Vatican’s Secretary Of State Says Celibacy Is An Open Question

There are many great stories of spiritual purpose connected to the history of celibacy.  But so much of the wholeness of life is denied through the celibate path — the joys of loving, serving, and caring for a beloved husband or wife for the years and decades of our lives, the infinite and indescribable wonders of being a parent, watching your children grow, achieve, marry and become parents themselves;  quite simply the multitudes of immediate, tactile, and infinite loves.  Even so, there may forever be some small few who are called this way.  If so, then may God in His mystery make all lives whole.  But apart from personal choices, it is very clear now that the institutional demand for celibacy from those who are called to priestly service is counterintuitive in nearly all ways.  Let the Roman Catholic church welcome all who are called by God to be priests and pastors, those who are married and those who prefer a celibate path.

This open statement of Archbishop Pietro Parolin given his position is one of the most important pieces of religious news in centuries.  We pray that God’s blessed light with shine on the conversation it should engender.

Vatican’s Secretary Of State Says Celibacy Is An Open Question

by EYDER PERALTA

September 11, 2013 3:05 PM

Pietro Parolin in 2009.

Pietro Parolin in 2009.

The Vatican’s new secretary of state made some comments in an interview with a Venezuelan newspaper earlier this week that have surprised many.

Archbishop Pietro Parolin, whom Pope Francis appointed on Aug. 31, said the issue of priest celibacy is open to discussion.

“It is not a church dogma and it can be discussed because it is a church tradition,” Parolin told El Universal, adding that changing a tradition does take a lot of thought.

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