Are married priests on the way?

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By: Sandro Magister

ROME, September 21, 2016 – Pope Francis received in audience a few days ago the Brazilian cardinal Cláudio Hummes, accompanied by the archbishop of Natal, Jaime Vieira Rocha.

Hummes, 82, former archbishop of São Paulo and prefect of the Vatican congregation for the clergy, is today the president both of the commission for the Amazon of the episcopal conference of Brazil and of the Pan-Amazonian Network that joins together 25 cardinals and bishops of the surrounding countryside, in addition to indigenous representatives of different local ethnicities.

And in this capacity he [Hummes] supports, among others, the proposal to make up for the scarcity of celibate priests in immense areas like the Amazon by also conferring sacred ordination upon “viri probati,” meaning married men of proven virtue.

The news of the audience therefore gave the idea that Pope Francis had discussed this very question with Hummes, and in particular an “ad hoc” synod of the 38 dioceses of the Amazon, which is effectively in an advanced phase of preparation.

Not only that. There is renewed vigor behind the rumor that Jorge Mario Bergoglio wants to assign to the next worldwide synod of bishops, scheduled for 2018, precisely the question of ordained ministers, bishops, priests, deacons, including the ordination of married men.  Read more.

2 thoughts on “Are married priests on the way?

  1. Hello Chuck !
    please reply to my comment concerning the NCW : “problems with the initial catechesis of the NCW”, because I need help..
    thank you & Gos bless !

  2. Married priests would be possible if the ancient tradition of the Church or the “lex continentiae” is maintained. They and their wives would have to take on the commitment of living in continence, which was a universal tradition until the Byzantine Church abandoned it in 691. I don’t think those who are proposing the introduction of married priests when the talk about ordaining so called “viri probati” are thinking of this.

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