By AFPMore by this AuthorBERLINPope Francis said in an interview published Thursday that the church may consider ordaining married men who could potentially then work in remote areas faced with a shortage of priests. "We must think about whether viri probati are a possibility," Francis said referring to older, married men who are already involved in church business. Many in the church believe, given the lack of priests in many places, that a new path to ordination should be opened. They think that in addition to priests who take a vow of celibacy, older, married men with a long commitment to the church could also be considered. Pope Francis said in May 2014 that "there are married priests in the Church" citing married Anglican ministers who joined the Catholic Church, Coptic Catholics and the priests of some Eastern churches.

Source: Daily Nation March 10, 2017 03:33 UTC