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ecome a priest?!! Are you mad?" was the instant retort from a friend's brother and a group of his friends. And they have their reasons. Sex might have been a taboo topic in the past, but it is a priority for youngsters today. Also, stress and tension in everyday life has increased tremendously. In an atmosphere of loss and betrayal, of despair and loneliness, everyone is clutching onto the idea of 'love' and companionship.

The belief that prayer fulfills the gap, that universal love satisfies the need for a warm bed seems far-fetched. While seminarians like Jervis D'Souza, who joined the seminary at the age of 21, see the role of a priest as "providing guidance and building the community", today's teens of the very same age see it as "performing rituals and giving long sermons that bore the people. And, above all, having to go without a woman." Perhaps it's difference of character, perhaps it's upbringing… or, maybe, it's just the hard-hitting reality that lets us know the way our world is functioning today.

One thing, however, is transparently true. For those who have chosen a life of celibacy, it is a definite struggle. There are many priests today who suffer from emotional, psychological and physical isolation because of the demand for celibacy. Some, for example, are unable to relate emotionally to members of their parish because of suppressed and stunted feelings.

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