ROME , Oct 26, 2019: A gathering of Roman Catholic bishops recommended allowing married deacons in the Amazon to become priests — a proposal intended to address a severe priest shortage in the vast region, but one that critics say could eventually alter the priesthood in fundamental ways.

The recommendation by the global gathering at the Vatican — which still needs to be affirmed by Pope Francis — marks a significant shift in church views and could potentially signal a new strategy to modernize key tenets of Catholic tradition as the church faces a worldwide decline in the priesthood.

The proposal, proponents say, would be narrowly applied to permit men ordained as deacons to become priests. The gathering, however, did not endorse suggestions to allow women as deacons, an ecclesiastical position that can preside over some rites such as baptism and marriages but cannot celebrate Mass.

For Francis, the first South American pontiff, the proposals are certain to bring fresh strains within the church. Catholic conservatives have been at odds with Francis over his broad outreach, including to divorced and remarried Catholics.

“Many of the ecclesial communities of the Amazonian territory have enormous difficulties in accessing the Eucharist,” the bishops said, citing the celebration of the Mass. “Sometimes it takes not just months but even several years before a priest can return to a community to celebrate the Eucharist.”

The decision came at the end of a three-week synod and capped a fractious debate over the future of the clergy.

The meeting was convened to discuss a broad range of issues facing the Amazon region and South America, but it was the proposals to on the priesthood that became the subject of weeks of speculation.

Proponents have said it’s necessary to provide pastoral services in an place where there’s an extreme shortage, but conservative critics assailed the plan as potentially opening the door to the end of celibacy and married priests in other parts of the world facing a similar shortage in pastoral services.

source: Washington Post