Pope Francis is considering some major changes to the Catholic Church’s priestly celibacy rule.
In a recent interview, Pope Francis stated celibacy was a “temporary,” and merely a discipline, rather than a requirement.
“There is no contradiction for a priest to marry,” he said. “Celibacy in the western Church is a temporary prescription. It is not eternal like priestly ordination, which is forever, whether you like it or not. Whether you leave or not is another matter, but it is forever. On the other hand, celibacy is a discipline.”
This is a significant change from the pope’s previous stance on the matter. In 2019, he referred to celibacy as a “gift” to the church, and said he did not agree with allowing optional celibacy. Now, it appears that he’s singing a different tune.
The rule of priestly celibacy has been a requirement in the Catholic Church for almost 1,000 years, but its origins date back even further. During the 11th century, the Church made celibacy a requirement for financial reasons. They believed that clergy without children were more likely to leave their wealth to the Church.
Despite its long history, the celibacy rule has been the subject of controversy within the Church, and the pope’s comments have reignited that debate. Some believe that allowing priests to get married would help to attract more young people to the priesthood. Others argue that the celibacy rule is a necessary part of the Catholic tradition, and that changing it would be a mistake.
For now, the rule will remain in place. But on thing’s for sure: the pope’s willingness to change the Church’s stance would have a massive impact on the future of the Catholic Church.
