- Feb 5, 2002
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COMMENTARY: Celibate priests live as Christ lived in this world. His celibacy and his sacrifice gave life to the world.
On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of his election to the See of Peter, Pope Francis sat down with Infobae — a news agency from Argentina — to reminisce about his pontificate and to discuss issues affecting the Church and the world. During the interview, he said: “There is no contradiction for a priest to marry.” He called priestly celibacy “a temporary prescription” and said that it’s a prescription that could be reviewed.
The Holy Father made clear what he meant by his words. He said that celibacy is a “temporary prescription” inasmuch as “it is not eternal like priestly ordination, which is forever.” Secular media outlets and even some Catholic news organizations immediately jumped to the conclusion that the Pope is open to revising the discipline of celibacy and that he even might lift it.
Of course, he said no such thing. When the requirement for celibacy was openly discussed at the 2020 Amazon synod, Pope Francis chose not to even mention celibacy in his post-synodal exhortation.
The interview provides an opportunity to ponder the priesthood and celibacy. The Church’s teaching on celibacy is different from her teaching on the indelible character of ordination and holy orders being reserved to men alone. These are dogmas taught by the Church that need to be believed lest we fall into heresy or dissent.
Continued below.
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On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of his election to the See of Peter, Pope Francis sat down with Infobae — a news agency from Argentina — to reminisce about his pontificate and to discuss issues affecting the Church and the world. During the interview, he said: “There is no contradiction for a priest to marry.” He called priestly celibacy “a temporary prescription” and said that it’s a prescription that could be reviewed.
The Holy Father made clear what he meant by his words. He said that celibacy is a “temporary prescription” inasmuch as “it is not eternal like priestly ordination, which is forever.” Secular media outlets and even some Catholic news organizations immediately jumped to the conclusion that the Pope is open to revising the discipline of celibacy and that he even might lift it.
Of course, he said no such thing. When the requirement for celibacy was openly discussed at the 2020 Amazon synod, Pope Francis chose not to even mention celibacy in his post-synodal exhortation.
The interview provides an opportunity to ponder the priesthood and celibacy. The Church’s teaching on celibacy is different from her teaching on the indelible character of ordination and holy orders being reserved to men alone. These are dogmas taught by the Church that need to be believed lest we fall into heresy or dissent.
Continued below.
No, Pope Francis Didn’t Really Hint That the Requirement for Priestly Celibacy Will Be Lifted
COMMENTARY: Celibate priests live as Christ lived in this world. His celibacy and his sacrifice gave life to the world.
