A Church official has been quoted by reports as saying that celibacy for priests in the Catholic Church is open for discussion.
In an interview with a Venezuelan newspaper El Universal, Archbishop Pietro Parolin, new Secretary of State for the Vatican, said “celibacy is not an institution but look, it is also true that you can discuss (it) because as you say this is not a dogma, a dogma of the church.”
Parolin noted that even though the Church is not a democratic institution, it must “reflect the democratic spirit of the times and adopt a collegial way of governing.”
The National Catholic Reporter said Parolin’s comments “are raising eyebrows today, with some wondering if they herald looming changes in Catholic teaching and practice.”
The Huffington Post explains that “the first written mandate for chastity dates back to 304 C.E., when Canon 33 of the Council of Elvira stated that all ‘bishops, presbyters, and deacons and all other clerics’ should ‘abstain completely from their wives and not to have children.’ A definitive ruling was handed down at the Second Lateran Council of 1139, which ruled that priests were forbidden to marry.”
The National Catholic Reporter said “Parolin’s comments represent what might be termed the standard moderate Catholic line – priestly celibacy is a discipline, not a dogma, and can therefore be revised, but it nonetheless has value, and the church is not a democracy but it can and should be more collegial.”
Dr. Hosffman Ospino, Director of Graduate Programs in Hispanic Ministry at Boston College, tells NBC Latino the fact that celibacy is a practice and not Church dogma is not new.
He said Parolin’s statement “was the standard answer the church has given in the last 50 years.” He added, however, that the new Secretary of State is now inviting people to open the conversation.
Sources
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