Italian priests' secret mistresses ask pope to scrap celibacy rule

[Ed Barrow]

Source: The Guardian

Dozens of Italian women who have had relationships with Roman Catholic priests or lay monks have endorsed an open letter to the pope that calls for the abolition of the celibacy rule. The letter, thought by one signatory to be unprecedented, argues that a priest "needs to live with his fellow human beings, experience feelings, love and be loved".

It also pleads for understanding of those who "live out in secrecy those few moments the priest manages to grant and experience on a daily basis the doubts, fears and insecurities of our men".

The issue was put back on the Vatican's agenda in March when one of Pope Benedict's senior advisers, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, the archbishop of Vienna, said the abolition of the celibacy rule might curb sex abuse by priests, a suggestion he hastily withdrew after Benedict spoke up for "the principle of holy celibacy".

The authors of the letter said they decided to come into the open after hearing his retort, which they said was an affirmation of "the holiness of something that is not holy" but a man-made rule. There are many instances of married priests in the early centuries of Christianity. Today, priests who follow the eastern Catholic rites can be married, as can those who married before converting to Roman Catholicism from Anglicanism.


Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/may/27/italian-priests-mistresses-letter-pope

[edbermac]

1. Catholic priests having sex with WOMEN???

That's a switch. :sarcasm:

[marshall]

3. It sure blows the streotype

Not that it will do any good.

[ShortnFiery]

2. That's just wrong on so many levels.

:crazy:

[Matariki]

5. why do you think it's wrong?

it seems healthy.

[RC]

6. What is? The sex? The women? Or the celibacy?

[Matariki]

4. Cardinal Christoph Schönborn spoke the obvious truth

too bad he felt the need to withdraw his statement...

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

12. Cardinal Christoph Schönborn is toast

He is now on the Holy Roman Shit List.

[GETPLANING]

7. Mary wants money

The idea of Catholic celibacy is especially foolish when you realize the reason behind it. Before the middle ages it was allowable for Catholic priests to have multiple wives and mistresses. But with concerns for protecting Church property from inheritance Pope Pelagius I made new priests agree offspring could not inherit Church property. Pope Gregory then declared all sons of priests illegitimate. Daughters could not inherit anyway in medieval society. The unspoken benefit to the Church was that men without families had no heirs, and their own property was often given to the Church.

[NashVegas]

15. "Mary Wants Money" ???

Sounds like a personal issue.

[struggle4progress]

8. Maybe the Catholic Church, clergy and laity entire, should meditate for seven years on

the Song of Songs and why it's in the canon

[Manifestor_of_Light]

9. What would Father Ralph deBricassart say??

The one who got seduced in The Thorn Birds and found out what he'd been missing.

[JCMach1]

10. Pope back to priests- "get an altar boy like you are supposed to"

:spank:

[rucky]

11. The mistress is very well-spoken

for a 12 year old.

:evilgrin:

[SpiralHawk]

13. Wow - they really got Republicon Family Pharisee Values down

Republicons & Catholic Priests all doing the hypocrisy thingy massively.

[Javaman]

14. lay monks. nt