Priests urging optional celibacy described as men who love the church

Published: 2004-05-12

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The leaders of U.S. priests who recently formed a national advocacy group for optional celibacy are "mainly older men" acting out of love for the church, said Father Robert Silva, president of the National Federation of Priests' Councils. The group, Priests' Forum for Eucharist, was formed at a meeting in New York April 20-21 which was attended by 21 priests from 10 dioceses around the country. A week later they issued a press release announcing the formation of the forum and its position. Outlining the growing shortage of priests and its negative impact on weekend Masses in parishes, the group said, "Priests' Forum for Eucharist sees that the church law of mandatory celibacy is endangering the identity of the Catholic faithful as a people of the Eucharist." Members of the forum "believe that making celibacy an option for those who wish to become priests or by ordaining those who are already married is an obvious way to alleviate the problems" arising from the priest shortage, the news release said.

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