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After the most recent cases of abuse, discussions about abolishing celibacy are flaring up again.
The President of the Swiss Bishops’ Conference (SBK) admits mistakes in dealing with cases of abuse in the Roman Catholic Church. Bishop Felix Gmür also emphasized in an interview with “NZZ am Sonntag” that the Catholic Church has been active on the issue for a long time.
The prevailing conditions must be questioned, explains the SBK President. In his view, the time is ripe to abolish celibacy and give women access to the priesthood.
Basis against celibacy
What future does celibacy have? Pope Francis also stated a while ago that the principle was not set in stone. “Celibacy has no support among the base, especially among the progressive Catholics in Switzerland, the majority,” explains SRF religion editor Nicole Freudiger. Celibacy is something historical, something that has only existed since the Middle Ages. “There are conservative circles that adhere to celibacy, but they are clearly in the minority.”
Celibacy is also a problem due to the shortage of priests, says Freudiger. “There are far fewer people who can become priests if you have to be celibate.” Celibacy has no future in other parts of the world either.
Little hope at the top
However, things look different at the top of the church. “In the Vatican and among traditional Catholics it is not foreseeable that celibacy will be abolished. At the so-called Amazon Synod in 2019, there was great hope that the Pope could relax celibacy.” However, these hopes were not fulfilled, said Freudiger.
People know that there is something wrong with celibacy and the church needs to admit it first, publicly.
The top of the Catholic Church sees the whole thing a little differently than the grassroots. Stefan Loppacher, priest and prevention officer at the diocese of Chur, is therefore rather cautious when it comes to making a prognosis. “I sometimes vacillate between optimism and pessimism myself.” The Pope could get up in the morning and declare that the celibacy law no longer applies to Central Europe.
“It takes a different culture”
However, that is not the point, says Loppacher. “First you have to have a different culture where a certain freedom in dealing with the topic is possible.” The church must first explain to people that it was wrong to constantly harass people about their sexuality.
“The church would have to admit that many have failed in celibacy.” The people on the street are not stupid, says Loppacher, and know from their own lives and experiences that this cannot work. Every parish knows of a case where the pastor already had a partner. “People know that there is something wrong with celibacy and the church has to admit that first, publicly.”