Should a shortage of Catholic priests prompt the Church to drop its tradition of celibate clergy?
Young Rev. Joseph Ratzinger, 35 years before he became Pope Benedict XVI in 2005, thought the idea was worth an investigation,
as did several other German priests, including two future cardinals,
who signed a 1970 document calling for reconsideration of the concept.
The German newspaper Die Sueddeutsche reported on the letter Friday, according to The Catholic Herald UK. The Herald's story says the memo to German bishops in 1970 "was drawn up in the face of a shortage of priests."
The Herald says the German story pointed out,
If there weren't enough priests, the document said, then the "Church quite simply has a responsibility to take up certain modifications".
That debate is far from over, of course.
U.S Catholics have long said they favor an end to celibacy requirements.
In a USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup poll in 2005 the majority (63%) favored married priests.
Germany faces a serious lack of priests right now.
And
many supporters of a married priesthood have drawn fresh energy from
Benedict's open invitation to traditionalist Anglican clergy -- who may
marry -- to move to the Catholic Church.
Nonsense, said William Oddie, a former editor of The Catholic Herald UK,
last year as media covered the pope's visit to England and a BBC poll
found more voices calling for an end to celibacy.
Oddie pointed out:
This is a matter of discipline, and not of doctrine; and it is normative and not universal. There are, for example, several hundred married priests in this country who are ordained ex-Anglican clergymen. I know several, and they are dedicated and effective. But they are exceptional; and I do not believe their existence indicates in any way that we should, or that it is likely that we will, abandon a practice that is still one of the jewels in our crown.
In a letter to seminarians last year, Benedict defended the "great and pure" mission of a celibate priesthood.
Still,
the pope would hardly be the first person to change his mind with age
and experience.
The Church in 2011 will not reconsider its core timeless
teachings such as an all-male priesthood.