ROME — In a potentially groundbreaking move, the Roman Catholic Church on Monday cracked open the door to ordaining into the priesthood married, elderly men in order to meet the pastoral needs of Catholics and indigenous people in remote areas of the Amazon.
Church experts say, and church traditionalists worry, that if the church decided to respond to its dearth of priests in the region by ordaining the “viri probati” — or men of proven character, as they are known in Latin — it could be a first step toward the ordination of married men to other areas of the world.
While affirming that “celibacy is a gift for the Church,” the Vatican proposal notes that there have been requests to consider, for the most remote areas of the region, “the possibility of conferring priestly ordination on elderly men, preferably indigenous, respected and accepted members of their community.” Such men, the document said, could be ordained “even if they already have an established and stable family.”
Pope Francis has said in the past that he would entertain the possibility of ordaining the “viri probati” in remote and isolated areas that are deprived of the sacraments. But he has also made clear that the priesthood’s commitment to celibacy remained intact and its door remained generally closed to married men.
Still, the much-anticipated idea marks a potential pivot for the church, especially in the global south, where it sees its future.
The proposal was included in a working document for the Vatican’s upcoming summit of bishops in October to discuss the pastoral needs of faithful and indigenous communities in Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Venezuela, and Suriname — what it refers to as the Pan-Amazon Region.
“Communities have difficulty in celebrating the Eucharist frequently due to the lack of priests,” said the working paper, released by the Synod of Bishops, the Vatican department overseeing the world’s bishops. “For this reason, instead of leaving the communities without the Eucharist, the criteria of selection and preparation of the ministers authorized to celebrate it should be changed.”
Source : Nytimes
