By Black Power

I am writing in response to Mr Okoampa’s article, ‘Is Pope Benedict XVI a Charlatan or a Hypocrite?’ published on Ghanaweb.com on the 13th of January 2012. In the article in question, Mr Okoampa accuses The Roman Catholic priests and religious of persistent sexual transgressions and hypocrisy. His write-up unfortunately is pregnant with contradictions and thoughts that reflect those of persons whose knowledge of the Good Book and the Roman Catholic Church is very minimal.

He seems to suggest that the solution to the scandal of sex abuse by some catholic priests and nuns is the scraping of ‘the clerical practice of celibacy’, arguing that celibacy is not only unbiblical but also impracticable in human society. He writes: ‘… by and large, human beings are sexual organisms whose religious fervor and/or devotion cannot be regulated by the faux-godly law of celibacy.’; a statement he calls a ‘fundamental truth’.

He accuses the Catholic Church of covering up sexual crimes or scandals of the clergy, yet questions the Vatican’s decision to accept the resignation of an auxiliary bishop in Los Angeles who allegedly ‘confessed to having fathered two teenage children’, and to relieve him of his official duties. Is this not a supreme contradiction and hypocrisy at its apogee? What was the Holy Father supposed to do? To allow that priest to actively continue functioning as an auxiliary bishop so that he (the Pope) is accused of sweeping under the carpet sexual scandals involving priests and nuns?

It is rather unfortunate that Mr Okoampa does not see any difference between a person who consciously and willingly makes a vow of celibacy before men and God and deviously breaches it, and one who openly marries and is welcomed into the catholic priesthood on certain terms and conditions. The former is an epitome of deceit, the latter represents honesty. The former is demoted for being deceptive; the latter is promoted for being honest. Is this that difficult to comprehend?

Mr Okoampa does not understand why the auxiliary bishop in question ‘is now alleged to have rendered himself unfit to continue officiating as an auxiliary bishop, nevertheless, his priestly activities, dating back to the time that he allegedly fathered the first of his two teenage children, have not been retroactively proscribed.’ What a childish statement to make! Does he expect the Vatican to declare null and void all the sacraments he has celebrated since the day he began the affair with the alleged lover?

The lecturer has probably never come across the Latin phrase ‘Ex opere operato’ before, so I will use this occasion to explain to him what that means. When the Church says that the sacraments act ‘ex opere operato’ (by the very fact of the action’s being performed), she means that celebrated worthily in faith, the sacraments confer the grace that they signify, of themselves; their efficacy does not depend on the personal holiness of the priest or minister celebrating them. In other words, when the recipient is properly disposed, the grace of the sacrament is efficacious and is received even if the priest is in a serious state of sin – ‘the sacrament is not wrought by the righteousness of either the celebrant or the recipient, but by the power of God’.

Again the fact that the Pope accepts the priest’s resignation and relieves him of his duties as an auxiliary bishop does not mean that he ceases to be a priest. Catholics find the roots of their priesthood in the tradition of Melchizedek, the first individual to have the title ‘Kohen’ (Priest) conferred on him, and whose priesthood is without end. As representatives of Christ, ordained individuals remain priests ‘forever in the order of Melchizedek’.

I will not only be deceiving myself, but will also be a supreme liar if I deny the fact that some Catholic Priests and nuns are breaching the vow of celibacy. However, the statement, that scrapping the practice of celibacy will prevent all catholic priests and nuns from committing sex offenses, lacks maturity and credibility.

It has convincingly been established that marriage does not necessarily dismantle sexual immorality; and that cases of marital unfaithfulness have escalated beyond belief over the last few decades. Reports of married pastors (or preachers) and gospel musicians cheating on their partners and/or committing various forms of sex crimes are read or heard every single day.

The key weapon against sexual offenses is certainly not marriage as Mr Okoampa posits, but self-control, selflessness and discipline. A man who lacks self-control will still cheat or commit sexual offenses even if he is already married to ten women. In other words, a catholic priest or nun who lacks self-control and discipline, and does not allow himself/herself to be guided by God’s word and the Holy Spirit will always wallow in the mud of sexual sin even if they are allowed to marry ten or more people. Because ordination does not transform a person into a superhuman being or a deity, it becomes the responsibility of the individual to strive to tread the path of holiness.

Thankfully, majority of Catholic priests and religious understands and values what it entails to effectively embrace the priestly vocation. These are living very exemplary lives and performing to expectation. It will thus be unfair and in fact a supreme fallacy to pronounce that all catholic priests and nuns are promiscuous. It is only wise that the activities of catholic priests and religious are identified and assessed individually and not collectively.

I find Mr Okoampa’s claim that celibacy is unrealizable and his assertion that the vow of celibacy is largely a product of 11th century Europe, and is not divinely ordained, very ridiculous. But he can be excused as theology is very probably not one of his fields of study.

In the gospel of St Matthew, Jesus explains that ‘some are eunuchs [(celibates)] because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.’ (Mt. 19: 12; quoted from NIV). As a matter of fact almost all the twelve apostles and many other disciples of Jesus embraced a celibate lifestyle for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.

In his first letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul who willingly chose the life of celibacy from an early age speaks much about his celibate life, urging people to live this life as well: ‘I wish that all of you were as I am’ (1 Cor. 7: 7). Justifying celibacy, he writes: ‘An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.’ (1 Cor. 7:32-35; quoted from NIV).

It is evident from the two quoted passages that the celibate lifestyle that catholic priests and religious vow to maintain or observe is not only biblical and divinely endorsed, but is also practicable. There are loads of even lay people who are perfectly living celibate lives in different parts of the world, so what makes Mr Okoampa think that catholic priests and religious cannot keep the vow of celibacy?

I find the academic’s premises (propositions) very vague and hugely ill-informed, and the conclusion drawn from them (that the Pope is a charlatan or a hypocrite) baseless and disappointing. It is obvious that the main thrust of his article is to tarnish the reputation of the Holy Father and the Roman Catholic Church. Well, Mr Okoampa’s article to taint the image of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church can only be compared to a child throwing a stone at an elephant with the intention of killing it.

Emmanuel Sarpong Owusu-Ansah (Black Power) is an Investigative Journalist, a researcher and the author of Fourth Phase of Enslavement (2011) and In My End is My Beginning (2012). He may be contacted via email (andypower2002@yahoo.it).