A return after a brief hiatus of the ‘Q’s from HS’ segment: questions collected from high school students on the priesthood, religious life, or just plain questions submitted to this humble scribe.  Today’s take:

Do priests drink?

In short, yes, not universally and hopefully in moderation, but simply there is not ecclesiastical law that prevents a priest from enjoying an alcoholic beverage.

However, some cautions should be issued.  For a priest without a healthy grasp of celibacy, it is easy to ‘medicate’ on alcohol and turn there instead of to Christ for his sustenance, just as it can be easy for a person in a struggling marriage to turn to alcohol instead of truly trying to fix the problems that exist in the marriage.

Frankly, it takes maturity and self awareness.  There are priests I know who do not drink at all (besides the Precious Blood consumed at Mass) because there is a history of alcoholism in his family.  Most priests, I think, tend to be on the social side: enjoying a glass of wine with a special dinner, or when sitting down in a relaxed conversation with friends, etc.  This is not just a model for priests, but for any who are of legal age to consume alcohol.  The Church does not condemn, but urges moderation.