Pope Francis expressed “consternation” over the way progressives have rejected his decision not to change Church practice regarding priestly celibacy or women’s ordination, according to U.S. bishops who met with him Thursday.
Pope Francis has succeeded in enraging radical Catholics with a new letter that affirms traditional discipline regarding priestly celibacy and women’s ordination.
Pope Francis has denied appeals from a recent Vatican synod of bishops that suitable married men be ordained to the Catholic priesthood.
Dutch bishop Rob Mutsaerts said this week that last fall’s Vatican Synod on the Amazon was a smoke screen to sneak in the issues of married priests and female deacons.
The Vatican rushed to point out the continuity in teaching on priestly celibacy between emeritus Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis, amidst a flurry of media reports suggesting the contrary.
Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI has published a book with Guinean Cardinal Robert Sarah emphasizing the importance of priestly celibacy while resisting a push for the ordination of married men originating from the recent Vatican synod on the Amazon region.
German Cardinal Walter Kasper said this week he believes that Pope Francis would be open to ordaining married men if a group of bishops were to request it in a special case.
