Pope Francis to change laws on celibacy and divorce?

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I won’t speak for communion for divorcees who remarry and are sexually involved with their new “spouse” (I strongly doubt the Pope can change this specific teaching, as that would be allowing/endorsing adultery, something the Catholic Church is not going to ever do), but it is true that the celibate nature of the Latin Rite priesthood is not doctrine, but a tradition, lower-case “t”, of this Rite. Indeed, most of the Eastern Catholic Churches may have priests that are married, as may priests that convert from Anglicanism.

That being said, I wonder how likely it is that this centuries-old tradition would actually be changed…
 
I get skeptical whenever I see news items floated by the “best friend” of a pope (or other high official). I suspect a “best friend” can be counted as anyone who can prove he had contact with the pope over the years, and has a picture taken, standing next to him. Pope Francis likely has 100s of “best friends”.

Pope Francis has probably answered hundreds of questions since becoming pope, as well as offering initiatives on countless topics. Stick to that material.
 
While HH F could change the priestly discipline, I’d not expect it to happen just like that.

Centennial tradition, even when not a matter of doctrine, should not be cast aside lightly.

ICXC NIKA
 
This is a pretty old article. I think the divorced and remarried issue has been beaten to death. The celibacy issue, too, but that is a discipline and can change - it’s not a doctrine of the church.
 
Just the liberal press predicting the future as they would want it. Wait for the Church to rule on these matters. Married priests are possibly an option in certain circumstances as it is permitted for any married Anglican priest whose vocation is continued within the Church on their conversion. The second issue would seem to condone living in a state of public sin and thus not possible if our devotion and adoration of the Eucharist is to be maintained, which is a fundamental rock on which the Church brings Christ to its people. The pope has made no public statements to support such a private opinion of his intentions. He is a great pope and deserves our loyalty and prayers. Again, just the liberals stirring the possum.
 
I don’t think it’s going to change. It’s been talked about for ages, but nothing’s been done but talk.

I agree with one of the comments - if these things were to happen, there would be a schism.

Pope Francis gives off a pretty liberal vibe, but he actually belongs to the most conservative wing of the Church. Married priests would present an enormous problem. They’d have to go out and get jobs to support their spouse and family. The congregation certainly can’t do it and wouldn’t if they could.
 
Lily_Bernans said:
I don’t think it’s going to change. It’s been talked about for ages, but nothing’s been done but talk.

I agree with one of the comments - if these things were to happen, there would be a schism.

Pope Francis gives off a pretty liberal vibe, but he actually belongs to the most conservative wing of the Church. Married priests would present an enormous problem. They’d have to go out and get jobs to support their spouse and family. The congregation certainly can’t do it and wouldn’t if they could.
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I once asked our Archbishop if he thought married priests were on the radar. He said he would have terrible trouble moving them around the Archdiocese. That aside, I see a possible role for married priests working alongside the parish priest who would be celibate. There could be two married priests to each parish who could attend to the sick, funerals, marriages and the whole gamut of sacramental duties but who would also hold down permanent jobs outside these duties and raise a family. Their duties whilst being part time would assist the priest enormously in a large parish. No cost to the church and there are many good men who would be prepared to take on the part time study for such a privilege.
 
Micosil said:
I won’t speak for communion for divorcees who remarry and are sexually involved with their new “spouse” (I strongly doubt the Pope can change this specific teaching, as that would be allowing/endorsing adultery, something the Catholic Church is not going to ever do), but it is true that the celibate nature of the Latin Rite priesthood is not doctrine, but a tradition, lower-case “t”, of this Rite. Indeed, most of the Eastern Catholic Churches may have priests that are married, as may priests that convert from Anglicanism.

That being said, I wonder how likely it is that this centuries-old tradition would actually be changed…
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I wouldn’t hold my breath, the Holy Spirit is in charge. I don’t trust the media at all. God Bless, Memaw
 
Micosil said:
I won’t speak for communion for divorcees who remarry and are sexually involved with their new “spouse” (I strongly doubt the Pope can change this specific teaching, as that would be allowing/endorsing adultery, something the Catholic Church is not going to ever do), but it is true that the celibate nature of the Latin Rite priesthood is not doctrine, but a tradition, lower-case “t”, of this Rite. Indeed, most of the Eastern Catholic Churches may have priests that are married, as may priests that convert from Anglicanism.

That being said, I wonder how likely it is that this centuries-old tradition would actually be changed…
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This.

No to receiving communion if divorced and remarried without annulment.

Slight possibility on returning to the option of marriage prior to ordination in the Western Church. (Eastern Rite still allows this option.)
 
I see in many protestant churches they have married pastors.
And there is a constant conflict as the needs of the parish fight for priority over the needs of the pastor’s family.

At best it is an unstable balance.
At worst it leads to resentment of the family, or the parish, or both.
 
Memaw said:
I wouldn’t hold my breath, the Holy Spirit is in charge. I don’t trust the media at all. God Bless, Memaw
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I personally doubt it too (re: married priests in Latin Rite). I was just pointing out, this technically wouldn’t violate any dogma or doctrine.
Convert_in_99 said:
This.

No to receiving communion if divorced and remarried without annulment.

