Is it legitimate for the Church to accept consecrated single people who vow lifelong celibacy?
A viewer asks Robert's opinion on consecrated single people, men not having families, vowing themselves to celibacy, and this being accepted by the Church.
Answer
The idea in itself is innocent, but the crux is this: you are asking a single person to be celibate for their whole life under your jurisdiction. Does anybody have the right to do that to anybody else? The answer is no. No prelature, organization, or apostolate, even one allowed by the pope and coming directly under him, can tell a member that they have to remain celibate for the rest of their life, no questions asked, implying they must stay connected to the group for the remainder of their life. That is a cult. They have to be given the freedom to leave the group if they want, and if they gave a vow of celibacy, that vow can be terminated, and they can go on and live their life the way they want. That is the freedom a Christian has, and if anyone tells you that you cannot do that, then that is a cult, and you want to get out of there as soon as possible.