Correspondence
II Correspondence And you're welcome Maryknoll, N.Y. To the Editors: A word of appreciation for the excellence of your issue of October 26th. I thought your editorial "From Charisma to...
...On December twenty-first, almost twelve years ago, I became a priest...
...Winter thoughts...
...It has been a priesthood closed-in near the hearth, not in the sunny freshness of the meadow...
...And I learn that nothing else remains to be discovered except compassion...
...It has been a winter Commonweal welcomes letters on subjects treated in its pages...
...priesthood--not many happy times--but times filled with life and meaning...
...However, I question the statement that "Jesus says that celibacy is undertaken for the sake of the kingdom of Heaven by those whose hearts can bear it," although this is the traditional interpretation of Matthew 19:!0-12...
...In this context, Jesus's reference to celibacy as the third example seems more a statement of the fact that some freely choose celibacy and not an endorsement of celibacy over marriage or a special invitation to celibacy as a requirement of the priesthood...
...I thought your editorial "From Charisma to Leadership" simply the best appreciation of the pope's visit to this country which I've seen...
...In this discussion, the disciples argued that if marriage is indissoluble, then it is not advisable to marry...
...To the Editors: It was spitting snow this late October morn when my Oct...
...It was generous in its praise, fair in its critique, and insightful in indicating the theological issues which cause concern...
...There are eunuchs born that way from their mother's womb, there are eunuchs made so by men and there are eunuchs who have made themselves that way for the sake of the kingdom of Heaven...
...68 I, 682,684,685, 688, Bas., Tachydromos, Greece...
...For some of us celibates it is a winter priesthood, and one we do celebrate each December twenty-first close to the hearth...
...Within the overall context of the discussi...
...REV...
...Letters of not more than 250 or 300 words naturally have a better chance of being published...
...They have little capacity for the caring, sharing, and cooperating, the openness and trust, the flexibility, sensitivity, and selflessness necessary to sustain a life-long love relationship...
...Garvey's spareness of statement and delicacy of understanding were much appreciated...
...26 article, "A Married Man on Celibacy," John Garvey makes many astute observations...
...These have been gestalt years...
...No arguments for celibacy have ever made sense to me over my years of priesthood, for there is still the stuff of loneliness to endure--a realm not open to argument...
...The voice of my loneliness is the quiet breathing of God...
...693,694, 696, 698, 699, Randolph Caldescott in OM Christmas by Washington Irving...
...REV...
...p. 687, Peg Averill, LNS...
...Double thanks...
...Last December I was writing Christmas cards and it occurred to me that I became a priest on the first day of winter...
...Microfilm from Vol...
...Second-class postage paid at New York, N.Y...
...Commonweal: 674...
...Deep friendships have brought me to this, and the inevitable goodbyes...
...Nothing wrong with winter...
...48106...
...This touches me--for I come upon my GOd as I meet my loneliness...
...Commonweal arrived with John Garvey's "A Married Layman on Celibacy...
...Jesus then ended the discussion by saying, "Let him accept this who can...
...To the Editors: In his Oct...
...that yes, there are some for whom marriage is not advisable, that there are those who are incapable of marriage--some are born that way, some are made that way by their fellowman, and some make themselves that way for the sake of the kingdom of Heaven--but nonetheless, indissolubility (with one exception) is the way it is--take it or leave it...
...Illustrations: Cover and pp...
...MARILYN KRAMER . . . . I Commonweal is indexed in Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature, Catholic Periodical Index, Index of American Periodical Verse, Book Review Digest and Book Review Index...
...These verses are the final part of the discussion on the indissolubility of marriage in Matthew 19:3-12...
...PATRICK J. CONNOLLY Principal, Bishop Noll Institute Indissolubility Wausau, Wisc...
...We can now recognize that there are those who are so self-absorbed that concern for others is excluded...
...1 entered the active ministry one week beforeHumanae Vitae hit the scene...
...p. 676, Vadillo, El Sol de Mexico and Margulies, Rothco...
...John Garvey indeed makes some precious sense to a man who was ordained on the first day of winter...
...Serials Data Program No.: ISSN 0010-3330...
...Celibacy is a kind of fast," says Garvey, "it makes sense only if GOd is r e a l . . . It is a manifestation of the fact that there is a love which suffices absolutely, and it is offered to each single human being, as well as to the community...
...Isn't Jesus saying that marriage is not for everyone...
...John Garvey enters this realm...
...on, doesn't the pronoun "this" refer to the subject of the discussion, the indissolubility of marriage, rather than to celibacy which is mentioned only in the last phrase of the previous sentence...
...Copyright @ 1979 Commonweal Publishing Co...
...I have discovered along the way-hesitatingly--that the essence of my loneliness is not just darkness and the taste of my heartbeat...
...Jesus replied, "It is not everyone who can accept what I have said, but only those to whom it is granted...
...ROBERT IMBELLI A winter's tale Hammond, Ind...
...1, 1924, to current issues available through University Microfilm, 300 N. Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Mi...
...In that same issue John Garvey's reflections on celibacy is one of the finest short statements which I have read on an issue which seems to suffer as much from the rhetoric of its proponents as from the incomprehension of its opponents...
...Today we have a deeper understanding of love, marriage, and ourselves...
...The majority are self-absorbed because Others have failed to love them, but some do seem to be born with a selfcenteredness that remains undiminished no matter how much they are loved...
Vol. 106 • December 1979 • No. 22
