Husband & ‘father’
Let married men be priests: pope
Married men may soon be able to serve as Catholic priests but they still won’t get action between the sheets.
Pope Francis floated the possibility of letting married men be ordained in a surprise move to combat a shortage of clergy in “remote” communities — but the pontiff said that the priests must remain abstinent.
In an interview published Thursday, the pope said the Catholic Church should study whether viri probati — Latin for “tested men” or married men of outstanding faith — could be ordained. “We must consider if viri pro
bati is a possibility,” the pope told Germany’s Die Zeit. “Then we must determine what tasks they can perform, for example, in remote communities.”
The pope came short, however, of siding with some at the Vatican who want to end the archaic tradition of celibacy for priests.
“Voluntary celibacy is often discussed in this context, especially in places where there are shortages of clerics,” he said. “But voluntary celibacy is not a solution.”
Francis’ proposal appeared to get some backing as prominent Catholics voiced support Friday.
In Brazil, the nation with the most Catholics, the faithful also rallied behind Pope Francis’ viri
probati idea. “If [a priest] had a wife and children, he may have a much fuller experience, which could help those around him,” said Paulo Franca, attending an afternoon Mass at the Santa Luzia Church in Rio de Janeiro.
Bill Donohue, chairman of the conservative-leaning Catholic League, was open to the sugges- tion, but said it could place an undue burden on the single priests.
“My only concern is how this will impact on those priests who are single,” Donohue said.
“You have a lot of funerals on weekends, there are weddings and what not. I can see a situation where a married priest would say, ‘I have to go to my kids’ soccer game, I have responsibilities that you don’t have.’ They have to think this through a bit more.”
A report from 2015 said the world’s Catholic population had increased by 57 percent, or 445 million people, between 1980 and 2012, while the number of priests over the same period had dropped by 17 percent, or 20,547.