"The bishop of Bruges -- whose predecessor stepped down in April after admitting to sexually abusing his nephew, sparking a crisis in the Belgian Catholic Church -- waded into the debate at the weekend.
"I think the Church must ask itself the question of whether it is appropriate to keep the mandatory character of celibacy," said bishop Jozef de Kesel.
"We could say that there are celibate priests, but that people for whom celibacy is humanly impossible should also have the chance of becoming priests," he told VRT radio.
The bishop of Hasselt, Patrick Hoogmartens, also strayed from the official line, declaring in remarks reported by Het Belang Van Limburg, a Flemish newspaper, that requiring celibacy was "useless."
"I don't think it would be stupid for married men to also become priests," he said, citing the positive role played by deacons, assistants during mass who can marry.
Public opinion in the Catholic country leans heavily in favour of doing away with celibacy. A January poll showed that 69 percent of Belgian back marriage for priests -- a figure that even rises to 73 percent among Catholics.
The Belgian Catholic Church, which last week vowed to listen to victim"
Bridget Mary's Reflection:
Peter was married, early church bishops and priests were married up until the 12th century. 39 popes were married. In the Celtic church, married and celibate, women and men served Christ in double monasteries. St. Brigit of Kildare, who was ordained a bishop, according to her Irish Life, co-administered the monastery at Kildare with Conleth, a male bishop. Roman Catholic Womenpriests have married women who are priests. Finally, the hierarchy is breaking with the official, rigid, Vatican line. Hopefully, we are reaching a tipping point. Mandatory celibacy should not be a requirement for priestly ministry. Priests come in both genders and whether one is married or not, gay, lesbian or transgendered, should not matter in living a call to serve God's people in priestly ministry. Bridget Mary Meehan, sofiabmm@aol.com, 703-505-0004
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