Fear Looms Vatican City As Pope Francis Set To Approve Marriage For Priests

Fear Looms Vatican City As Pope Francis Set To Approve Marriage For Priests 

The talk on everyone’s lips now is, will Pope Francis approve marriage for catholic priests in the Amazon and thus open the window for marriage for Catholics priests around the world?

There is palpable fear among traditional Catholics as the world awaits the most anticipated document of controversial Pope Francis’ papacy, his response to last year's Synod of the Amazon which was attended by 185 cardinals, a good percentage of them handpicked by Pope Francis that may allow for the ordination of married men as Catholic priests in the Amazon known.

Known as Viri Probati, they would be ordained in order to meet the sacramental needs in the Amazon. Based on his second encyclical, Laudato Si has been described by conservative Catholics including one of his greatest critics, Cardinal Vigano as heretic.

According to sources, Catholic bishops around the world received a leaked letter from the Vatican this week, advising them that the document is nearing publication.

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Confirming the development, a top Vatican official, Cardinal Claudio Hummes, stated that that the draft is currently being reviewed and suggested that Pope Francis will promulgate it by the end of January or early February. Also, the text is expected to address issues regarding a more active role for women including ordaining women as deacons and will also address issues on the environment.

Earlier, shock waves had hit the Vatican when Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI made headlines when Cardinal Sarah, a top Vatican official had published a book he claimed he co-authored with the 92 year-old Pontiff which called on Pope Francis to desist from approving marriage for priests. Traditionalists believe that the move is a smoke screen for the eventual abolishment of celibacy as a pre-requisite for the Catholic priesthood.

The book had caused a lot of controversy and there are reports that Pope Francis has arm twisted Pope Benedict to withdraw his support for the book.

However, if Pope Francis approved the request of the cardinals, it would be a turning point for the church.



Clerical celibacy is a Catholic Church discipline which allows only unmarried men to be ordained to the priesthood. However, in the Eastern Right of the Catholic church, marriage is allowed for priests as long as they are married before ordination. However, they can never rise to the post of bishops or arch bishops. Bishops must be unmarried at ordination as priests. Celibacy became a practice of the church in the 11th century and only became a part of canon law in 1917.