6 out of 10 U.S. Diocesan Priests (Listed in Official Catholic Directory) Support Ordaining Married Men as Priests: NBC Survey

Source: https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/investigations/Survey-Reveals-Employees-of-Catholic-Church-Divided-on-Clergy-Abuse-and-Reforms-565435561.html (27 Nov. 2019)

Excerpt:

Do you believe the Church should consider ordaining married men as priests?

Yes, this needs further study

No, this is settled doctrine

Total:2,648

65%

35%

All

Total:293

60%

40%

Diocesan Priests

Total:1,856

63%

37%

Lay Employees

Total:242

82%

18%

Nuns

Source: NBC Survey Created with Datawrapper

Almost two thirds of the surveyed employees, about 65%, were open to the idea of ordaining more married men as priests. The Vatican already allows a limited number of pastors, who were previously married in other Christian denominations, to be ordained Catholic priests.

"Surprising" That Conservatives JP2 & B16 Welcomed Married Priests; "looks odd because any Catholic loosening of the celibacy requirement is supposed to come from the left": Gary Wills

Source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2015/11/19/when-priests-marry/ (23 Nov. 2019)

Excerpt: It is surprising, at first glance, that this privilege was granted by the very conservative Karol Wojtyła, Pope John Paul II, in 1980, and it was broadened by his equally conservative successor, Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, Benedict XVI, in 2011 (for England) and 2012 (for the United States). This looks odd because any Catholic loosening of the celibacy requirement is supposed to come from the left.

Canon Lawyers: 2 Canonical Choices are (1) Pope as Universal Legislator Can Issue New Norms in Post-Synodal Exhortation or (2) Pope Invites Bishops to Appeal to Vatican for Permission on a Case-By-Case Basis to Ordain Married Men to Priesthood

Source: https://www.ncronline.org/news/vatican/popes-path-allow-married-priests-amazon-straightforward-say-canon-lawyers (24 Nov. 2019)

Excerpt: Among the two main possibilities: Francis could issue new norms allowing bishops in the region to deviate from the church canon requiring clerics to remain celibate, or could invite the bishops to make appeal to the Vatican for special permission on a case-by-case basis.

Christ is Both Celibate & Married: Theological Foundations

While it is true that Christ was celibate, it is equally true (or even perhaps more so true) that Christ was married.  Christ is married to the Church.  

Subsequently, if the Church in the 21st Century desires to more deeply reflect on the mystery of the person of Christ, his celibate priesthood and/or his married priesthood, it is more theologically fitting to highlight his married state to the Church.  The married priesthood of Jesus Christ is also eschatologically more reflective of the mystery of his person than his earthly celibate state.  The married priesthood perhaps reflects more eminently the paschal mystery of his death and resurrection, of his sacrifice to his Eternal Father on the Cross for his bride the Church for whom he gave his life.

"From heaven he came and sought her to be his holy bride / With his own life he bought her and for her life he died."

Therefore, just as the Church is both Virgin and Mother, Christ is both celibate and fruitful.  Christ is both celibate Bridegroom and married Lover.

A married Catholic priest, acting in persona Christi during Mass also (and perhaps more so), expresses the love of Jesus Christ for his Bride the Church.  This means that the wife of the priest is in persona Ecclesiae.  

Married Maronite Catholic Deacon Ordained to Priesthood in USA After Serving as Deacon For 8 Years; Half of Lebanese priests are married; "I guess we're finally catching up to the old country" (ordination attendee)

Maronite Catholic Bishop Elias Zaidan ordains married Deacon Wissam Akiki to the priesthood (at age 41) at St Raymond's Maronite Catholic Cathedral in St. Louis, MO, USA, on Feb. 27, 2017 (photo credit: Erin Stubblefield, AP).

Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/02/28/missouri-married-man-maronite-catholic-priest/5897431/ (22 Nov. 2019)

Excerpt:

The ordination ceremony featured several bishops from within the Maronite rite. Many members of the St. Raymond's congregation are of Lebanese descent, and many of the prayers, hymns and readings were in Arabic.

Members of the church said they were ready to welcome the new priest.

"He'll be a wonderful priest," said 54-year-old Linda Hill. "The fact that he's married will be exciting for the church. It's tradition in the old country. I guess we're finally catching up to the old country."

Excerpt 2:

Peters said that in the most recent Maronite Patriarchal Synod, the church reaffirmed its position in support of allowing married priests, a tradition that, worldwide, dates back centuries.

In a statement, the Archdiocese of St. Louis congratulated Akiki.

"The Archdiocese of St. Louis values its strong relationship with the Maronite community in St. Louis," the statement read in part.

Those attending the ordination applauded the new priest several times, which clearly left him moved.

"It is a day of grace and of joy," he said.

