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German Bishop Supports Married Priests Ahead of Bishops' Assembly
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In Short: Auxiliary Bishop Josef Graf of Regensburg has backed the ordination of married men as priests, while firmly rejecting the ordination of women.
German Auxiliary Bishop Josef Graf of Regensburg has expressed support for the ordination of married men as priests, a move that could challenge the traditional celibacy requirement within the Catholic Church. According to reports, Graf believes the Church could 'afford' to ordain married men of proven faith, while maintaining the value of celibacy and rejecting the ordination of women.
Graf, speaking to the Catholic Sunday newspaper of the Diocese of Bolzano-Brixen, emphasized that the Church could open the door to "viri probati" — men of proven faith who are married. He cited the example of the Eastern Catholic churches, which have married priests, and noted that the Diocese of Regensburg already has several such priests, former Protestant pastors who converted to Catholicism and were ordained while continuing to live in marriage and family.
However, Graf firmly rejected calls for the ordination of women, a demand raised by Germany's Synodal Way process. He stated that the unmarried state of the priest would not be an "indispensable prerequisite" for receiving priestly ordination, but celibacy remains an important expression of following Christ.
The German prelate's comments come ahead of a crucial gathering of German bishops, where they will reflect on shared challenges facing the Church, including migration, evangelization, human dignity in the age of artificial intelligence, and pastoral cooperation among the three countries. According to a joint statement, the bishops will discuss ways to strengthen collaboration across North America, noting that millions of Catholics from the three countries are part of one same Church and share one same faith.
The meeting, attended by bishops representing the conferences of Mexico, the United States, and Canada, was held in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Bishop Ramón Castro Castro of Cuernavaca, president of the Mexican Bishops' Conference, and Bishop Daniel E. of the Conference of Catholic Bishops, were among those present. The bishops also shared their experiences in supporting migrants, especially along the southern border, reaffirming the Church's commitment to human dignity, justice, and care for the most vulnerable.
What's still developing
- Also present were Bishop Óscar Cantú of San José, California, chairman of the USCCB Subcommittee on Hispanic/Latino Affairs, and Bishop Eugenio Lira Rugarcía of Matamoros-Reynosa, who heads the Mexico bishops’ human mobility ministry.
Sources
- Ewtnnewslink