Albany priests urge U.S. bishops to consider optional celibacy

Published: 2003-12-03

ALBANY, N.Y. (CNS) -- Approximately 85 priests from the Albany Diocese have sent a letter to the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops urging the U.S. bishops to consider optional celibacy for priests. "We urge that from now on celibacy be optional, not mandatory, for candidates for the diocesan Roman Catholic priesthood," the letter said. The Albany priests joined clergy from the Milwaukee Archdiocese and the Diocese of New Ulm, Minn., who have written similar letters. Ninety priests of the Diocese of Arlington, Va., signed a letter in strong support of mandatory celibacy. In Albany, three of the signers are members of religious orders; the remainder are diocesan clergy. Most are active priests, but some retired clergy also signed. There are 177 active diocesan priests and 106 religious priests in the diocese.

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