Filipino Cardinal Luis Tagle (Appointed Cardinal by B16 & Bishop by JP2), Assigned to Rome Since 2019, Friend of Leo XIV, Advocated for Open-Minded Discussions About Celibacy / Married Priests, Elected by Their Eminences as New Dean of College of Cardinals

Cardinal Tagle told this story in a video interview somewhere: When then-Cardinal Prevost was elected to the Chair of Peter, Cardinal Tagle was seated next to him. As it became clearer that +Prevost received the necessary ballots, +Tagle said to +Prevost, "Do you want some candy?" (Very human moment, since +Prevost was probably going through alot of emotions, and the candy was a way to help calm +Prevost probably.) +Prevost accepted the candy, and then he accepted the election and chose the name Leo. Bio: https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_tagle_la.html "Cardinal Louis Antonio Gokim Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Section for the First Evangelization and New Particular Churches of the Dicastery for Evangelization, Grand Chancellor of the Pontifical Urban University, Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Manila, was born on 21 June 1957 in Manila, the Philippines. He received his religious education at Saint Andrew’s School in Parañaque, then run by the Scheut Missionaries. After leaving school, he entered the Jesuit-run interdiocesan Saint Joseph Seminary in the capital, where he studied philosophy at the Athenaeum of the University of Manila and theology at the Loyola School of Theology. He was ordained a deacon on 18 July 1981 and a priest on 27 February 1982. During his first three years of priesthood, he served in parish ministry and as spiritual director of the Diocesan Theological Seminary in Imus, of which he was later Rector. He taught philosophy and theology at the Divine Word and San Carlos Seminaries and at the Loyola School of Theology. In 1985 he was sent to the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. to study systematic theology. He received a Licentiate in Sacred Theology in 1987 and a Doctorate summa cum laude in 1991. Upon his return to Imus in 1992, he resumed his duties as rector of the seminary. He was also a member of the College of Consultors and of the Presbyteral Council and Episcopal Vicar for Religious. In 1998 he was appointed parish priest of Our Lady of Pilar Cathedral. Meanwhile, he continued to teach theology. He gave lectures, led retreats and organized seminars for priests, religious and laity in the Philippines and abroad. He also participated in the activities of the Bishops’ Conference and the Federation of Episcopal Conferences of Asia, becoming a sought-after speaker. During this period he was a member of the Editorial Committee of the Institute of Religious Sciences of Bologna, involved in drafting the History of the Second Vatican Council. In 1997 he was appointed a member of the International Theological Commission and in 1998 he participated as an expert in the Special Assembly for Asia of the Synod of Bishops. On 22 October 2001 he was appointed Bishop of Imus and was consecrated bishop on 12 December of the same year. He gave special attention to the youth and gave weekly video broadcasts on the liturgical readings on the internet. He was appointed Archbishop of Manila on 13 October 2011. He took possession of the archdiocese on 12 December. He was President-Delegate of the third Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (October 2014) on the theme “The Pastoral Challenges of the Family in the Context of Evangelisation.” He was also President-Delegate of the fourteenth Ordinary General Assembly on The Vocation and Mission of the Family in the Church and the Modern World (October 2015). He participated in the conclave of March 2013 that elected Pope Francis. On 8 December 2019, Pope Francis appointed him Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and on 19 March 2022, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, Section for the First Evangelization and New Particular Churches. On 9 October 2026, the Roman Pontiff approved the election, made by Their Eminences the Cardinals of the Order of Bishops, of His Eminence as Dean of the College of Cardinals. His Eminence will assume the Title of the Suburbicarian Church of Ostia, while retaining the Title of the Suburbicarian Church of Albano. He was created and proclaimed Cardinal by Benedict XVI in the Consistory of 24 November 2012, and was assigned the titular church San Felice da Cantalice a Centocelle. On 1 May 2020, by Rescriptum ex Audentia Ss.mi, the Holy Father Francis decided to make Cardinal Tagle a member of the Order of Bishops, equating him in all respects with Cardinal Bishops who have received the Title of a Suburbicarian Church. Member of: Dicastery for the Eastern Churches; Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life; Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments; Dicastery for Legislative Texts; Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue; Dicastery for Culture and Education; Dicastery for Evangelization; Dicastery for the Clergy; Dicastery for Communication; Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See; Commission of Cardinals for the Supervision of the Institute for the Works of Religion (IOR); Council of the Section for Relations with States and International Organizations of the Secretariat of State." AI-Generated: "Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle has advocated for open-minded discussions regarding priestly celibacy, arguing that the discipline deserves further discernment to be situated within the Church’s spiritual and pastoral tradition. He is considered a progressive figure, often dubbed the "Asian Francis," who supports addressing the decline in priestly vocations through broader theological consideration rather than strict legalism. While he has not issued a definitive decree, his stance emphasizes a "serene but comprehensive" approach to the issue, aligning with his broader call for listening and understanding within the Church hierarchy."

