Making Priestly Celibacy Optional

Pressure to make priestly celibacy optional has grown in recent decades partly because it has been seen as “unjust” for men, as a solution to shortages of priests, and to prevent the misbehaviour of priests. Supporters of the mandatory rule, which is a discipline based on Christ’s example and a subsequent perennial tradition, argue that it brings many benefits to the Church, from allowing priests to fully dedicate themselves to God to reflecting their supernatural fatherhood as priests. Pope Francis has suggested that the rule can be revised and left the issue open for discussion.