Belgian Archbishop: 'Married Priests Would Be an Enrichment for the Church'

#catholicchurch #popeleoxiv #priesthood #synodalchurch Archbishop Luc Terlinden, the Primate of Belgium, has publicly expressed support for discussing the possibility of ordaining married men as Catholic priests. In an interview with Nederlands Dagblad, he said married priests would be "an enrichment for the Church." Terlinden pointed to the Eastern Catholic Churches, where 90% of priests are married. He emphasized that these are fully Catholic Churches with a different discipline on celibacy. He recalled that the Belgian bishops sent a document to Rome in 2023 expressing openness to the conversation. He also linked the issue to greater decentralization within the Church. However, Terlinden stressed that no bishop can ordain married priests without the Pope's permission. "The bishop or the pope always has the final say," he explained. He also expressed support for women serving as deacons, pointing to early Church history. The debate continues. But the comments of Belgium's highest-ranking Catholic leader show that discussions about priestly ministry are far from over.