During the Seminar at Kotagiri, something that I could not but notice and appreciate was the good teaching Anthropology (earnestly, shall I add) had done to me, especially in shaping some healthy and very positive attitudes with regard to our body and human sexuality. I had always believed and taught 'sexuality' as relationship. This idea was perhaps the basic foundation stone for our seminar.
That celibacy is more about growing in love and not a list of do's and don'ts, is another insight that I was strongly reminded about during this enriching seminar. Being a religious I choose to express this love (of God and my own) in ways slightly different from a married couple. The latter express it exclusively to one another in a conjugal way; the former has a million other creative ways, out there to be explored and used, to convey the love within to a greater multitude than just one or two. As religious, I'm called only to give up one expression of love (conjugal), not every expression and certainly not give up love itself.
Celibacy is to love someone more deeply than myself. And it is right here when some were getting 'ideas' that Fr Joe cautioned: unless and until we are gripped by the person of Jesus and His message, our celibacy has no meaning. It is only a sham, a cross and a curse. Human as we are, we are not called to give up relating to one another, we are only called to relate to one another healthily.
Celibacy involves not just me and the other but the Spiritual Director and God as well. And what are the signposts for a healthy celibate life? Simplicity of life and a commitment to love.
That celibacy is more about growing in love and not a list of do's and don'ts, is another insight that I was strongly reminded about during this enriching seminar. Being a religious I choose to express this love (of God and my own) in ways slightly different from a married couple. The latter express it exclusively to one another in a conjugal way; the former has a million other creative ways, out there to be explored and used, to convey the love within to a greater multitude than just one or two. As religious, I'm called only to give up one expression of love (conjugal), not every expression and certainly not give up love itself.
Celibacy is to love someone more deeply than myself. And it is right here when some were getting 'ideas' that Fr Joe cautioned: unless and until we are gripped by the person of Jesus and His message, our celibacy has no meaning. It is only a sham, a cross and a curse. Human as we are, we are not called to give up relating to one another, we are only called to relate to one another healthily.
Celibacy involves not just me and the other but the Spiritual Director and God as well. And what are the signposts for a healthy celibate life? Simplicity of life and a commitment to love.
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