Irish bishop calls for debate on celibacy, married priests

Published: 2005-12-20

DUBLIN, Ireland (CNS) -- The church needs a debate on celibacy and has room for both married and unmarried priests, an Irish bishop said. "There is room for both priests who are married and celibate priests in our church," said Bishop William Walsh of Killaloe, Ireland, in a December interview with the Sunday Tribune newspaper. "I have known some very fine priests who have left the priesthood because they found the challenge of celibacy not life-giving for them. Men like that are a great loss to the ministerial priesthood. "Obviously each one of us longs for love and intimacy in our lives, because without that we live alone and in isolation. Unless in some way celibacy is a generous gift to others and to God, it is meaningless. If we see celibacy simply as abstaining from sexual intimacy, then it is negative, not life-giving," the bishop said.

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