Demand for review of priestly celibacy
A CATHOLIC bishop has claimed that Pope Benedict's sincerity in cleaning up the Catholic Church of clerical sexual abuse will remain questionable until he orders a full-scale review of obligatory priestly celibacy.
Australian Catholic Bishop, Geoffrey Robinson, yesterday welcomed Pope Benedict's apology on Saturday for the sexual abuse of children by some Catholic priests in Australia.
Speaking on RTE radio, Bishop Robinson said that allowing priests to marry would not of itself resolve the abuse issue, but it would help to restore the church's credibility. Bishop Robinson said until the Catholic Church puts celibacy on the table for serious discussion, people would not believe it was serious about abuse.
Bishop Robinson, an expert in church law, resigned to write a book on sex and power in the Church after being disciplined for expressing his ideas.
- John Cooney
