AmericanPapist Comments
My roommates and I have embarked on a physical training routine, and we have the following scripture quote emblazoned over our kitchen table:
"For bodily exercise is profitable to little: but godliness is profitable to all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." 1 Timothy 4:8
While good health requires exercise and sensible eating, we don't want to be caught up in the cult of the body. I was recently reading a thread on Catholic form Phatmass about women discerning the religious life who were rejected outright from even discerning because of being overweight. I think that's despicable.
Being a good steward of one's body is not even on the same planet, importance wise, as being a good steward of one's soul. Let the rest of the culture scream about obesity. It's already an inescapable message.
I dunno, Thom. All this pointing out that single middle-aged men are prone to "sedentary lifestyles" (sitting around) and "poor nutrition habits" (eating junk food)...sounds like an argument against celibacy to me.
Married middle-aged men are just as prone to sedentary lifestyles, unless you count the twice-weekly garbage collection ritual as exercise.
I guess it's time to do some genuflect lunges!
In times long gone, I used to pray a Rosary while on the treadmill.
Whatever happened to rectory housekeepers? You know, those nice elder ladies (in the movies) who made sure the priest finished his peas before hearing confessions.
Fr. Michael, the pastor of our parish, manages to stay in shape! Every day he goes to a gym and works out.
I don't trust skinny priests. It generally means they can't cook. If they can't cook, they don't serve good meals.
And I have no time for priests who can't appreciate a good meal, pared with good wine, and long hours seated in cigar smoke discussing the permanent things.
We're Catholics. We need to keep this in perspective and not be seduced by this neo-pagan "health" worshiping nonsense.
As a seminarian and one with a weight problem, I think there's more of an issue than the others who've commented thus far. It's not the weight that's the important issue, although for an aging priesthood health considerations are becoming more and more important. Rather, a lack of discipline over the body can (and let's be honest, in America usually does) indicate a lack of self-discipline with regard to food. It may seem like a small matter, but a lack of discipline in one area of one's life easily leaks into other areas. I would imagine (pure guesswork on my part) that priests who are moderate in their eating and exercise choices (not talking about health gurus or marathoners) experience less difficulty with chastity issues. What a priest eats or does to exercise are not as important as his spirituality of course, but these areas do sometimes overlap.
Sorry, that should read something like "Rather, a weight problem can (and let's be honest, in America usually does) indicate a lack of self discipline with regard to food."
Seminarian - thanks for your perspective.
To add to what the seminarian said. I was/technically still am overweight- though I lost 40 pounds in this, my second year after ordination. I'm not sure there is a necessary link between discipline and chastity because I see the true source of chastity coming from Divine Charity. Self-discipline might make things easier, but the Love of God must be the true source.
I am inclined to agree with Ed Peters that it smells a bit like a hit-piece on clerical celibacy. But maybe that is just me...
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