The celibacy debate continues after a popular priest in Italy has announced he is leaving the priesthood to marry the woman he loves. The child they are expecting has been diagnosed with a serious heart condition. Father Tomas Hlavaty (pictured) will now be formally removed from the priesthood and returned to the lay state, says Read more
A Vatican cardinal stated that advocating for married priests is not the solution to addressing declining vocations in Ireland. Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy, suggested fostering a true witness to the Faith could reverse the trend. Cardinal You was visiting Knock for the National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors. Read more
Jean-Claude Hollerich, Cardinal of Luxembourg and member of the Council of Cardinals, has spoken out in favour of the possibility of marriage for priests. “There are people who find it difficult to live a celibate life. If you gave them the choice, you could attract a few more to the priesthood,” Hollerich told the Luxembourg Read more
One of the Catholic Church’s leading doctrinal figures has reiterated his call for the institution to reconsider allowing priests to marry. Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta shared his views in an interview with the Times of Malta, saying that allowing priests to marry could prevent them from leading secretive lives that conflict with their vows. Read more
For Pope Francis, the first session of the Synod on Synodality was never about resolving the controversial issues facing the Church. Even so, there were those who hoped for forward motion on married priests, women deacons and LGBTQ issues. They will be disappointed by the final report issued by the synod. For Francis it was Read more
A young Kenyan clergyman hopes the question of priestly celibacy and marriage is answered in his favour during the synod of Catholic bishops in Rome. Rev. Edwin Githang’i Waiguru, a former Roman Catholic missionary, said marriage was a dream come true for him. On Sunday (October 22) Waiguru married a woman and was ordained in Read more
The Swiss Bishops’ Conference president has voiced strong support for the abolition of priestly celibacy, a tradition he believes no longer resonates with modern society. In a candid interview with the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) am Sonntag, Bishop Felix Gmür (pictured) also acknowledged past mistakes in addressing abuse cases within the Catholic Church and called Read more
In a recent interview, Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge ignited a discussion within the Catholic community by proposing the exploration of pathways to priesthood for Indigenous men. This proposition, which suggests a potential waiver of clerical celibacy, aims to foster greater inclusivity and representation of First Nations Australians within the Church. The views of Archbishop Coleridge Read more
The Archbishop of Brisbane, Mark Coleridge, has indicated that the Vatican may be considering the end of compulsory priestly celibacy, potentially opening the doors for married Indigenous men to be ordained as Catholic priests. Archbishop Coleridge (pictured) stressed the need for the Catholic Church to evolve in order to thrive, especially in diverse cultural contexts. Read more
Pope Francis discussed the possibility of revising the Western discipline of priestly celibacy in a wide-ranging interview for his 10th anniversary as pope last week. Francis spoke with Argentine journalist Daniel Hadad. “There is no contradiction for a priest to marry. “Celibacy in the Western Church is a temporary prescription: I do not know if Read more