Interesting to note that the number of deacons is increasing rather significantly while the number of ordained priests continue to decline in the West. Deacons are permitted to be married. Surely the Church should re-examine its policy of mandatory clerical celibacy-—there is no basis for such a policy in the Bible.
Unless one ignores the obvious one - Jesus Christ was not married, and priests act in persona Christi.
Should the deacon’s wife die, then the deacon may not remarry. At that time, I wonder how many will become priests?
Also, some of those deacons are transitional deacons — on their way to becoming a priest the next year.
(So much for the idea that the Catholic Church does not have married clergy.)
“Surely the Church should re-examine its policy of mandatory clerical celibacy-—there is no basis for such a policy in the Bible.”
The Catholic Church is a religion; the Bible is not (a religion).