SPIRIT WOW: THIS IS CHASTITY
Of Hot Priests, Dog Priests, Chef Priests, Drinky-Poo Priests, and Friendship
Over 31 years in the Jesuits I’ve been asked about poverty occasionally, usually in the sense of how do you get spending money and what happens to the money you make. (I wrote a bit about that vow before Christmas.)
Obedience has come up even less, maybe because on paper my career as a Jesuit has seemed so unusual anyway.
(In fact, most of the time when obedience has come up it has been in the context of people asking “How is it that the Jesuits have allowed you do this?” Which is kind of fascinating.)
No, the thing everyone always asks about, or wants to ask about, is chastity. I guess that’s because it makes the least amount of sense to people, although honestly, I’d argue obedience is a lot more counter-cultural. Imagine having to get permission to travel, or being told what your next job is. It, or the fear of it, can be a lot.
But I admit, chastity definitely seems the weirdest, and/or the most suspect vow. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked, with a knowing skepticism, “So you’ve never had sex?” Which by the way is such a weird question to have to be ready to be asked at any time.
But that’s the life. And here’s some stories.
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