Understanding of clerical celibacy as a strategy to increase vocations to the priesthood in the light of Sacerdotalis caelibatus: case study [of] Buhimba Parish, Mbarara Archdiocese

Abstract

This research aimed at showing that understanding clerical celibacy can help to increase vocations to the priesthood in Buhimba Parish, Mbarara Archdiocese. It indicated the prevalence of low turn- up to the priestly vocation, expounded the reasons for clerical celibacy in the Roman Catholic Church and clarified the understanding of clerical celibacy so as to enhance vocations to the priesthood. Both males and females were randomly selected. The researcher used three instruments for data collection; questionnaire, observation and interview method. The research found out that the present law of clerical celibacy in the Roman Catholic Church supports a priest in his exclusive, definitive and total choice of the unique and supreme love of Christ, it upholds him in the entire dedication of himself to the public worship of God and to the service of the Church and it distinguishes his state of life both among the faithful and in the world at large. In the recommendations, the researcher stressed that the Uganda Episcopal Conference should make new Seminary statutes based on The New Ratio Fundamentalis Institutionis Sacerdotalis (2017) so as to adapt the norms of the program of priestly formation to particular circumstances in Uganda and to determine more precisely the points of discipline which pertain to the daily life of the students in the seminaries in Uganda. Formation in the seminary should aim at helping the candidates to priesthood to integrate celibacy in their life and pastoral ministry. Candidates to priesthood should be formed to live in communities so that they are able to support each other in their priestly vocation. Celibates should avoid any intimate physical expression and interaction which may have sexual connotations. Candidates to priesthood should be given an integral formation on human sexuality so that they develop a stable personality characterized by emotional stability and self- control. Candidates to priesthood should be helped to acknowledge the dignity of Christian marriage so that they are able to recognize the surpassing excellence of virginity consecrated to Christ so that they are able to make a free and mature decision in embracing celibacy. All the Christian faithful need to be catechized about their obligation in promoting vocations to priesthood and about the importance of clerical celibacy so that celibacy is no longer looked at as a burden and cause of low turn-up to the priestly vocation, but rather as a gift from God to the Church.