Married priests ask Pope Francis for optional celibacy

Three priests from Iloilo who got married and had kids asked Pope Francis to consider optional celibacy ahead of his pastoral visit to the Philippines on Thursday.

 

In a report on GMA News TV's Balitanghali on Monday, Fr. Elmer Cajilig, Fr. Jess Siva, and Fr. Hector Canto ask for mercy and compassion from the Catholic Church and its members especially for their children who have been ostracized by the community. 

 

"Parang itinatakwil sila sa komunidad. Ang amin lang sana, bigyan ng atensyon ng komunidad kung paano tatanggapin itong mga anak ng mga pari. Itong mga bata may dignidad," Cajilig said.

 

"Gusto namin dalhin ang mensahe sa pagdating ng Santo Papa -- mercy and compassion ng mga deboto. Sana maging merciful at compassionate sila sa mga anak ng mga pari," Siva added. 

 

Because of the discrimination against their children, the priests--who also baptized their own children on Sunday--encourage others who are in the same situation to come out and push for the optional celibacy. 

 

Siva was previously suspended after he got married, but the two priests have yet to get a suspension order. 

 

The Archdiocese of Iloilo did not give any comment on the issue. 

 

Pope on celibacy 

 

Once ordained, priests take on the vow of celibacy that keeps them from having their own family. It has been practiced for hundreds of years. But many today have been calling on to let go of the traditional oath.

 

A German priest Stefan Hartmann has sent a personal petition to Pope Francis last April 2014 to waive his vow of celibacy after revealing that he secretly fathered a daughter. 

 

He also argued that there was a human right to partnership, marriage, and parenthood. 

 

Meanwhile, then-Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio pointed out in a 2012 interview that celibacy was "matter of discipline, not of faith." 

 

At that time, Pope Francis said he was in favor of celibacy for its traditional value. 

 

"For the moment, I am in favor of maintaining celibacy, with all its pros and cons, because we have ten centuries of good experiences rather than failures.... Tradition has weight and validity," he said. 

 

But the Pope also hinted his openness to talk about the challenges of celibacy. 

 

"If, hypothetically, Western Catholicism were to review the issue of celibacy, I think it would do so for cultural reasons (as in the East), not so much as a universal option," he said. 

 

Eastern Catholicism such as Byzantine, Ukrainian, Russian or Greek Catholic Churches allow priests to marry. —Trisha Macas/NB, GMA News