Maltese Missionary in Bataan, Philippines: “If viri probati is a solution, why not? Because of the decline in vocations, we could be losing our Catholic faithful to other sects —as we have already experienced in some parts of the country where there are less priests"; 1 priest per 8,500 in Philippines (2017)

Source: https://asiapacificreport.nz/2017/07/12/debate-in-philippines-as-clergy-assess-gains-costs-of-married-priests/ (22 Nov. 2019)

Excerpt:

Like Father Mifsud, a Maltese missionary serving in Bataan province (north of Manila, on Luzon Island), who said the Catholic Church had been losing adherents to other religious groups because of the lack of priests.

“If viri probati is a solution, why not? Because of the decline in vocations, we could be losing our Catholic faithful to other sects —as we have already experienced in some parts of the country where there are less priests,” Father Mifsud said.

Priest's Wife: "Married priesthood is for those men who are proven exceptional husbands and fathers who are needed to function as a priest by their community"; ordained "under extraordinary circumstances"

The photo shows Andrea Erdman and Fr. Jonathan Erdman with one of their four children (Source: Anglicanorum Coetibus Society HERE).

Source: https://anglicanorumcoetibussociety.blog/2017/11/09/from-the-fathers-wife-a-perspective-on-marriage-and-the-priesthood/ (22 Nov. 2019)

Excerpt: Married priesthood is for those men who are proven exceptional husbands and fathers who are needed to function as a priest by their community. Married priesthood is meant to be rare, performed only for the sake of unity of the Church under extraordinary circumstances.

Problem of "shrinking number of priests around the world" (EWTN); "Really Serious Problem" (Francis); Address w/viri probati tested married men already in diaconate

Source: https://youtu.be/1TOlIQYwkYE (20 Nov. 2019)

My comment left on 'Catholic World Report' article of Oct. 9 by Dr. Adam DeVille: Ordaining married deacons to priesthood is best way forward to have Viri Probati

My comment left on 'Catholic World Report' article of Oct. 9 by Dr. Adam DeVille:

While maintaining celibacy in the Latin rite as a norm, the Holy See may also grant dispensation under Canon 1047.2 upon petition of the local bishop (or bishops conference) to ordain some married deacons to the priesthood after a fruitful diaconate and suitable formation on a case-by-case basis.  Both celibacy and continence would thereby be dispensed by the Holy See for viri probati married deacons ordained to the priesthood in the Latin rite.  Celibacy would remain the general norm alongside these particular cases for married priests canonicially dispensed by the Holy See:

1) Pastoral Provision

2) Ordinariate 

3) Viri Probati Dispensation: Married deacons ordained to the priesthood where the local bishop determines the need like in the early Church (a fruitful diaconate would thus be a significant stepping stone to the priesthood as a testing ground).

Ordaining tested married men in the diaconate (Viri Probati) to the presbyterate is the best way forward without abolishing celibacy as the general norm.

The Church taketh away, but the Church also giveth.

"Up to half of priests from some African and Asian dioceses are sent to West": Cardinal Fernando Filoni of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples

Source:

https://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=21329

Excerpt:

In an address to the annual meeting of the Pontifical Mission Societies, the prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples said that Pope Francis has given the Church a “great missionary thrust” through his actions and two major teaching documents: the encyclical Lumen Fidei and the apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium.

The Pontifical Mission Societies – the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, the Society of St. Peter the Apostle, the Holy Childhood Association, and the Missionary Union of Priests and Religious – exist to support the missions.

Cardinal Fernando Filoni told the Societies’ leaders that it is “unfair” that up to half the priests in some African and Asian dioceses now serve in the West, “where they believe they find better pastoral conditions.” These priests’ native dioceses, he said, are “still short of personnel” and thus are “deprived of significant apostolic forces absolutely indispensable for Christian life.”

Cardinal Filoni also noted a decrease in missionary contributions from Catholics in dioceses in wealthier nations, even as contributions from Asian dioceses have increased modestly. He attributed the decline in the West to “the weakening of the missionary spirit and motivation” and challenged the Societies’ officials to “get out of our seats” and be more actively present in parishes, dioceses, and other Catholic institutions.

 

Reverse Missionaries: "African priests are now the future of the Catholic Church in the United States" (2019)

African priests are now the future of the Catholic Church in the United States

Source: https://qz-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/qz.com/africa/1664208/catholic-church-in-america-needs-african-priests-for-its-future/amp/?usqp=mq331AQOKAGYAYrqrP_529Ku7wE%3D&amp_js_v=a2&amp_gsa=1#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fqz.com%2Fafrica%2F1664208%2Fcatholic-church-in-america-needs-african-priests-for-its-future%2F (20 Nov. 2019)