elampiro: Cardinal: Married Catholic priests a possibility
Associated Press - 12 hrs ago
LONDON (AP) — Roman Catholic priests should be allowed to marry and have children, Britain's most senior Catholic cleric said Friday.

Cardinal Keith O'Brien, who heads the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, said the requirement for priestly celibacy is "not of divine origin" and could be reconsidered.

He told BBC Scotland that "the celibacy of the clergy, whether priests should marry — Jesus didn't say that."

He said that "many priests have found it very difficult to cope with celibacy," and while he had never considered marriage himself, "I would be very happy if others had the opportunity of considering whether or not they could or should get married."

O'Brien, 74, will form part of the conclave of cardinals that chooses the next pontiff, following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI.

Benedict announced earlier this month that he will step down Feb. 28 — the first pope to resign in almost 600 years.

The cardinal said that the next pope would be free to consider changing church policy on issues, such as celibacy for priests, that were not "basic dogmatic beliefs."

He said that "we know at the present time in some branches of the church — in some branches of the Catholic church — priests can get married, so that is obviously not of divine origin and it could get discussed again."

In recent years a number of traditionalist Anglicans opposed to the ordination of women and other changes have joined the Roman Catholic Church. The pope granted special dispensation for married Anglican clergy to stay married and be ordained in the Catholic Church.

O'Brien also said it was time to think seriously about having a pope from outside Europe.

He said he would be "open to a pope from anywhere if I thought it was the right man, whether it was Europe or Asia or Africa or wherever."
http://news.yahoo.com/cardinal-married-catholic-priests-possibility-172115510.html. ........

Mathew 19: 11-12Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word (celibacy), but only those to whom it has been given. 12 For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”

....... Cardinals like this are enough to give the Pope plenty headache.

recent news says about 3 dioceses recently reported card O'brien for inappriopriete advances. God alone knows what the guy has up his sleves, that not withstanding his comments are in line with catholic teaching.

vedaxcool: The report sounds a bit illogical, would the pope resign over a scandal that he is not involved in? It seems more like media people making a field day out of this resignation, this is not the first time a pope would resign! Secondly one would expect the pope in such a situation to crack down on such foolishness rather than run to hide in a monastery as if being chased by the devil? any way nothing is impossible but before Ratzinger became pope he was referred to as doctrine enforcer, how would someone who enjoyed hounding catholic priest who did not tow the line of the official catholic doctrine suddenly become scared stiff of some hoodlum gay priests?

the press decided to cook up stories for us all.

deandavid: my brother in as much as i knw catholic church is the most powerful and contrversial boby, to have survived 2000years. But serious the devil has infiltriated the church, jst watch as the next pope will bring change to the world. www.thewarningsecondcoming.com

take it easy how much private revelation u absorb.

The Press can be sensational and overly partisan when it comes to news that sells. but we must ask those hard questions, trickles of news of Gay priests and acts of molestation abound.. who knows what will happen if that hole is opened up just a bit. We can deny and makes excuses for isolated cases not forming a norm or generality in what is revered (worldwide) as a top-notch Christian Institution.. such incidents tend to have a deeper, closely-guarded cans-o-worms.

Apathy is not what is needed as seen throughout this thread.. asking those questions and probing further is what is required. if the institution is strong, it won't fall to criticism or probes, if it is found wanting, then you do not have to reason to far as to why the Pope will quit over such an issue.
After-all, He is God's Messenger here on Earth, he is no longer a private figure, he is public and a negative image of Christianity is not a light issue.

lagerwhenindoubt: The Press can be sensational and overly partisan when it comes to news that sells. but we must ask those hard questions, trickles of news of Gay priests and acts of molestation abound.. who knows what will happen if that hole is opened up just a bit. We can deny and makes excuses for isolated cases not forming a norm or generality in what is revered (worldwide) as a top-notch Christian Institution.. such incidents tend to have a deeper, closely-guarded cans-o-worms.

Apathy is not what is needed as seen throughout this thread.. asking those questions and probing further is what is required. if the institution is strong, it won't fall to criticism or probes, if it is found wanting, then you do not have to reason to far as to why the Pope will quit over such an issue.
After-all, He is God's Messenger here on Earth, he is no longer a private figure, he is public and a negative image of Christianity is not a light issue.

this is an interesting line you took here, there have been cases of pedophilia rattling around since as far as d 1970s, studying d pattern shows that d pedophiles particularly targetted children of same sex, in clear terms, male priest with male children, making d whole case a bit suprising, what many call pedophilia may just be homosexuals targeting what seem like easier prey. In parts of europe and america the cases are more frequent. All these discoveries were made by research/inquiry teams many sponsored by the catholic church. While there seems to b an increase rate of pedophilia even outside d church, d church standing as a teaching of morals makes d issue more toxic for her. The truth is if benedict was afriad to deal with d situation he would have resigned at least 2yrs ago. Infact the scandals tune down and were on their way to end wen his resignation seem to bring d whole issue back to limelight.
My point is, if benedict was scared of gay priest he wouldnt be retiring now, he would have retired years ago. His pontificate was filled with scandals and crisis managment but i think it is unfair to his person to posit that he ran away becos of an report that has alway been there that d pedophiles may infact b gay.

Then I heard another voice from heaven say: "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; Rev 18:4

He who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit (and the signs) are saying..

proo212: Then I heard another voice from heaven say: "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; Rev 18:4

He who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit (and the signs) are saying..

a misuse of scripture.