Vatican City - A top cardinal from an Eastern rite church that allows married priests cautioned Friday that allowing Roman Catholic clergy to marry might resolve the shortage but would create new and ”equally serious“ problems.
Lebanese Cardinal Nasrallah Pierre Sfeir, patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites, told the Synod of Bishops that married priests have to divert their attention away from their parishes to their wives and children, assuring their care and education.
”You must recognize that if resorting to marriage resolves one problem, it creates others that are equally serious,“ he said.
Eastern rite churches follow many Orthodox Christian rituals but are loyal to the pope. Unlike Roman Catholics, their clergy do not have to be celibate, and Sfeir said half of those in his diocese are married.
He called celibacy ”the precious jewel in the treasure of the Catholic Church“ and asked for prayers so the church can find an ”adequate solution“ to the shortage.
The shortage issue has dominated the Oct. 2-23 meeting of the world's bishops. A handful of bishops have raised the celibacy issue, but many have suggested instead that the church redistribute the priests it has, moving churchmen from countries where there is a surplus to countries in need.
Sfeir dismissed that solution, saying it was not ideal ”if one takes into consideration traditions, habits and mentalities“ that differ from place to place.
Another topic that has gained attention during the synod is whether Catholic politicians who support abortion rights and other policies contrary to church teaching should be given Holy Communion.
On Friday, a top Vatican official, Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo, weighed in on the matter, saying such public officials had to ”repair the damage done“ before they could receive Communion.
Trujillo, who heads the Vatican's pontifical council for the family, said the issue was of concern in several countries and that ”the future of man and society is at stake.“
He denounced divorce, unmarried couples, gay marriage and the adoption of children in these unions as ”destructive“ and ”contrary to divine law.“
”Can you admit to Communion those who deny human and Christian principles and values?“ he asked. ”Politicians and legislators have a big responsibility.
”One cannot separate a so-called personal option from the sociopolitical duty. It's not a 'private' problem; one needs to accept the Gospel, church teaching and straight reason.“
He said politicians who had proposed or defended such ”wicked“ laws must ”repair the damage done“ in order to receive Communion.