Celibacy in Crisis: A Secret World Revisited

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Psychology Press, 2003 - 351 pages
In Celibacy in Crisis: A Secret World Revisited , therapist and former priest, A. W. Richard Sipe takes to task the Catholic Church's policy of mandatory celibacy as well as its overall doctrine on human sexuality. Based on his extensive knowledge and background in the field, Sipe removes the cloak of secrecy surrounding celibacy, providing a fascinating exploration of the practice in church history, along with frank and realistic suggestions to clergy and laity for the reformation of the Church's policies on sexuality. This revolutionary text is a completely updated and revised follow-up to the controversial and highly regarded A Secret World: Sexuality and the Search for Celibacy . With great candor and aplomb, Sipe presents compelling case histories, thorough research, and a clear definition of celibacy and its values, along with topical information on pedophilia by clergy. Based on his 25 years of confidential, in-depth interviews with over 1500 priests, sexual partners, and victims, Sipe reveals the shocking and sobering results of his thorough and objective landmark study on priestly celibacy and his conclusion that the seminary system is incapable of instilling life-long sexual altruism in the priest population. In the midst of the worst crisis the Catholic Church has seen in almost 500 years, this book challenges Catholic authorities to renew, rethink, or remove the long-standing institution of celibacy.
 

Contents

HOW DO THOSE WHO PROFESS CELIBACY PRACTICE
43
THE MASTURBATIONS
57
PRIESTS AND WOMEN
81
WHEN PRIESTS BECOME FATHERS
117
THE HOMOSEXUALITIES
131
SEXUAL COMPROMISES
171
PRIESTS AND MINORS
199
WHO ABUSES?
227
CAN CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE BE PREVENTED?
245
LIVING WITH CELIBACY
271
THE ACHIEVEMENT OF CELIBACY
301
INDEX
341
ABOUT THE AUTHOR 351
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About the author (2003)

A. W. Richard Sipe was born Walter Richard Sipe in Robbinsdale, Minnesota on December 11, 1932. His family were observant Catholics and he attended a high school and a college run by Benedictine monks at St. John's Abbey. He became a monk himself and was ordained a priest in 1959. In his first posting to work as a high school counselor, he heard in the confessional about priests who were sexually involved with other priests, priests who had girlfriends, and priests who were involved with minors. He also learned that his predecessor had abused girls. However, these men remained in good standing with the church. In 1967, he became the director of family services at the Seton Psychiatric Institute in Baltimore, a treatment center where bishops sent problem priests. As he got to know the troubled men, some revealed that they had been abused by clergymen themselves. He also heard stories about how church leaders had been dismissive of reports of abuse. He left the priesthood in 1970. In 1986, he presented his findings to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, but nothing was done. In 1990, he published an ethnographic study of celibacy and abuse within the Catholic Church entitled A Secret World: Sexuality and the Search for Celibacy. He was active in the early days of clergy-victim advocacy. He died from multiple organ failure on August 8, 2018 at the age of 85.

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