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“We’re surprised and pleased to see Vatican flexibility in permitting married priests for Anglican converts, but we need the option of a married priesthood in the Latin rite of the Catholic church too,” begins a news release from FutureChurch, quoting its executive director, Sr. Christine Schenk.
Four years ago, FutureChurch lobbied the Vatican’s International Synod on The Eucharist asking for open discussion of mandatory celibacy and women deacons. Four of the synod’s twelve working groups wanted to study married priests. “At the synod there was much talk of allowing viri probati (“tested men”) to perform priestly functions,” said Schenk. “So perhaps that conversation helped prepare the way for yesterday’s announcement that Rome will make special adaptations for married Anglican priests and bishops to join the Church.”
Read the full news release here: Catholics Request Married Priests for Everyone, Not Just Anglican Converts
And check out FutureChurch's new campaign: Optional Celibacy: So All Can Be At the Table. FutureChurch is sending postcards to Cardinal Hummes at the Congregation for the Clergy in Rome begin "discussion at the highest levels of the Church about the need to return to our earliest tradition of permitting both a married and celibate clergy."
