Cardinal Pell at odds with Aussie bishops on celibacy: Power

The Canberra Times 27 October 2005
Graham Downie, Religion Reporter

The Auxiliary Bishop of Canberra and Goulburn, Pat Power, has accused Sydney Archbishop George Pell of not presenting the Australian Catholic bishops' views on priestly celibacy to a synod in Rome.

The Australian Council of Priests had made a submission to the synod on a relaxation of the discipline of priestly celibacy. They had argued that marriage should be no bar to ordination and asked that consideration be given to readmitting priests who had left the clergy to marry.

Bishop Power said that Cardinal Pell’s view that there was no significant priest shortage in Australia was not compatible with the Australian experience. He also said that celibacy had to be seen as a beautiful expression of Christian life.

[Athough there is a school of thought that considers celibacy to be a factor in the inordinate numbers of Catholic clergy charged and convicted of the sexual abuse of children, the church seems to want a relaxation of the celibacy laws merely to uphold the dogma of the Church and to encourage more young people to join the priesthood.

< Back / Next >