Why Celibacy? Reclaiming The Fatherhood Of The Priest By Fr. Carter Griffin

“The Church today demands a profound renewal of celibate priesthood and the fatherhood to which it is ordered.”

Priestly celibacy, some say, is an outdated relic from another age. Others see it as a lonely way of life.

But as Fr. Carter Griffin argues in Why Celibacy?: Reclaiming the Fatherhood of the Priest, the ancient practice of celibacy, when lived well, helps a priest exercise his spiritual fatherhood joyfully and fruitfully. Along the way, Griffin explores:

the question of optional celibacy
some pitfalls of celibate paternity
the selection and formation of candidates for celibate priesthood
why biological fathers are also called to spiritual fatherhood
the powerful impact of celibacy on the Church and the wider culture
In a critical moment for the Catholic priesthood, Fr. Griffin brings light and hope with a new perspective on the Church’s perennial wisdom on celibacy.

Fr. Carter Griffin is a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington. Since 2011 he has been engaged in the formation of seminarians at Saint John Paul II Seminary in Washington, DC. Fr. Griffin is a graduate of Princeton University and a former line officer in the United States Navy.

“Fr. Griffin clearly shows that we need celibacy now more than ever—and a celibate priesthood of true, spiritual fathers.”— Rev. Msgr. Andrew R. Baker, S.T.D., Rector, Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, Emmitsburg, MD

“Celibacy is an often under-appreciated element in the fruitfulness of priestly ministry. I recommend this book to all who wish to understand and even reclaim celibacy as a precious gift entrusted to the Church. . . .”— Most Rev. Paul S. Coakley, Archbishop of Oklahoma City