Following the one thousand-year-old tradition of celibacy in the Roman Catholic Church, a former priest who left the priesthood to start a family supports the Pope’s say on celibacy.
Former Catholic priest Jonathan Morris has come out in support of Pope Francis’ recent comments on celibacy and married priests in the Catholic Church. Morris, who resigned from his position as a priest in 2019, has spoken out in favour of allowing married men to become priests, stating that he believes they would make better leaders.
Pope Francis had told an Argentine publication that the one thousand years old tradition of celibacy in the Western Church is a “temporary prescription” and there is “no contradiction for a priest to marry.”
“The Catholic Church in the United States right now is in a crisis of leadership,” Jonathan Morris, a contributor on Fox news, told “America Reports” last Wednesday. “I have worked with exceptional, exceptional pastors and Catholic priests throughout my years of priesthood. By the way, I’m still a committed Catholic, but the problem right now is that there are not enough of those exceptionally good men and I believe, while it might not be the silver bullet…allowing married men to become priests, it would put a plug in a ship that is taking on water.”
He further emphasised that the result can lead to an increased number of candidates for priests and bishops to serve in the Church.
“In the end, we need good leaders and I think there would be more good leaders if married men were allowed to be priests,” Morris said.
Pope Francis is known to contribute to several controversial matters, however, whether or not the idea will come to fruition is in known.
“There are Catholic priests of the Eastern rites even today who are married,” he said. “I think (Pope Francis) has talked a lot about this, but he has done nothing. It’s really interesting. He speaks a lot about controversial issues, but he’s really made no significant change on this or many other issues. He has all of the power to do so. He has all the power.”
The controversy surrounding celibacy and married priests has been a hot topic in the Catholic Church for years, with many calling for a change in the church’s policies.
Morris’ comments have sparked a heated debate within the Catholic Church, with some expressing support for his views while others remain firmly opposed to the idea of married priests. However, his willingness to speak out on such a sensitive issue is seen by many as a sign of a growing movement for change within the church.
