Given the statement this month by Archbishop Charles Scicluna that he believes that celibacy should become optional for Latin Rite priests, is it not time that our Church in this country petitioned our bishops to seek permission from the Roman authorities to ordain married men to the presbyterate?

The present policy of closing parish communities because of the shortage of priests and gathering them into larger conglomerations destroys those communities, with an inevitable loss of members, and is based not on the needs of the faithful but on lack of priests.

In every parish community there are faithful married men who are well versed in their faith, often with theological qualifications, who could, after a short time of preparation, be ordained to the presbyterate. This would ensure the celebration of the Eucharist in their community and its continuance. If the community were too small to maintain its buildings, these could be disposed of and the community could still meet in a local church of another denomination, a hall or whatever.