Pope Francis has decided against relaxing rules on celibacy for Roman Catholic priests, declining a proposal from bishops that he allow married men to become priests in Latin America’s Amazon region to tackle a shortage of clergy there, the Vatican said. The pope, “after praying and reflecting, has decided to respond not by foreseeing changes or further possibilities of exceptions [to priestly celibacy] from those already provided for,” Andrea Tornielli, editorial director of the Vatican’s communications office, said Wednesday....

Source: Wall Street Journal February 12, 2020 11:01 UTC