I checked the policy and this is not a prohibited topic.
One survey found that 70% of Catholic friars and nuns masturbate. I suppect Catholic priest would respond the same. (The other 29.999999% would feel that they had to lie to make the profession look good.)

Are there any priests in the group? How do you bridge the church’s teaching with your need. Are there any Catholics out there and what were you told about masturbating. If you are still a practicing Catholic how do you handle it? (Not your cock – the conflict)Ever done it in church? Any other religions are free to jump in on this too.

Good to see such healthy interest in Catholicism. Im RC though not a priest (and would be surprised if anyone on here admitted to being a priest). How many friars and nuns were questioned in this survey?
I was told that masturbating was a mortal sin and that meant I had to go to confession before receiving Holy Communion. Although I am no longer a practicing Catholic Im sure the offical teaching of the Church remains the same concerning any sexual act which does not allow for procreation.

Some catholic priests do many things they're not supposed to, including fathering children, so I would think they enjoy a good wank like the rest of us.

Interesting. I'm RC and was taught by Catholic literature back in the late 50's that masturbation to relive physical stress was not a sin as long as no prurient desires were involved.
(Now how the hell you do that is beyond me!)

Shouldn't be any question about it... If there's testosterone in their bloodstream, then they're pulling on it!

And besides, that's one of the reasons that confession was invented. :-)

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Iv'e never posted on ths topic before and so I guess I thought I'd add my 2 cents. I have nevre been involved with the Catholic church but I am a former minister. Dose that count? If one examines the Bible there is little that can be found on the subject. Unlike most religious teachers I always tought that sex was created by God for our pleasure. That includes all sex as far as I can tell. If anyone can find a scripture regarding masturbation then I'd luv to read it. The old bit about a fellow called Onan dose not really ever mention masturbating. If anyone would bother to read it it is clear that God was mad with him because he disobayed Him and not because of how he did it. Like wise it dose not mention masurbation. "Spilling the seed on the ground" was most likely Onans form of birth coantrol. In other words he pulled out at the last minute. Read it for yourself and you decide. There is no other mention in the Bible about it at all. That gives some to believe that since God didnt instruct us in it then it is a sin. No evidence is not evidence. The fact is since we can do it then I don't really see it as a sin. I have been doing it since I was 14 and I guess I'll never stop. I hope that no one was offended by my remarks. That was not my intention. I'm not here for an argumnet so take it for what it's worth. Believe however you want. I can't help believe that there are those in the Catholic church (priests included) that do it. We are all still human and if no other contact is allowed then I'll bet there are some who do. How about this. One of my former church members is a 30 something year old female who truly believes in waitnig till she gets married to have sex. Thing is in all the years I've known she has never even gone out with anyone. Either she is the most spiritual person I ever met with more self control than most or she dips into the honey pot once in awhile. Kinda turns me on to be honest. Oh well. Hope someone got somethin out of that. Oh and by the way I have done in the church a few times. Happy masturbating all.

One of my best friends is a Catholic priest, and yes, he masturbates daily. He has a number of friends who are also priests and he tells me they all masturbates frequently. All I can say for them is keep jacking!!

I was taught, as a Baptist, that any sexual behavior outside of marriage was wrong, including masturbation, because it always included impure thoughts. Never made me stop jacking off...just felt guilty now and then.

As I get older, I'm realizing it isn't so strange that priests, nuns, and other religious professionals masturbate. It may be a struggle for some of them to admit it to God, perhaps not for others. I bet it has always gone on, and always will.
Where it gets difficult, I expect, is when sexual desire "wants" to reach out to another person. Priests and nuns don't have much in the way of acceptable outlets unless they are in a place where masturbating is quietly accepted between consenting peers... and I bet this happens but is very hush-hush.
Where it goes wrong:
I can't condone the abuse of children and others who are in the care of priests, nuns, etc. That is made all too easy by the trust and vulnerability in the relationship and anyone who gets into that should be reported to the law as well as bounced from their position (not just reassigned as is too often done).
Also I can't condone hypocritical preachers who shout about "celibacy" and "waiting until marriage" and at the same time are banging someone on the side or cruising for pickups. If you can't walk the walk, shut up and accept that you and your ethics are wrong -- or at the very least you are not the person to be sending the message -- and stop forcing your lies on others.

Well, as if an omniscient god wouldn't know they masturbate if they didn't admit it?

Really Interesting reading, all this back and forth. My main conclusion, it's a whole lot easier being a Unitarian!

I think they do and I think nuns and others masturbate as well. I don't think that masturbation is haled as a one-way ticket to hell as much in the Roman Catholic church. I was raised Catholic, have relatives that are a nun, a priest, and a deacon but I would NEVER ask them about this since they are aunts/uncles that I respect and I doubt they'd be honest. Though the deacon is married and has been for 20+ years.

Wondering how much this may be a generational thing, with priests who came up during the Vatican II era of the 60s and 70s being more open to their sexuality and the younger generation of JPII priests reverting to traditionalist views?

A very interesting topic that I thought could use a revival
Would love to chat with anyone about this on skype
username in my profile
I would be happy to share my own thoughts and actual insights