Under the pontificates of John Paul II and Benedict XVI, the discussion on married priests was strictly forbidden. An absolute taboo. Every now and then some cardinal dared to quietly raise the issue, pointing out the pros and cons, but was always silenced (and reprimanded). Benedict XVI, even as emeritus, in conjunction with the Synod on the Amazon where the topic (of viri probati) had surfaced, felt the obligation to intervene with all his intellectual and moral weight to crush the discussion through a written document. It was another heavy stone on top. With the death of the great Bavarian theologian Pope Francis, he felt decidedly freer and less bound. Similarly, all the part of the hierarchy that cultivates the same liberal and progressive vision, in view of the second and final session of the Synod on Synodality that will be held in the fall, has raised the stakes. 'Allowing priests to marry for the Catholic Church is now a question of whether or not we will have the Eucharist in the future. At the Last Supper, Jesus said, 'Do this in memory of me'. He did not say, 'Be celibate'. The discussion has thus gained momentum in various parts of the world.
Vatican, the party for the abolition of celibacy grows, another clash is maturing for 2024
CELIBACY
In the United States, one of the most authoritative Jesuits, Father Thomas Reese, has officially opened the debate, entrusting the Religion News Service portal with a long examination to highlight its urgency. His reasoning can be roughly summarized as follows: given the decline in vocations and the increasing age of the clergy, there is a need to provide otherwise.
'Without the Eucharist, it seems obvious: there is no Catholic Church (...) Unfortunately, in many parts of the world there is a Eucharistic famine, precisely because there are no priests to celebrate the Eucharist. This problem has been going on for decades and is only getting worse', he wrote.
Last year, the Vatican reported that while the number of Catholics worldwide increased by 16.2 million in 2021, the number of priests decreased by 2,347. As a result, on average there were 3,373 Catholics for every priest in the world (including retired priests), an increase of 59 people per priest. The Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate reports that in the USA in 1965 there were 59,426 priests while in 2022, there were only 34,344 priests. This is in contrast to an increase in Catholics: 72.5 million in 2022, up from 54 million in 1970.
A bishop breaks the taboo at the Synod, married priests necessary to fill the lack of vocations
Father Reese points out that having a married clergy will not solve all the problems of the church, as can be seen in Protestant churches. Even married priests 'are involved in sexual abuse, have addictions, and can have the same clerical affectations as any celibate priest. But any employer will tell you that if you increase the number of candidates for a job, the quality of hiring increases'
Tomorrow the text on the Amazon, no mention of married priests
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