. The study begins with a review of the historical development of the discipline of priestly celibacy in the Latin Church through a study of scriptural texts, writings of the Church Fathers, and documents of Church councils and popes, up to and including Sacra Virginitas of Pope Pius XII. It then proceeds to analyze the Acta Synodalia of Vatican II and contemporary theological reflection in order to discover the background to the conciliar presentation of the threefold dimension. Building upon this original research, the study then looks closely at Paul VI‘s use of the threefold scheme, which had a significant effect on subsequent magisterial teaching on celibacy, particularly in Pastores Dabo Vobis (1992) of Pope John Paul II. This study finally presents a thorough evaluation of the development of the threefold dimension of priestly celibacy. It examines the latter‘s internal consistency, magisterial authority, and theological value for the Church as a whole, as a way of understanding more deeply the place of priestly celibacy in the life and mission of the Church, and concludes with some suggestions for further integration of the threefold scheme. This dissertation by Gary Selin fulfills the dissertation requirements for the doctoral degree in Sacred Theology approved by Paul McPartlan, D.Phil, as Director, and by John T. Ford, C.S.C., S.T.D., and Raymond Studzinski, O.S.B., Ph.D., as Readers. _______________________________ Paul McPartlan, D.Phil, Director _______________________________ John T. Ford, C.S.C., S.T.D., Reader _______________________________ Raymond Studzinski, O.S.B., Ph.D., Reader ii To the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Priests iii CONTENTS ABBREVIATIONS .............................................................................................................x ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................... xi INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................1 CHAPTER 1 CLERICAL CONTINENCE AND CELIBACY IN THE LATIN CHURCH PRIOR TO THE SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL ..........................................6 1. The Biblical Foundations of Clerical Continence and Celibacy ............................6 2. The Development of the Discipline of Clerical Continence and Celibacy in Magisterial Teaching from the Early Church to the Twentieth Century ...................20 3. Twentieth Century Magisterial Teaching Prior to Vatican II ...............................51 a). 1917 Code of Canon Law ............................................................................51 b). Pius XI .........................................................................................................54 c). Pius XII ........................................................................................................57 d). John XIII ......................................................................................................62 4. Conclusion ............................................................................................................65 CHAPTER 2 MAGISTERIAL TEACHING ON CLERICAL CELIBACY IN THE DOCUMENTS OF THE SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL AND OF PAUL VI ............67 1. The Theology of Clerical Celibacy Prior to the Second Vatican Council ...........68 2. The Background to the Restoration of the Permanent Diaconate ........................86 3. The Second Vatican Council on Diaconal Celibacy and Continence ..................93 a). Lumen Gentium 29 .......................................................................................98 (i). The Drafting of the Text .....................................................................98 (ii). The Final Text ..................................................................................109 4. The Second Vatican Council on Priestly Celibacy .............................................115 a). Perfectae Caritatis 12 and Optatam Totius 10 ..........................................115 iv b.) Presbyterorum Ordinis 16 .........................................................................120 (i). The Drafting of the Text ...................................................................120 (ii). The Final Text ..................................................................................139 5. Paul VI ................................................................................................................146 a). Sacrum Diaconatus Ordinem and Other Documents on the Diaconate.....147 b). Sacerdotalis Caelibatus and Priestly Celibacy ..........................................152 The Threefold Dimension of Priestly Celibacy ......................................157 6. Conclusion ..........................................................................................................165 CHAPTER 3 MAGISTERIAL TEACHING ON CLERICAL CELIBACY AFTER SACERDOTALIS CAELIBATUS .....................................................................................167 1. The Revised Rites of Ordination ........................................................................168 2. The Basic Plan for Priestly Formation ..............................................................174 3. On the Ministerial Priesthood ............................................................................176 4. A Guide to Formation in Priestly Celibacy ........................................................178 5. Inter Insigniores .................................................................................................182 6. John Paul II .........................................................................................................187 a). Theology of the Body..................................................................................190 b). Mulieris Dignitatem ...................................................................................194 c). Pastores Dabo Vobis ..................................................................................199 7. 1983 Code of Canon Law ...................................................................................209 8. Canon Law and Diaconal Continence ................................................................212 9. Catechism of the Catholic Church .....................................................................220 10. Directory for the Ministry and Life of Priests ..................................................222 v 11. Diaconal Continence Revisited ........................................................................231 12. Conclusion ........................................................................................................237 CHAPTER 4 EVALUATION OF THE THREEFOLD DIMENSION OF PRIESTLY CELIBACY ..................................................................................................240 1. The Christological Dimension of Priestly Celibacy ...........................................242 a). New Testament Foundations of the Christological Dimension of Priestly Celibacy .............................................................................................244 b). The Christological Dimension as an Aid to Understanding Priestly Celibacy as a Charism and a Discipline ..........................................................251 2. The Ecclesiological Dimension of Priestly Celibacy ..........................................259 a). New Testament Foundations of the Ecclesiological Dimension of Priestly Celibacy .............................................................................................259 b). The Ecclesiological Dimension as a Development of the Ritual Purity Argument ..............................................................................................269