Commitment to Celibacy in German Catholic Priests: Its Relation to Religious Practices, Psychosomatic Health and Psychosocial Resources.
We aimed to investigate Catholic priests' commitment to celibacy and its relation to their religious practices, life and work satisfaction, and psychosomatic health. Results of our cross-sectional study of 2549 priests show that the majority finds living in celibacy helpful to minister more effectively. Nevertheless, a large proportion see it as a burden and would not choose celibate life again. Commitment to celibacy was predicted best by the frequency of religious practices (liturgy), work engagement and personal relation with God, explaining 39 % of variance. These resources are predictors for maintaining a celibate lifestyle and facilitate priests' satisfaction with life and commitment to their ministry.
Caritas Science and Christian Social Work, Faculty of Theology, Albert-Ludwig University, Freiburg, Germany.
Klaus
K
Baumann
Faculty of Theology Paderborn, Paderborn, Germany.
Christoph
C
Jacobs
Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
Eckhard
E
Frick Sj
Quality of Life, Spirituality and Coping, Institute for Integrative Medicine, Witten/Herdecke University, Gerhard-Kienle-Weg 4, 58313, Herdecke, Germany. Arndt.Buessing@uni-wh.de.
Arndt
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5025-7950
A
Büssing
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002410:Catholicism / Q000523:psychology*; D002977:Clergy / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D012746:Sexual Abstinence / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012944:Social Support
Catholic priests; Commitment to celibacy; Health; Religious practices; Social support; Spirituality
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