Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor has said that priestly celibacy is not a dogma and “can be changed”.
Speaking to the BBC’s Director of News and Current Affairs, James Harding, for a programme charting Francis’ papacy, Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor said that a shortage of vocations could “impel” bishops’ conferences to ordain married men.
“If I were a bishop of a diocese that had a very small number of priests … I would ask permission I think of Rome to ordain suitable married men. But I think it’s got to be done very carefully because I think celibacy is a great gift to the Church,” he added.
In the programme, broadcast last night on BBC Radio 4, Mr Harding anticipated the Synod on the Family by examining how Francis operates and whether he can live up to expectations. Gay and lesbian members of the Catholic community in London contributed to the programme.
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