"Mandatory celibacy is not theologically necessary, all the more so since it is only regulated by Canon Law, has no dogmatic foundation, and does not exist in other Christian Churches...it should not be a requirement for the priesthood" - H.E. Abp. Josef Grünwidl is senior Latin Rite prelate of the largest Archdiocese in Austria & Ordinary for Byzantine Rite Catholics in Austria; appointed by Leo in 2025, +Grünwidl succeeded Cardinal Christoph Schönborn (appointed by B16) who was a cardinal open to married priests by way of married deacons.

H.E. Abp. Josef Grünwidl is senior Latin Rite prelate of the largest Archdiocese in Austria & Ordinary for Byzantine Rite Catholics in Austria; appointed by Leo in 2025, +Grünwidl succeeded Cardinal Christoph Schönborn (appointed by B16) who was a cardinal open to married priests by way of married deacons. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-10/pope-leo-appointment-archbishop-vienna-grunwidl.html

The Chiapas Case & 2 Mexican Bishop-Leaders for Married Deacons: Cardinal Felipe Arizmendi Esquivel & Bishop Samuel Ruiz García

Cardinal Felipe Arizmendi Esquivel https://collegeofcardinalsreport.com/cardinals/felipe-arizmendi-esquive/ &

Bishop Samuel Ruiz García

The Byzantine Forum: "The Catholic Church today already has married priests and they appear to be doing quite well."

Excerpts: "The Catholic Church today already has married priests and they appear to be doing quite well." "In 1596 the Ukrainian bishops and the papacy entered into the Union of Brest, pursuant to which the Ukrainians agreed to join the Catholic Church and to accept fully the authority of the pope on all matters of faith and dogma. In return, the Ukrainians were permitted to retain their Orthodox liturgy and rites and to continue the tradition that priests (but not bishops) could be married." "Although the spiritual and scriptural arguments that support celibacy are noble and complex and go back to the earliest days of the church, the concept of mandatory celibacy is not rooted in theological considerations, nor is it a dogma of the Catholic Church. Rather, it gathered momentum in the Middle Ages in response to a number of historical factors, became firmly entrenched with the Council of Trent in the mid-1500s, and is today an obligatory disciplinary rule imposed by the institutional Roman Catholic Church on its priests. But times have changed. The institution of priesthood, and with it the church as a whole, are passing through a moment of intense crisis and face an acute shortage of clergy." "The beauty of any such reform is that there is little need to gaze into a crystal ball and experiment: The Catholic Church today already has married priests and they appear to be doing quite well."

"Canadian bishops have been making requests for decades… politely but firmly proposing that an exception (to the law of celibacy) be made for sacerdotal ordination for aboriginal men,” said Canadian Church historian Michael Higgins (2019), distinguished professor of Catholic Thought at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. “These efforts went nowhere. Perhaps now they can be reconsidered in the light of the Amazon synod.”

“Canadian bishops have been making requests for decades… politely but firmly proposing that an exception (to the law of celibacy) be made for sacerdotal ordination for aboriginal men,” said Canadian Church historian Michael Higgins, distinguished professor of Catholic Thought at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. “These efforts went nowhere. Perhaps now they can be reconsidered in the light of the Amazon synod.” For American missionary Father Barry Bercier at St. Stephen’s in Igloolik, Nunavut, the need to ordain married men is clear. But the execution is complicated. “That particular canon law (against married priests) is just canon law. It came about for historical reasons that for the most part I don’t think really apply any more,” he said." Source: https://bccatholic.ca/settle-married-priests-issue-at-global-synod-former-cccb-head/

Comment posted Re Irish National Synodal Synthesis: "There are reports at the time of this writing on Oct. 4, 2026, that, while the call for married priests was raised in discussions (around 2022 or so), there is no mention of the call for married priests in the current working draft document. Thank you."

by Married Priests R&D: "There are reports at the time of this writing on Oct. 4, 2026, that, while the call for married priests was raised in discussions (around 2022 or so), there is no mention of the call for married priests in the current working draft document. Thank you." https://acireland.ie/the-irish-national-synodal-synthesis-august-16th-2022/

Priest Shortage (Belarus, 2026): "The president of the [Latin Rite] Belarusian bishops’ conference said this week that the number of priests in the country is diminishing, making the provision of pastoral care increasingly challenging in the eastern region." "Plans for a Belarusian center in Rome are on hold amid falling clergy numbers."

 EXCERPT:

SOURCE: 

Belarusian archbishop highlights growing priest shortage

Plans for a Belarusian center in Rome are on hold amid falling clergy numbers.

Luke Coppen

May 29, 2026

∙ Paid

The president of the Belarusian bishops’ conference said this week that the number of priests in the country is diminishing, making the provision of pastoral care increasingly challenging in the eastern region.

