Editorial
Unsettled Celibacy
Uncertain Sounds for Ministry by S. M. Hutchens
In a March 10 New York Times article Jason Horowitz wrote,
Pope Francis this week signaled receptiveness to appeals from bishops in the remote and overwhelmed corners of the Roman Catholic Church to combat a deepening shortage of priests by ordaining married men who are already committed to the church. In an interview with a German newspaper, the pope made clear that he was not advocating an end to celibacy for current priests or those aspiring to join the clergy. But his seeming openness about the prospect of ordaining married men in places hardest hit by a dearth of priests was unusually explicit and brought the issue to the forefront.
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S. M. Hutchens is a senior editor and longtime writer for Touchstone.
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