DOCUMENTS reveal that as a young priest, the Pope Benedict XVI signed a memorandum suggesting celibacy rules be relaxed to attract priests.

Young Pope Benedict XVI suggested priests to marry

Documents reveal that as a young priest, Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, signed a memorandum suggesting Vatican to relax celibacy rules in order to attract more people to become Catholic priests.

But according to Father Brian Lucas, general secretary of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, the present mind of the Vatican was to keep the current practice despite a perceived shortage of priests.

“There was a range of opinions on the matter,” he said. And “shortage is a relative term,” he added.

“For some,” he explained, “discipline and practice of celibacy would be an obstacle. But others see it as important”.

In a similar tone, Father Dean Marin, director of vocations for the Adelaide Archdiocese, said that the priesthood is a way of life.

News-worthy.info, 07/02/2011