Pope Francis says the Catholic Church must study whether it’s possible to ordain married men to minister in remote communities facing priest shortages.
Pope Francis stressed that removing the celibacy rule is not the answer to the Catholic Church’s priest shortage.
But he expressed an openness to studying whether so‑called “viri probati” - or married men of proven faith - could be ordained.
The proposal has been around for decades, but it has drawn fresh attention under history’s first Latin American pope thanks in part to his appreciation of the challenges facing the church in places like Brazil, a huge Catholic country with an acute shortage of priests.
The Pope has shown particular openness to receiving concrete proposals for ordaining married men as well as his own pastoral concern for men who have left ministry to marry.
He has also said that while he favours a celibate priesthood, celibacy technically can be up for discussion since it’s a discipline of the church, not a dogma.
The church allows some exceptions to the rule.
Priests in the eastern rite Catholic Church are allowed to be married, as are married Anglican priests.
Source: AP
