you do not necessarily loose your freedom as a priest. Sometimes people act differently around you when they know you are a priest. There is no reason to act strange because priests are just as normal as regular human beings. Some priests also wear clerical garb, or religious dress. They only own a few of these outfits and it limits the amount of money they spend on clothes. Other priests dress in normal street clothes. By dressing that way they are saying that the most valid sign of Christianity is lifestyle rather than clothes. Some priests wear street clothes because they feel that it makes people more comfortable around them. Priests are not perfect. They also have disagreements with other priests they live with. Instead of arguing and fighting the try to work out their problems through communication and openness. One thing that a priest can not do is date because dating leads to marriage and part of being celibate means no marriage. Priests do have friends of the opposite sex. Just because they cannot date does not mean that they are not attracted to people of the opposite sex. Since priests are celibate they just redirect those feelings in other things. If a priest does happen to fall in love they are expected to do whatever is necessary to remain committed to being a priest. The priest has a choice of allowing his feelings for this person to continue or putting a kind and gentle end to them. Priests do often wonder about marriage and family life but then they realize how happy they are in their chosen lifestyle and remain celibate. You do not need to be a virgin in order to become a priest. A persons past is not important in being a priest. Priests do not get married because they despise marriage. They are so inclined to serve Christ that they are willing to be celibate. Celibacy shows the priest’s total dedication to serve God just like Jesus being celibate showed his dedication to his father’s...
