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Freeing Celibacy
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Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 253.252
EAN: 9780814631607
ISBN: 0814631606
Label: Liturgical Press
Manufacturer: Liturgical Press
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 128
Publication Date: September 30, 2006
Publisher: Liturgical Press
Studio: Liturgical Press
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Editorial Review:
Mandatory celibacy for Latin rite Catholic priests has been the norm for almost 900 years. Now the clergy sexual abuse scandal and the rapidly declining number of priests have pushed many of the faithful to the point of questioning this tradition of the church. To this sometimes tense discussion of sex and power Donald Cozzens brings his signature calmness, his own gifted experience of celibate life, and his talent for distilling the spiritual truth of the human condition.
Cozzens explores priestly celibacy as source of power and burden of obligation, as spiritual calling and gift of the Spirit. Putting mandatory celibacy in historic perspective, he examines the ancient and contemporary experience of married clergy in the Eastern churches and the Roman rite church. It is time, he concludes, to set celibacy free from canonical mandate to become what it is meant to be: a graced way of life for some but not all of the church's ordained ministers.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - A reasoned request for optional celibacy
Cops, Crooks, and Clergy: A Long Journey to Inside the Catholic Church
Donald Cozzens' well-researched and rational approach to identifying and correcting one of the most serious causes of today's priest shortage is an important plea to Church leaders. While celibacy may be a charism for some, not all priests have that gift. He establishes that a charism is a gift, and that people all have different gifts. Further, that a gift cannot be mandated by the hierarchy, as it comes from God. ... Read More
Rating: - Rethinking Celibacy
I have read many books and articles on celibacy. I was sceptical reading this book because most books on celibacy you read repeat thesame old arguments:
- Jesus was celibate, a priest is another Christ
- It frees you from family obligations for the kingdom of God
- It is an ascetical life
- It is white matyrdom
The author in this book invites us to rethink all these traditional arguments. He argues against the widely held presumption in the Latin Church that once someone ... Read More
Rating:  - Reverent plea
A well=argued, calm, and moderate plea for ending the rule of celibacy for the Roman Catholic priesthood. Sure, that would cause serious difficulties, but not nealy as serious as the ones we have now! I deduct one star for the central role Fr. Cozzens gives here to the term "charism" without giving it a precise definition. Surely he cannot wish to say that men (or womrn) are called to priesthood while being denied the helps presently necessary to fallow that call.
Rating: - A thoughtful and deeply spiritual treatise
Priest, lecturer, and award-winning author Donald Cozzens presents Freeing Celibacy, a serious-minded look at the practice of mandatory celibacy for Latin rite Catholic priests that has been the norm for 900 years. Though Freeing Celibacy extols the gifts of the spirit that voluntary celibacy can bring, Cozzens surveys the history of married priests in centuries past, clergy sexual abuse scandals and the rapidly declining number of priests today, and concludes that it is time to set celibacy free from canonical ... Read More
Rating: - Unique Perspective
It is said that "Perception is everything". I believe that "Perspective is everything". Cozzens offers a unique perspective and reflections on a much discussed topic today. I learned about 5 things that I did not realize before from which I can develop my own ideas.
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