Religious affairs correspondence: 26 women ‘in love’ with priests

Twenty-six Italian women who say they are "in love" with priests have written to Pope Francis, calling on him to change Catholic Church teaching on the priestly vow of celibacy, according to religious website Vatican Insider.

The women call on Pope Francis to help “break down the wall of silence and indifference” generated by their fate.

Calling themselves a “small sample” of many women “living in silence”, they write: “We humbly place our suffering at your feet in the hope that something may change, not just for us, but for the good of the church.”

Precise figures on the number of priests who have abandoned their vocations and been laicised to live with a woman are not available. Between 1970 and 1995, an estimated 46,000 priests abandoned the priesthood, but many did so for reasons other than a relationship with a woman. Vocatio, an Italian movement for married pri- ests, claims there may be up to 8,000 former priests in Italy alone who have abandoned the church for a woman.

Defence of celibacy
However, it seems unlikely that the letter will prompt Pope Francis to instigate radical change. In the book On Heaven and Earth, written with Argentine rabbi Abraham Skorka, he appears to defend celibacy, saying: "For now, I am in favour of maintaining celibacy, with all the pros and cons that come with it, because in 10 centuries there have been more positive experiences than errors . . .

“Tradition plays an important role. Catholic ministers gradually chose celibacy. Until 1100 some opted for it and some didn’t.”

Even though he writes that, “personally I never considered marrying”, the pope does not entirely shut the door on the argument, saying the celibacy question is one “of discipline, not faith”, which “can be changed”.