A Catholic bishop said he would press the Vatican for permission to ordain married men as priests by 2028, in an unusual statement that could test Pope Leo’s willingness to change Church teaching to address the problem of dwindling clergy numbers.
The Catholic Church has largely maintained a celibate priesthood for centuries. Although this practice could be changed by a pope, it would constitute a major change in doctrine that pontiffs have resisted for decades.
Johan Bonny, bishop of Antwerp in Belgium since 2009 and known for his progressive positions, said in a public letter to his parishioners published Thursday that he would make “every effort” to ordain married men within two years and would identify men to train priests.
Bishops of the 1.4 billion-member church swear obedience to the pope and it is highly unusual for them to announce they are considering action that could contradict church teaching.
If Bonny went ahead and ordained married priests without Vatican permission, he could be subject to excommunication, a formal expulsion from the Church.
A Vatican spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Bonny’s remarks.
Leo, who took over leadership of the Church last year after the death of Pope Francis, did not speak at length about the possibility of married priests but spoke positively of celibacy on several occasions.
Francis, who has carried out a series of reforms during his 12 years as pope, has firmly ruled out the possibility of marrying priests.
In his letter, Bonny said the ordination of married men would be a response to the decline in the number of men willing to maintain celibacy to become priests, saying the current replacement rate is “just above zero.”
Problem can no longer be avoided, says bishop
“The question is no longer whether the Church can ordain married men as priests, but when it will do it and who will do it,” he said. “Any delay appears as an excuse.”
Bonny did not say whether he would go ahead and ordain married men if he did not receive papal permission.
The debate over whether Catholic priests should be allowed to marry has raged for centuries, but Francis has reignited interest in the issue by hosting several bishops’ summits on possible church reforms.
In 2018, a summit of Vatican bishops formally asked Francis to ordain married priests, which he did not do.
Last year, the Vatican said the number of men studying to become priests had seen a steady decline since 2012.
Supporters of priest marriage say it would attract more men to the priesthood. Opponents claim that celibacy allows a priest to devote himself entirely to the Church.
Bonny said his diocese relies on foreign Catholic priests from Eastern Europe and the Middle East, who are often married.
Married men are allowed to become priests in Eastern Rite Catholic Churches, which are in the minority and more prevalent in Middle Eastern and Eastern European countries.
