A group of Australian priests has asked the Synod of Bishops meeting in Rome this month to consider ending mandatory celibacy for priests.
Yes, celibacy for priests of the Latin rite is a discipline, not dogma, but the constant drumbeat that allowing marriaged would solve the priest shortage has become a slogan without any serious thought put into it. There is no evidence that allowing married men enter the priesthood would appreciably increase the number of priests serving the Church. If that were so, you’d expect the seminaries of the Eastern rites to be sofull of married Catholic men that they’d be turning them away. It’s not happening.
I’ve detailed my objections to a married priesthood in the Latin rite before, and in fact, addressed the same call by the same group of Australian priests all the way back in last January. In other words, same baloney, different day.
