Pope Francis: Catholic Church Priests Prohibition of Having Sex Can Be Changed

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Pope Francis says the ban on Catholic Church priests from having sex is only temporary and can be changed. Photo/REUTERS

VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis says the ban on Catholic Church priests from marrying and having sex, known as celibacy, can be changed. The ban is thousands of years old.

The Vatican leader made this known in an interview with the Argentinian publication Infobae. According to him, the prohibition for priests to have sex is only temporary.

“There is no contradiction for a priest to marry. Celibacy in the Western Church is a temporary recommendation,” Pope Francis said.

“It is not eternal like priestly ordination, which is forever whether you like it or not. On the other hand, celibacy is a discipline,” he continued, quoted by Fox News, Friday (17/3/2023).

The Catholic Church began practicing celibacy in the 11th century because childless priests were more likely to leave their money to the church.

The Vatican has so far outlawed the practice of sex between priests, though it has faced calls to end the rule.

The German Catholic Church has voted for a resolution calling on Pope Francis to end the requirement of celibacy for priests.

When Pope Francis was asked whether he would end the sex ban for priests, he said, “Everyone in the Eastern Church is married, or those who want to. Before ordination, there is the choice of being married or celibate.”

Francis noted that, prior to his interview with Infobae journalists; Daniel Hadad, he had met an Eastern Catholic priest who worked in the Roman Curia and that the priest had a wife and son.