Cardinal praises ‘non-judgemental’ priests

PARISH PRIESTS have to deal with people who are gay or using contraceptives, and do so without being judgmental, according to Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, writes Joanna Moorhead.

Speaking in a BBC Radio 4 documentary last week, the former head of the Church in England and Wales said that most priests took a “pastoral” approach.

“They treat [gay people] with respect and realise they do good things in the sight of God,” he said.

In the same programme the cardinal said that priestly celibacy was not dogmatic and “can be changed”, adding that a shortage of vocations could “impel” bishops to ordain married men.

“If I were a bishop of a diocese that had a very small number of priests … I would ask permission of Rome to ordain suitable married men. But I think it’s got to be done very carefully,” he said.