Epigraph:
“And one of His Signs is this, that He has created wives for you from among yourselves that you may find peace of mind in them, and He has put love and tenderness between you. In that surely are Signs for a people who reflect”- The Holy Qur’an[30:22]“And marry widows from among you, and your male slaves and female slaves who are fit for marriage. If they be poor, Allah will grant them means out of His bounty; and Allah is Bountiful, All-knowing”- The Holy Qur’an (24:32)
Source: MSN News:
Pope Francis says priestly celibacy is up for discussion.
For the first time since his election, the pope said that it is “not a dogma” that members of the clergy must abstain from sex. He made the remark in a chat with reporters on his way back to the Vatican from a historic trip to the Middle East.
“It is a rule of life that I appreciate very much, and I think it is a gift for the church, but since it is not a dogma, the door is always open,” Francis said on Monday.
Pope Francis
The Catholic Church has been under pressure to abandon the celibate tradition. Some critics have argued, in the face of widespread sexual abuse of children by priests, that sexual frustration may be partly to blame.
Francis, in some of his harshest language to date on that scandal, said aboard the papal plane that sexual abuse by clerics is “like a satanic Mass.” He will meet with abuse victims next month at the Vatican.
Additional Reading
Association of Catholic Priests discuss Celibacy
Categories: Catholic Church, Catholicism, Catholics, Europe and Australia, Highlight, Religion
1 reply ›