Pope Francis' No. 2: Clerical celibacy is open to discussion

Pope Francis' No. 2: Clerical celibacy is open to discussion

The Vatican’s new secretary of state has said that priestly celibacy is not church dogma and therefore open to discussion, marking a significant change in approach towards one of the thorniest issues facing the Roman Catholic Church.

Pope Francis is pushing the limits isn't he!

It's about time.

Many of Pope Francis' predecessors had declared the subject off-limits.

“There has been a lot of resistance to discussing the issue of celibacy,” said Abigal Frymann, online editor and former foreign editor with U.K.

Not. Anymore.

I can't help but love this guy. Immediately on saying that? I have to admit I’m afraid of him. And for him. There's just something 'too good to be true' about our new loving, kind and humble Father.

Let's hope he doesn't start ridding around Rome on a white horse any time soon.

peace

reply to post by silo13


The sticking point is whether something is doctrine or not, because the Roman Catholic Church does not introduce new doctrine -- they interpret things in different ways over the course of time to support different perspectives, but they don't change the fundamentals of the church. So, as regards this issue, no, there is no official doctrine that confirms clerical celibacy, that practice was introduced later in the church's history, but there is official policy that confirms it.

Policy can be changed, doctrine cannot be. Will this policy be changed? I think it may be, but probably not in the foreseeable future.

ETA: There are married priests in the Roman church today -- if an Anglican priest converts to Roman Catholicism, he may become a priest, whether married or not, and with the state of the American Episcopal church these days, that has happened quite a bit.

Celibacy for the priests is a discipline .. not a doctrine.
Disciple can change. Doctrine can not.
It has always been open to change depending on what the Pope thought best for the church.

I don't care either way. It really won't matter.

Some MISTAKENLY say that if priests are allowed to marry, then they won't become pedophiles.
That is an error. Celibacy doesn't cause someone to become a pedophile.
And it doesn't turn someone gay.

Pedophiles see a good hunting ground in churches and schools.
They are predators. They infiltrate these organizations because of easy pickings ...
It's not a Catholic church problem ... it's a problem everywhere.

reply to post by silo13


Well, that's good news indeed! Seems it would solve a whole bunch of problems.
Primary ones (aside from the obvious molestation issues):

A married clergyman is better equipped to 'shepherd' his flock than a "celibate" bachelor on matters of marriage.

A clergyman who is a parent is better equipped on matters of parenting and families.

I really like this guy!
S/F

reply to post by silo13


Since the beginning the women was made for the man (and vice versa).

Well this is a difficult topic...But in my heart, I believe that if a priest is married (only once) he can fulfill is mission, if in heart he complies with law and the teachings of Jesus..

Love and compassion are the most important ..

reply to post by wildtimes

Dear wildtimes,

Good to see you again, and I agree with you that I really like Pope Francis.

You'll note that it will be "open for discussion." For me, that means there are two sides to the question (or more). Haave you considered the down sides? I certainly don't know them all, and I don't have a strong opinion on the question, but it wouldn't have been a discipline for this long without any reason at all.

The problem that jumps out to me is divided loyalties. Priests are on call 24/7 whether their wife is in the hospital, their kid has a soccer game, or their mother-in-law is throwing a family get together. Christmas with family? If he can slide it in.

What happens when after several years his wife says "You love the Church more than you love me. You'd better quit."

What happens when he gets sent to some remote village in the middle of Africa for several years? Does he leave his wife and kids at home alone? What about a vow of poverty? And, I can assure you, that many times a priest will get out of bed at 2 or 3 in the morning, moved to spend an hour in prayer by himself. Isn't that a little bit trickier when the wife says, "Where are you going, come back to bed?"

A Priest will listen to hundreds of couples, if not thousands, with family difficulties. He will have his own experience in his family plus some seminary training. I don't want him to be a family counsellor. I want him to tell me about the Church's positions, talk about my prayer life, and refer me to a professional if that is what's needed. The Church is his family.

The benefits? I don't see many right now. The problems? I see some big ones. But, as the pope has said, Ok, let's talk about it.

With respect,
Charles1952