Slight possibility on returning to the option of marriage prior to ordination in the Western Church. (Eastern Rite still allows this option.)
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👍
vz71 said:
I see in many protestant churches they have married pastors.
And there is a constant conflict as the needs of the parish fight for priority over the needs of the pastor’s family.

At best it is an unstable balance.
At worst it leads to resentment of the family, or the parish, or both.
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I’ve wondered about that. I wonder if Eastern Catholic priests and their parishes and faithful also have this issue.
 
Do not trust the article. The Church does not work through journalist and bloggers.

The Pope could make these changes, but I believe it highly unlikely. As to the divorce issue, not all theologians and clergy agree on where doctrine ends and discipline begins, as past discussions have shown, so the possibility for change does exist.
 
pnewton said:
…As to the divorce issue, not all theologians and clergy agree on where doctrine ends and discipline begins, as past discussions have shown, so the possibility for change does exist.
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I am not totally convinced of that. A while ago I came across this document here on catholic.com itself.

Here is what some of it says:
Would the proposal actually require a change in Church teaching?
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Yes. If the teaching on the indissolubility of marriage were not changed, a change would be required in the Church’s teaching in at least one of the following three areas:
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  1. Code: 
    The gravely sinful nature of sexual relations with someone that you are not married to
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  1. Code: 
    The need to repent of one’s sins, including “the firm purpose of sinning no more in the future,” to be validly absolved in confession
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  1. Code: 
    The need to be in a state of grace to receive Communion
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…
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So this isn’t merely a matter of Church discipline or pastoral practice but one of doctrine?
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Yes. Even if the indissolubility of marriage is upheld, a change in Church doctrine would be required on one or more points.
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The article is rediculous.

Crespo claims the Pope intends to overturn the “centuries-old ban” on Catholic priests from getting married and to lift the banishment of divorcees from the Catholic church.

There is no such thing as a banishment of divorcess from the Catholic Church. Nobody is banished. That’s a bunch of crud.

As it stands now, Catholic priests take a vow of celibacy and cannot be married.

No they don’t. Catholic priests do not take a vow of celibacy. Again, just crud.

According to devout Catholic and divorcee, Claudia Garcia Larumbe, she was divorced at the age of 31 and no longer allowed to participate in her Catholic church activities, such as Communion and confession, because she was now considered to be living in adultery.

She can go to confession all she wants. Confession isn’t a “Catholic Church activity” like a pot luck supper or something. She and the author of the article don’t know what they are talking about.

-Tim-
 
Memaw said:
I wouldn’t hold my breath, the Holy Spirit is in charge. I don’t trust the media at all. God Bless, Memaw
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Me neither, but since it was from a Catholic website I was curious.

Apparently even Catholic news sites cannot be trusted. 🤷

Thanks for the thoughts!
 
Micosil said:
I am not totally convinced of that.
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The point is, this is not an doctrine defined by the Church and there is disagreement on it by authoritative clergy. Surely it is known that disagreement exists on this topic.
 
pnewton said:
The point is, this is not an doctrine defined by the Church and there is disagreement on it by authoritative clergy. Surely it is known that disagreement exists on this topic.
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Yes, I do know that prominent members of clergy such as Cardinal Kasper have a more permissive opinion – but my point is, prominent, even authoritative members of clergy may have opinions that clash with centuries of teachings and understanding.

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is an example.

Earlier in his life as a theologian, before becoming a cardinal or even a bishop, Joseph Ratzinger, who would eventually become Pope Benedict XVI, had views which would be considered fairly … liberal.
It all began with the “drama of my dissertation”, as he called it,[23] a seemingly unimportant postdoctoral degree on Bonaventure, which he was almost denied because of serious reservations of some conservative professors with his interpretation of divine revelation. Ratzinger held that God reveals and revealed himself in history and throughout history and not just once to the authors of the Bible.[24] He further held that the static bible-based concept of divine revelation was nonexistent in the thirteenth century. Ratzinger contradicted traditional Catholic theology, which led to a bitter fight. Ratzinger passed after hours of heated debate, just barely. But he had established himself as an independent thinker.
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His theology on revelation was discussed during Second Vatican Council. In Rome he continued the view that revelation, meaning God communicates with us, is always more than can be expressed in purely human words. God’s revelation is not a big cold stone fallen from heaven many years ago, a stone which only needs to be dissected and analyzed. God has a living message to us.
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Code: 
I refer to what might be called Christian positivism. Christian belief is not merely concerned with the eternal, the “totally other”, … on the contrary, it is much more concerned with God in history, with God as man. By thus seeming to bridge the gulf between eternal and temporal, between visible and invisible, by making us meet God as man, the eternal as the temporal, as one of us, it knows itself as revelation
— Joseph Ratzinger, Introduction to Christianity, Seabury, New York, 1979, p. 27
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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theology_of_Pope_Benedict_XVI#Divine_revelation

Later in life, it is clear he developed more orthodox, conservative ideas and would eventually become the head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. But as authoritative as he is, even enjoying the charism of Papal infallibility during his tenure as Pope, it is possible he was wrong on some issues in his earlier career as a theologian.
 
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