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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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Anglican Deal May Lead to Married Priests

Vatican's gesture cracks door to ending celibacy

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(Newser) – The Vatican's attempts to heal the centuries-old rift with the Anglican Church may have a consequence nobody intended: an end to celibacy for priests. By offering a new Anglican rite under the umbrella of Catholicism, Pope Benedict XVI has invited married Anglican clergy into the fold—and cracked open the possibility of the same for Catholic priests. "The question arises: ‘Well, if these former Anglicans can be married priests, what about us?’" says a cardinal.

Married priests are also permitted in the Orthodox Church, and one of the pope's central goals has been the reunification of the Catholic and eastern congregations. Yet liberal Catholics are hardly delighted. Marriage aside, the Anglican rite represents another attempt by the pope to bring conservative Christians into the fold. Experts note that the Anglican arrangement was struck by hard-line doctrinal officials rather than the more moderate ecumenical office.

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, center left, head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, and Rowan Williams, leader of the Anglican Church, at a meeting in London earlier this year.
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, center left, head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, and Rowan Williams, leader of the Anglican Church, at a meeting in London earlier this year.   (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)
Pope Benedict XVI holds a gospel book during a canonization ceremony in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican earlier this month.
Pope Benedict XVI holds a gospel book during a canonization ceremony in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican earlier this month.   (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Britain's Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams during a news conference in London, held in reaction to the announcement of a new church structure for Anglicans who want to join the Catholic Church.
Britain's Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams during a news conference in London, held in reaction to the announcement of a new church structure for Anglicans who want to join the Catholic Church.   (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
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We face the prospect in the future of going to a Catholic church in London and finding a married Catholic priest celebrating at the altar, with his wife sitting in the third pew and his children running up and down the aisle. - A former adviser to London's cardinal

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16 comments
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oldgoat
Oct 22, 09 5:23 AM CDT
So is it OK for a priest to be married or not? Kind of seems like he is willing to bend the rules to suit the need. Reply
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bewilderbeast
Oct 22, 09 9:01 AM CDT
How anyone can belong to a church where priests are allowed to marry - and wear normal clothes instead of fancy frocks - and are forbidden to pork the choirboys! - is beyond me. The world is indeed a strange place.
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+1
SilenceDogood
Oct 22, 09 6:19 AM CDT
If Catholicism wants to survive the new millennia it needs to become realistic and allow marriage. The vow of abstinence is a throwback to medieval doctrines aimed at control and power versus serving God and Christianity. Reply
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+5
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youngblood
Oct 22, 09 9:21 AM CDT
So are they going to marry each other now and leave the alter boys alone?!
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+1
awase61
Oct 22, 09 7:27 AM CDT
The vow of abstinence was implemented to prevent hereditary based dynasty's from forming so that individual priest would be loyal to God and Church and not Family and Country. This issue is no longer as relevant and other less useful explanations are used today as excuses. I don't understand what the change here is as priest who's church's had apostolic progression and married priest, who later decide to become Catholic priests have been allowed to keep their marriages for a long time now. As the Church is not willing to break up families and by its own sacramental rule must accept the Holy Orders of all priest who received the sacrament through Apostolic progression. Meaning can trace their line of priests back to the Apostles, so Anglicans, Other Catholic Churches, and most of the Orthodox churches. Reply
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+2

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