In the 1990s Koch favored ordaining married men as priests, in line with the viri probati model. He did not propose abolishing celibacy but wanted to support celibacy, while also allowing married priests to be admitted to the priesthood, adding that the price for making such a change was “very high.” (Kurt Koch, “Liturgischer Leitungsdienst in pastoralen Notsituationen. Eine ekklesiologische Problemanzeige,” Freiburg i. Br., 1999, p. 249. Quoted from: Corradini…, p. 84) However, he later changed his position. When asked in 2018 if the vocations crisis was an argument for abolishing mandatory celibacy, he replied: “No. The decisive issue is the situation of faith.”
