Rome, Italy, Jun 1, 2010 / 16:06 pm
In an interview with the French daily, La Croix, Father Luc Crepy, rector of the Seminary of Orleans in France, underscored that a priest's choice of celibacy does not deny his sexuality, but contributes to an intense freedom to serve God and the faithful.
During the interview, which was then published by L’Osservatore Romano, Father Crepy made several distinctions. “First of all, it must be noted that sexuality is not limited to the genital dimension, and thus the emotional life is much vaster than the sexual life, although the latter is of obvious importance.”
“In the seminary, we are concerned not only with this particular dimension of the future priest, as important as it is,” he said, “but also with promoting the comprehensive development of the future priest, keeping in mind full breadth of human formation.”
Father Crepy went on to explain several concrete measures that were implemented in accord with John Paul II’s pastoral letter, “Pastores Dabo Vobis.” These measures include attention to community life, reflection on sexuality and development for future pastoral life. “The purpose is to unify one’s own life, to bring together all of its dimensions,” he said.