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Do you have to be a virgin to become a priest?
No. One of the greatest saints in the Church’s history, St Augustine, took a long time to come to terms with the requirement of chastity. He famously said, “Chastity, yes, Lord, but not just yet!’
It is generally recommended that a person considering a call to the priesthood has been sexually inactive for at least 18 months before they are admitted to seminary or religious life. This is wise, as it tests a person’s ability to sustain a life of chastity over a prolonged period of time, which, of course, priesthood demands.
