Free Republic

The Austrian Erwin Kräutler, the former bishop of Xingu, Brasil, is taking another step to promote his proposal to allow Catholic priests to marry. In January of 2016, the Vatican expert, Dr. Sandro Magister, had already written (http://chiesa.espresso.repubblica.it/articolo/1351206?eng=y) about this bishop, showing his attempts to undermine celibacy. Then and now, Kräutler repeats that he had been encouraged in 2014 by Pope Francis himself to make “courageous proposals” with regard to the question of the lack of priests in his diocese. It was Sandro Magister who then, in January, raised the question as to whether the pope is planning the put...

VATICAN CITY -- Bishops from around the world begin tackling major issues facing the Roman Catholic Church on Sunday, including whether Holy Communion should be given to Catholic politicians who back abortion rights and to divorcees who remarry without getting an annulment. The priest shortage, and whether celibacy contributes to it, as well as dwindling Mass attendance also are expected to be discussed at the three-week Synod of Bishops, during which bishops will offer recommendations to Pope Benedict XVI on running the church. The Vatican said Saturday that 256 bishops from 118 countries would participate -- the most ever. In...

<p>In the wake of the sex abuse scandal among Catholic priests, some Americans are calling for an end to the celibate priesthood. They regard celibacy as self-evidently the source of the problem.</p> <p>This is not surprising. In our sex-drenched culture, celibacy is a deeply alien notion. But the church has viewed celibacy as important to priesthood for at least 1,000 years. In the current rush to judgment, few have paused to ask why.</p>