Vatican, Feb 12, 2020: Pope Francis has ruled against ordaining married men in the Amazon region as a means of addressing the shortage of Catholic priests. Pope’ s decision was made public by the Vatican on Feb 12  in a papal letter with the power of church teaching .

Celibacy is seen as the devotion of one’s life to God. A statement from the Vatican said: “The Amazon challenges us, the Pope writes, to overcome limited perspectives and not to content ourselves with solutions that address only part of the situation.”

Catholic priests are required to abide by the rule of celibacy upon ordination except in cases where married Anglican ministers have converted.

The Pope said there was a need for ministers who can understand Amazonian sensibilities and cultures from within. He urged bishops to “promote prayer for priestly vocations” and to encourage those who want to become missionaries to “opt for the Amazon region”.

In October last year, a synod of 184 bishops met at the Vatican to discuss the future of the Church in the Amazon. It was argued that older, married men should be allowed to become priests.

However, they would need to be men who are particularly well-respected and would preferably come from the indigenous communities where they intend to work.

It is estimated that at least 85% of villages in the Amazon are unable to celebrate Mass every week as a result of a shortage of priests. Some are said to only see a priest once a year.

But the conservative wing of the Catholic Church – particularly in Europe and North America – has spoken out against the idea, arguing that this could lead to the global abolition of celibacy.

Pope Francis had previously said he would consider the possibility of viri probati (men of proven faith) carrying out some duties.

Francis dismissed suggestions that ordaining women to any ministry would serve them or the church.

While agreeing that women should have greater decision-making and governance roles, Francis argued that they must find “other forms of service and charisms that are proper to women”.

Pope Francis dedicated the first half of the document to the “injustice and crime” committed against the Amazonian peoples and its environment by local governments and foreign corporate interests, illegal mining and extraction industries.

“We cannot allow globalisation to become a new version of colonialism,” he wrote.

He said the church in the Amazon must have social justice at the forefront of its spirituality, saying ministry that focuses excessively on discipline and rules will turn people away when in fact they need “understanding, comfort and acceptance”.

He called for the environment in the Amazon to be defended due to its vital role in mitigating global warming.

 

source: BBC News