The future head of the Swiss Bishops Conference is making waves by calling for an end to priestly celibacy. He claims the bishops are "quite unanimous" in supporting his view. His proposals to the Vatican, thankfully, have been rejected. If only the Vatican would finally silence those who attack priestly celibacy - "one of the purest glories of the Catholic priesthood" (Pope Pius XI), "among the most precious treasures" (Pope Pius XII), "a brilliant jewel" (Pope Paul VI), "a gift...In it is contained a spiritual treasure" (Pope John Paul II)
"It deeply hurts Us that...anyone can dream that the Church will deliberately or even suitably renounce what from time immemorial has been, and still remains, one of the purest and noblest glories of her priesthood. The law of ecclesiastical celibacy and the efforts necessary to preserve it always recall to mind the struggles of the heroic times when the Church of Christ had to fight for and succeeded in obtaining her threefold glory, always an emblem of victory, that is, the Church of Christ, free, chaste and Catholic." (Pope John XXIII, 1960 A.D.)
[Related Resource: Why Priestly Celibacy?]
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