Pope Francis Never Said He is Willing Married Men to Become Priests, Says Bishop
Pope Francis' statement that he will consider ordaining married men has stirred up a hornet's nest, according to Bishop Thomas J. Tobin of Rhode Island. He observed that the media's presentation tended to portray that the Church is opening to the idea of allowing its priests to marry.
He reiterated Pope Francis' remark that making celibacy optional for the priesthood is "not the solution" and that he is considering ordaining married men for the diaconate, not priesthood. And if ever that were allowed, it will only be implemented in areas where there is a shortage of priests.
"We must consider if viri probati is a possibility," Bishop Tobin quoted Pope Francis' statement. "Then we must determine what tasks they can perform, for example, in remote communities."
Get Our Latest News for FREE
The pope was actually revisiting a proposal made long ago to ordain viri probati or "married men of proven faith" due to lack of priests in large Catholic countries like Brazil, he explained.
Bishop Tobin thinks Pope Francis' statement will not have an impact on the United States as he was talking about a very limited concept and set of circumstances while American Catholics are not are deprived of the sacraments.
Considering that married men are totally committed to their wife and children, changing the church's discipline of priestly celibacy would have profound effects on the sacraments of Marriage and Holy Orders, also known as ordination, he told the Providence Journal.
Bishop Tobin concluded that once a priest is ordained, he commits himself totally to the Lord and to the service of the Church, and therefore, should remain celibate.
"It has spiritual value," he said. "[Letting priests marry] can't be seen as just a short-term solution to a problem. If we just see it as a solution to a problem, it doesn't give the sacraments the respects they need."
