The Vatican's new secretary of state said this week that clerical celibacy is open to discussion, signaling a shift in approach for the Roman Catholic Church under Pope Francis.
"Celibacy is not an institution but look, it is also true that you can discuss (it) because as you say this is not a dogma, a dogma of the church," Archbishop Pietro Parolin said in an interview with Venezuelan newspaper El Universal. "The efforts that the church made to keep ecclesiastical celibacy, to impose ecclesiastical celibacy, have to be taken into consideration. One cannot say simply that this belongs in the past."
Parolin, who was named Cardinal Secretary of State late last month, is considered the most powerful official at the Vatican after Pope Francis.
According to the National Catholic Reporter, Parolin's comments "are raising eyebrows" in Rome, "with some wondering if they herald looming changes in Catholic teaching and practice."
But Father Federico Lombardi, the director of the Holy See’s press office, told NBC Newsthe comments were "in line with the teachings of the church."
It's not clear when celibacy became mandatory for priests, HuffPost Religion notes, but the first written mandate for chastity dates to 304 C.E., when Canon 33 of the Council of Elvira stated that all "bishops, presbyters, and deacons and all other clerics" should "abstain completely from their wives and not to have children."
And "a definitive ruling was handed down at the Second Lateran Council of 1139, which ruled that priests were forbidden to marry."
Parolin's admitted question of priestly celibacy represents “a great challenge for the pope."
In 2012, before becoming pontiff, Francis addressed the issue, saying he was in favor of maintaining the tradition "for the moment."
"It is a matter of discipline, not of faith," he said. "It can change." http://news.yahoo.com/catholic-priest-celibacy-open-for-discussion-134722134.html?.b=index&.cf3=U.S.+News&.cf4=2&.cf5=Yahoo+News&.cf6=%2F

No going back. We met the church practicing celibacy amongst the clergy, and I don't think it is normal for us to change it in our own time.

^ thats all, really.

I also feel its hard for priests to decide to be celibate, but well, it IS a choice and many if not most of them prefer it that way, no doubt.


Everybody struggles with lusts of the flesh, regardless they took a vow of celibacy or not.

However, maybe there are avenues to address the issue of priests who feel its too hard to be celibate, dunno.

tpia@:
However, maybe there are avenues to address the issue of priests who feel its too hard to be celibate, dunno.

homosexuality...That's what most of them is turning to, and that sin, paul in his letter to the corinthians said everyone should get married to avoid sexual immoralty, even if They're married, they can still carry out their normal functions as priest, celibacy should not be a must.

Homosexual acts are far more prevalent among the general population (who are free to marry) than among priests.

Even heterosexual acts outside of marriage (equally sinful) is also prevalent among people who are free to marry.

The general population should look inwards before attempting to crucify celibacy. We are far more guilty of sexual immorality than those who are celibate.

And Paul NEVER said "everyone should get married." How could he say so when even he wasnt married?

Elliotwiz1: homosexuality...That's what most of them is turning to, and that sin, paul in his letter to the corinthians said everyone should get married to avoid sexual immoralty, even if They're married, they can still carry out their normal functions as priest, celibacy should not be a must.

I support celibacy for priest

italo: Homosexual acts are far more prevalent among the general population (who are free to marry) than among priests.

Even heterosexual acts outside of marriage (equally sinful) is also prevalent among people who are free to marry.

The general population should look inwards before attempting to crucify celibacy. We are far more guilty of sexual immorality than those who are celibate.

And Paul NEVER said "everyone should get married." How could he say so when even he wasnt married?

1cor7:1b-2 "it is well for a man NOT to touch a woman,but because of the TEMPTATION to immorality,each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband" We're talking about the head of the churches...We're not talking about the normal christians...these people are representatives of God so you dont compare them to any other normal human.... One of the reason why Paul decided to celibate was because he was a missionary... he must have thought about the problem of leaving his wife and children behind and decided to celibate....but these priests dont always go on missionary journies....presently now we see articles everywhere that say even some previous popes lied to the world about their sexual life....i think It's better to get married and live a good and normal life for God that stay alone and live a life of deception.