“The status quo is not sustainable nor is it serving God’s people,” Bishop Michael Barber (appointed by Benedict XVI) of Oakland, CA, USA, said. Article excerpt: "These challenges are compounded by the diocese’s record-low number of priests serving its roughly 80 parishes, along with an aging clergy and persistent budget shortfalls at churches and diocesan schools."

“The status quo is not sustainable nor is it serving God’s people,” Bishop Michael C. Barber, S.J. (appointed by Benedict XVI) of Oakland, CA, USA, said. Article excerpt: "These challenges are compounded by the diocese’s record-low number of priests serving its roughly 80 parishes, along with an aging clergy and persistent budget shortfalls at churches and diocesan schools."

https://www.ewtnnews.com/world/us/diocese-of-oakland-announces-closure-of-13-parishes-amid-declining-resources?fbclid=IwY2xjawU1cQJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mBHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzQwOTk2MjYyMzA4NTYwOQABHnu3yCI0slP7fGZImSMkk9CcBQ3XEP_VAZT6er83F5d5hp4qSzpYRLoHbv86_aem_Jd0uW2VQKrtcOj26w7CM5g

“It’s a perfectly legitimate discussion,” Cardinal Edward Egan of New York USA (2009) said about married priests during a talk radio program in Albany hosted by Fred Dicker. “I think it has to be looked at.”

"Cardinal Egan says possibility of married priests not to be dismissed" ALBANY, N.Y. – The possibility the Catholic Church will allow married priests shouldn’t be dismissed, New York Cardinal Edward M. Egan said March 10 [2009] during a radio interview. “It’s a perfectly legitimate discussion,” he said during a talk radio program in Albany hosted by Fred Dicker. “I think it has to be looked at.” https://www.archbalt.org/cardinal-egan-says-possibility-of-married-priests-not-to-be-dismissed/?print=pdf

"Theology does not oppose a married clergy" (1970): Belgian Cardinal Leo Suenens of Mechelen-Brussels, Belgium

The Catholic Commentator, Volume 8, Number 42, 20 November 1970 https://www.thecatholicnewsarchive.org/?a=d&d=CAC19701120-01.2.21&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN---------

Variety of Priestly Formation: "Third Educational Path" by Cardinal Ludwig Müller; Model Could Be Used for Viri Probati Pathway

The Regensburg seminary has also changed in other ways. Former Ordinary Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller established a separate “third educational path” for late vocations who did not have a high-school diploma. Such candidates had previously studied at Heiligenkreuz near Vienna. Several young members of religious orders now also study within the diocesan seminary programme. https://advaticanum.com/article/bishop-backs-married-priests-but-rejects-womens-ordination?fbclid=IwY2xjawU1U5NleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mBHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzQwOTk2MjYyMzA4NTYwOQABHhgpqkRjCvIN4fdzpMJ7kzPxpXUZkBrPaBemAc7-gmOsKMgsLgw90OSBqEuy_aem_pRKFvYhgxZ65_s5FvrJiZg

Nottingham, England, Bishop Malcolm McMahon, O.P. (2008): "It is a question of justice for those men who want to be priests and to have a wife. Marriage should not bar them from their vocation but they must be married before they are ordained. The justice issue also applies to communities which could be deprived of the Eucharist because there aren't enough priests."

Bishop McMahon said there is no doctrinal reason preventing them from having wives, The Daily Telegraph reports. Catholic priests have been required to take a vow of celibacy for centuries, but he argued that this now seemed unfair following the influx of married Anglican clergy. His comments are set to reignite the debate over whether the Church should end the tradition in a bid to deal with the shortage of priests. While Bishop McMahon said changing the law would not solve the Church's problems in recruiting men for the priesthood, he said that there would be benefits to such a move. He claimed that clergy with a family could offer different gifts and it would enable men who did not feel called to celibacy to enter the priesthood. "There is no reason why priests shouldn't be allowed to marry," he told The Sunday Telegraph. "It has always been a matter of discipline rather than doctrine." Priests have had to take a vow of celibacy after a decree from Pope Gregory VII in the eleventh century, which was then confirmed by subsequent Popes in the following century. Bishop McMahon added: "It is a question of justice for those men who want to be priests and to have a wife. Marriage should not bar them from their vocation but they must be married before they are ordained. The justice issue also applies to communities which could be deprived of the Eucharist because there aren't enough priests." Married Anglican clergy who were opposed to the introduction of women priests have been allowed to join the Roman Catholic Church. The bishop said this had caused problems with some Catholic priests who found this unfair. Source: https://www.phatmass.com/phorum/topic/87290-british-bishop-backs-married-priests/

