Pope’s No 2 says clerical celibacy ‘up for discussion’

The Pope’s second in command has opened the door to a conversation on priestly celibacy by saying the tradition “is not dogma or a law of divine origin” and so up for discussion.

In an interview with Venezuelan newspaper El Universal, Archbishop Pietro Parolin, the new secretary of state of the Vatican, said celibacy “is not a church dogma and it can be discussed because it is a church tradition”.

However, he also cautioned the matter is “a great challenge for the Pope”.

“He is the one with the ministry of unity and all of those decisions must be made thinking of the unity of the Church and not to divide it. Therefore we can talk, reflect, and deepen on these subjects that are not definite, and we can think of some modifications, but always with consideration of unity, and all according to the will of God.”

Archbishop Parolin also said that while the Church is not a democratic institution, it needs to “reflect the democratic spirit of the times and adopt a collegial way of governing”.

Pope Francis discussed the celibacy issue when he was still Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina. In a 2012 interview, he described celibacy as “a matter of discipline, not of faith. It can change”.

Archbishop Parolin is the head of government and seen as the most powerful official at the Vatican after the pontiff.

Responding to the comments, Redemptorist Father Tony Flannery, who has been silenced by the Vatican for his views on women priests and celibacy, said he viewed Archbishop Parolin’s comments as “significant”.

“It is very interesting as could you imagine Benedict saying that? Not on your life. Pope Francis is loosening out of the whole scene, changing the mentality.”

Questioned whether he thought he would see the celibacy rule dropped in his lifetime, Fr Flannery said: “Six months ago, I would have said definitely not, but now I believe there is a possibility.

“It is very early to say what Francis will do but I am hopeful. Despite what has happened, I still have a great fondness for the Church. A few of us that live in the monastery, me aged 66 and them in their 70s, have said it would be great to see a bit of energy in the Church again before we die.”