Pope Francis has requested that Roman Catholic priests be given the right to get married.
The request applies to priests in Brazil, and is on the agenda for an upcoming synod (church council) in the Amazon region.
The controversial move would address the critical shortage of men joining the priesthood – but is likely to drive divisions through the church by enraging conservative factions.
A small number of married Roman Catholic priests already exist, including previously married Anglican vicars who have joined the church.
A request to lift the ban on marriage was made by Brazilian bishop Cardinal Claudio Hummes, who reportedly asked the Pope to consider ‘viri probati’, meaning married of great faith, as priests.
Derry priest Father Paddy O’Kane suggested that Pope Francis may move to end celibacy earlier this month, saying there was support amongst the church for the idea.
Fr O’Kane cited Brazilian liberation theologian Leonardo Boff, who said: “The Brazilian bishops, especially the pope’s own personal friend Cardinal Claudio Hummes, have expressly requested Pope Francis to enable married priest in Brazil to return to pastoral ministry.
“I have recently heard that the pope wants to fulfil this request – as an experimental, preliminary phase for the moment confined to Brazil.”
Earlier this year the Pope told Die Zeit newspaper: ‘We must consider if ‘viri probati’ is a possibility. Then we must determine what tasks they can perform, for example, in remote communities.’
Francis and his predecessor Benedict XVI have both stated that celibacy is not a matter of inflexible church dogma unlike, and could be debated.
Source: uk.news.yahoo.com
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WONDERS SHALL NEVER END..........GOD CREATED YOU TO PROCREATE AND YOU DON'T WANT TO......HMMMMMM,,,,,IT SHALL COME TO PASS
IF THIS REQUEST GO THROUGH, THEN THE CHURCH MUST ALSO ACCEPT POLYGAMOUS MARRIAGES; BLESSED IN CHURCH AS WELL AS BEING COMMUNICANTS. THOUGH NOT PERFECT, I CAN SCENT; SOME FAVOURITE BISHOPS CLAMOURING AROUND THIS POPE WANT TO SEE THE DISINTEGRATION OF CATHOLICISM. BUT ALAS GOD WAYS ARE NOT THEIR WAYS, THEY WILL AMOUNT TO NOTHING. DID I HEAR IN HISTORY ONE OF THE POPE'S EVER MARRIED & GAVE BIRTH. I UNDERSTAND HE EVEN ATTEMPTED TO MAKE THE POSITION A DYNASTY. ALL THESE MACHINATIONS NEVER SHAKES THE CATHOLIC DOCTRINE.
THIS PRACTICE HAS NO BASIS IN THE BIBLE. IT WAS A PROPHECY REFERRING TO GOD'S HOLY CHURCH AND THE FALSE CHURCH. YOU ARE JUST WASTING YOUR BODIED. GET MARRIED AND BE FREE
IF THE PRIEST ARE ALLOWED TO MARRY,ARE WE IMITATING CHRIST?
better to marry than to burn so said Apostle Paul.Is this not better than the Pope having to pay money to sodomised boys by Priest who cannot control their passion?better to marry than to burn!
A tradition that is being abused in secrecy and is known openly? Christ have mercy on us all.
Pope Francis has notrequested that Roman Catholic priests be given the right to get married.But it was a request a Bishop in Brazil is requesting to the Pope.
long overdue. it is known fact that even some of the earlier popes were pumping the women around them, especially the nuns. the church must eschew hypocrisy and be open. there is nothing wrong with marriage. after all the priests would not be on earth if their parents had not come together.
Please we cannot reduce our priesthood to marriage. Pope never think of that . Jesus never married and his priesthood is what we the Catholics are imitating
Good idea