Prayer/Comment Posted On CORPUS Blog on Bishop Bonny

Married PriesthoodSeptember 28, 2026 at 11:02 AM Lord Jesus the High Priest, thank you for the gift of married priests in the Church. We ask for the return, revival and restoration of more married priests to the Latin Rite in our time. Raise and activate them up to feed Your neglected Flock, to spread Your Gospel of love, to absolve and heal the broken in their sins, anoint the sick and dying, to bless and accompany the margins. And grant eternal rest and glory to departed married priests and their families throughout all history. In Your Name we pray. Amen. ReplyDelete https://corpus-blog.blogspot.com/2026/09/bonny-says-married-men-are-studying-for.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawU1SOFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mBHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzQwOTk2MjYyMzA4NTYwOQABHsUUgRewDjlK-1HFJluOaLum5kwQNVbT3fEzrrZa8sOpm-hJDvPtl2-Wy-mE_aem_Oy5YjZgpeDN3J5vH7QGSaA&m=1

UK Ordinariate (2011): The Catholic priest with nine children. Father Ian Hellyer is a Roman Catholic priest – yet he has a wife and nine children.

UK Ordinariate (2011): The Catholic priest with nine children. This article is more than 14 years old Father Ian Hellyer, 45, is a Roman Catholic priest – yet he has a wife, 43, and nine children. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/dec/17/father-hellyer-catholic-priest-nine-children

Reflections: ALL Children of ALL (Married & Celibate) Clergy are Precious, Beloved Children of God

Anglican Priest Ven. Dr. Dave It is very unfortunate that children of celibate priests -- and there are thousands of children born of celibate priests -- feel this Cross in the public. But it does not have to be this way. CHILDREN OF ALL CELIBATE/MARRIED PRIESTS ARE LOVED BY HOLY MOTHER CHURCH!!! There are children of married clergy (married permanent deacons and married priests that were Protestant converts to the Catholic Faith) that, more often than not, do not carry this wound. To heal and address the thousands upon thousands of children of priests, the Latin Church thus should open the priesthood to married men today. And, regardless of whether the Latin Church allows more married priests, ALL children of clergy (regardless of canonical status) are PRECIOUS, BEe 3LOVED MEMBERS OF THE FLOCK OF GOD!!! https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/19/vatican-reveals-secret-rules-for-priests-who-father-children https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=38774885575460248&id=100000968641538

RIP Married Priest Father Calin Tamiian

Romanian Catholic priest Father Calin died suddenly on Oct. 5, 2026. A fundraiser has been set up for his wife, Sarah, and their 4 children. + Eternal rest grant unto the soul of Father Calin, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen. Memory eternal! https://www.nashvillecatholic.org/news/posts/father-calin-tamiian-byzantine-catholic-priest-serving-in-nashville-dies-at-52?fbclid=IwY2xjawU0n-9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mBHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzQwOTk2MjYyMzA4NTYwOQABHnRCJUYEOTH53wTDqpTlyvRFYCbahgFl85tPghuiPCL0r-JBzJz7xqBm0VVh_aem_dhokhwLD9pqultJVajX4tw https://www.facebook.com/61558676517811/posts/122251097360289217/?app=fbl Photo Credit: Catholic Voices and Prayers

Spanish-Born French Cardinal François-Xavier Bustillo, O.F.M. Conv., of Diocese of Ajaccio, France, on Mandated Celibacy (2021): "It is an ecclesiastical law. It is not divine [law]. So it can change."

Cardinal François-Xavier Bustillo, O.F.M. Conv. "When you look at the Maronites or certain Eastern Rites, the priests are married. There is no problem. ..." "It is an ecclesiastical law. It is not divine [law]. So it can change." Source (starting at 0:16:55): https://youtu.be/hwNv0EQ0b4U?is=FvLwYRKqThldItM- Bio: https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_bustillo_fx.html