Archbishop Iosif Staneuski of Minsk-Mohilev, pictured on July 2, 2018, in Budslaw, Belarus. Credit: Paval Hadzinski Catholic Belarus Photo/wikime…

Priest Shortage (Scotland, 2026): Archdiocese of Glasgow, one of two metropolitan archdioceses, in Scotland

 

"Pope Leo can best show he gets it by refocusing attention around the married life of Saint Peter, instead of around the priesthood — given that many priests caused irreparable damage to hundreds of thousands of children worldwide." - Gary Franks

Sample Excerpt:

"It is quite possible that a return to the original way priests, bishops, and popes were ordained would actually help solve one of the worst episodes in human history — the sexual abuse of minors by priests and numerous cover-ups by church leaders."

Source (2026):

 https://norwalkreflector.com/news/1484401/priests-including-st-peter-could-marry-for-1000-years-why-not-now/

Rebuttal of +Stickler by Fr. Deacon Anthony Dragani, Ph.D.

Latin Rite Catholics (whether Cardinals or Lay Faithful), be careful!!

In the attempt -- however noble in motive -- to defend the discipline of *mandated* celibacy like it's some type of dogma, you are insulting and offputting those with a legitimate married priesthood tradition of Christianity.  

The words chosen tend to backfire and fester old wounds, instigate instead of heal, and simply add fuel to the fire.  

The return of (more) married priests to the Latin Church, on the other hand, would foster a better understanding of the ancient married priesthood so that the Church's two lungs can breathe together once again.

Here's a sample of how +Stickler's case has been rebutted by scholars like Father Deacon Anthony Dragani, Ph.D.:

"Normally I would not concern myself with a defense of the Roman Catholic discipline of mandatory celibacy. After all, it is their tradition and they certainly have a right to defend it. However, this new literature goes a step further and seriously questions the legitimacy of the Eastern tradition of a married priesthood. Representative of the position is 'The Case for Clerical Celibacy,' by Cardinal Alfons Maria Stickler. This book is essentially a popularization of the claims of two other authors, distilled into a very readable format. Cardinal Stickler aims to get the word out that mandatory celibacy is the genuine discipline, and that the tradition practiced in the East is an unfortunate “innovation.”[1]"

"As an Eastern Catholic I am especially troubled by this claim. The history of Eastern Catholicism in North America has been marred by repeated attempts to impose mandatory celibacy upon us, always with tragic results. We have fought long and hard to affirm the legitimacy of our tradition of a married priesthood, and even now this issue is a subject of major concern and sensitivity. Therefore, the fact that an influential Cardinal has written a book that argues against the legitimacy of our tradition causes me some apprehension."

Full article: 

https://east2west.org/articles/mandatory_clerical_celibacy/

Priest Shortage (Ireland): ‘When my mother died, I had to ring around to try and find a priest to cover for me. I know priests who went back to work the weekend after the death of their mother or father because there was no one to cover for them,” Fr Tim Hazelwood says.

Excerpts:

"As the number of priests dwindles and their workload soars, Ireland’s aging clergy have a heavy cross to bear."

‘When my mother died, I had to ring around to try and find a priest to cover for me. I know priests who went back to work the weekend after the death of their mother or father because there was no one to cover for them,” Fr Tim Hazelwood says.

 

https://www.catholicbishops.ie/dioceses/

Source (Sept. 2026): https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/features/one-saturday-we-had-a-funeral-a-wedding-a-first-communion-and-then-mass.-it-was-too-much-irelands-priests-are-feeling-the-pressure/a/145220315.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawUpRrVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mBHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzQwOTk2MjYyMzA4NTYwOQABHtwLD5uooDVRFHEf93dESmMRhGoEgi72s5JWQYCUXgnKSxaku9lXroaRVFgx_aem_UI2ODoX4TICAF1IzfdDxFg

Your Holiness, using Canon 1047.3 (to dispense Canon 1042.1), please open the priesthood to some/many married deacons with a fruitful diaconate, after suitable formation, and other married Roman Rite Catholic men not currently deacons, if bishops request it.

Your Holiness, please open the priesthood to some/many of such married deacons with a fruitful diaconate, after suitable formation, and other married Roman Rite Catholic men not currently deacons, if bishops request it, using dispensations in Canon 1047.3 (to dispense Canon 1042.1). 

Dear Holy Father, please open the Catholic priesthood to married deacons of the Latin Rite.  

They are older tested men (viri probati) that are: 

not paid by the diocese usually, 

don't need a rectory or pension from the diocese, 

experienced already in Sacraments and parish leadership, 

are usually financially stable already, 

are proven with family and married life, 

didnt bankrupt billions the way mandated celibate priests bankrupted the Church, 

and show the Latin Rite how marriage and ministry can be balanced the way it was done in the ancient Church.

marriedpriesthood.blogspot.com

They are Viri Probati to serve the Church in her hour of need, for the good of the Faithful, for just and reasonable cause to not neglect the Flock of God, for the defense of marriage and family life, and the salvation of souls. 

Gratias agimus tibi.