Cardinal Kasper seems to be at it again.
Stirring up yet an issue destined to become yet another hornets nest of controversy for Pope Francis.
This time, Cardinal Kasper is making some bold statements about the Holy Father’s inclinations regarding the possibility of allowing married men to be ordained to the Priesthood in the Latin Rite.
In an interview published on the official website of the German Bishop’s Conference, the Cardinal states that Pope Francis wants the matter address and resolved by individual conferences of Bishops around the world.
And so, in those countries in which the Bishops determine that there are insufficient numbers of ordained Priests to provide for the Sacramental care of the people, the respective Bishop Conferences would submit proposals for ordaining married men to the Holy Father for his approval.
In his interview, Cardinal Kasper indicated that there is “an urgent need for action” on the question of married Priests, expecially given the shortage of Priests in Germany. The entire country has only 40 candidates for the Priesthood.
Cardinal Kasper stated, further, that previous discussions on this topic were “not approved officially by Rome”. Now, however, the Cardinal reveals that Pope Francis is open and eager to address the topic. His Eminence has not shared where the Holy Father personally stands on this question, but that he views discussion on the topic “positively”.
If the Apostolic Exhortation, Amoris Laetitia, set off a firestorm of conflict within the ranks of the hierarchy and the more traditionally-minded of the Catholic faithful, one can only imagine what the Holy Father’s eventual response to any proposal to allow married men to be ordained to the Priesthood will cause.
We shall see what the Holy Spirit (and Cardinal Kasper) has in store on this issue in the weeks and months ahead!
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