Examining the negative impact of celibacy on the Roman Catholic priesthood, this book offers a sociological analysis of the factors that lie behind mandatory clerical celibacy and argues for the acceptance of married priesthood as a legitimate means of living the priestly vocation in response to the challenges of our age.

Examining the negative impact of celibacy on the Roman Catholic priesthood, this book offers a sociological analysis of the factors that lie behind mandatory clerical celibacy and argues for the acceptance of married priesthood as a legitimate means of living the priestly vocation in response to the challenges of our age.