Asymmetric Catholic

Link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061114/ap_on_re_eu/vatican_married_priests_2

If the Pope invites me to lunch during his visit, I'd humbly give my opinion, between bites, on the Western-rite clergy and celibacy.

It's something that he's already thought about. The Pope discusses celibacy in this article. History of celibacy, an article from newadvent.org explains that celibacy amongst priests was officially enacted in 1215 to fight corruption, especially involving the property of the church, and making it, therefore, a discipline and not a dogma. I know that arguments exist for celibacy and that celibacy can have a good effect on some people, but the Pope, in my humble opinion, should lift the ban.

The first reason is the severe demographic decline of many nominally Catholic countries including Spain, France, and Italy where birth rates are not even at replacement levels. Now, besides the wider societal consequence of lowering the number of births even more, which family would wish to extinguish its name by giving up its only son to the priesthood? An ability to marry would not only increase recruitment, but increase Catholics.

Another reason to allow priests to marry would be to prevent the horrible scandal of pedophilia-inclined gay (No, not all gays) priests who may be attracted to the priesthood in order to avoid having to explain their disinterest in women. Of course, those priests who don't marry would be under greater suspicion, but at least one would have greater confidence leaving their kids with some priests. Those married could be in charge of youth programs and such. Anyways, in 2008, married priests is the way forward, it seems to this layman.