Cardinal: Married Catholic priests a possibility

Started by garbon, February 22, 2013, 02:46:41 PM

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garbon

http://news.yahoo.com/cardinal-married-catholic-priests-possibility-172115510.html

QuoteRoman Catholic priests should be allowed to marry and have children, Britain's most senior Catholic cleric said Friday.

Cardinal Keith O'Brien, who heads the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, said the requirement for priestly celibacy is "not of divine origin" and could be reconsidered.

He told BBC Scotland that "the celibacy of the clergy, whether priests should marry — Jesus didn't say that."

He said that "many priests have found it very difficult to cope with celibacy," and while he had never considered marriage himself, "I would be very happy if others had the opportunity of considering whether or not they could or should get married."

O'Brien, 74, will form part of the conclave of cardinals that chooses the next pontiff, following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI.

Benedict announced earlier this month that he will step down Feb. 28 — the first pope to resign in almost 600 years.

The cardinal said that the next pope would be free to consider changing church policy on issues, such as celibacy for priests, that were not "basic dogmatic beliefs."

He said that "we know at the present time in some branches of the church — in some branches of the Catholic church — priests can get married, so that is obviously not of divine origin and it could get discussed again."

In recent years a number of traditionalist Anglicans opposed to the ordination of women and other changes have joined the Roman Catholic Church. The pope granted special dispensation for married Anglican clergy to stay married and be ordained in the Catholic Church.

O'Brien also said it was time to think seriously about having a pope from outside Europe.

He said he would be "open to a pope from anywhere if I thought it was the right man, whether it was Europe or Asia or Africa or wherever."
"I've never been quite sure what the point of a eunuch is, if truth be told. It seems to me they're only men with the useful bits cut off."
I drank because I wanted to drown my sorrows, but now the damned things have learned to swim.

CountDeMoney


The Brain

Women want me. Men want to be with me.

Iormlund

Quote from: CountDeMoney on February 22, 2013, 02:47:54 PM
Bah.

I'm not sure they have much of a choice here. They're quickly running out of priests ...

merithyn

Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn't there
He wasn't there again today
I wish, I wish he'd go away...

The Brain

Quote from: Iormlund on February 22, 2013, 03:32:27 PM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on February 22, 2013, 02:47:54 PM
Bah.

I'm not sure they have much of a choice here. They're quickly running out of priests ...

Even an aggressive breeding program won't pay off until 20-30 years from now.
Women want me. Men want to be with me.

derspiess

Quote from: The Brain on February 22, 2013, 03:38:40 PM
Quote from: Iormlund on February 22, 2013, 03:32:27 PM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on February 22, 2013, 02:47:54 PM
Bah.

I'm not sure they have much of a choice here. They're quickly running out of priests ...

Even an aggressive breeding program won't pay off until 20-30 years from now.

:lol:
"If you can play a guitar and harmonica at the same time, like Bob Dylan or Neil Young, you're a genius. But make that extra bit of effort and strap some cymbals to your knees, suddenly people want to get the hell away from you."  --Rich Hall

Iormlund

Quote from: The Brain on February 22, 2013, 03:38:40 PM
Even an aggressive breeding program won't pay off until 20-30 years from now.

Not true. Think about all those choir boys.

CountDeMoney

Quote from: Iormlund on February 22, 2013, 03:32:27 PM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on February 22, 2013, 02:47:54 PM
Bah.

I'm not sure they have much of a choice here. They're quickly running out of priests ...

That's OK, they're running out of parishoners.

Iormlund

Sure, but you need the same amount of priests to run parishes with full attendance and those at half or less.

Malthus

There already are married Catholic priests. The church my wife's family goes to has 'em.
The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane—Marcus Aurelius

Iormlund

I thought only previously-married ex-Anglicans were kosher.

fhdz

Quote from: Malthus on February 22, 2013, 04:48:01 PM
There already are married Catholic priests. The church my wife's family goes to has 'em.

Yep. It's an accepted practice with the Easterns.
and the horse you rode in on

Darth Wagtaros

Eastern Rite.  Should be extended.  The reasons for celibacy for the priesthood is long past.  Anybody who really want that can join one of the monastic orders.
PDH!

Razgovory

If only they let priests marry.  Then Fahdiz and Meri would go back to be Catholics. :(
I've given it serious thought. I must scorn the ways of my family, and seek a Japanese woman to yield me my progeny. He shall live in the lands of the east, and be well tutored in his sacred trust to weave the best traditions of Japan and the Sacred South together, until such time as he (or, indeed his house, which will periodically require infusion of both Southern and Japanese bloodlines of note) can deliver to the South it's independence, either in this world or in space.  -Lettow April of 2011

Raz is right. -MadImmortalMan March of 2017