Australian bishops reflect on reasons for celibate priesthood

"Church wedded to single priests"

While the first line of this article definitely shows the slant of the writer ("The cause of married priests has been dealt a double blow"), it is also clear from this report that there are some dang good bishops over Down Under (but we knew that already).

Some great points from the bishops:

Cardinal Pell: "...If we did that it would weaken the church enormously. You've got to invest a lot of time and energy into making a marriage work and so therefore you are so much less free, at least theoretically, to do the church's work.

"I think our strengths have been brought about and maintained by the faithful sacrifice of celibate priests, brothers and nuns."

and from Bishop Manning: most priests "would probably be bad marriage risks at this time of their lives". If Catholics wanted more vocations, they should "pray insistently" and encourage their children to enter the priesthood.

"I have to ask: do Catholics really want more vocations?; do they pray insistently for vocations?; how ready are Catholic families to encourage their children to enter the priesthood or religious life?; is inherent selfishness, which regulates the number of children in the family and seeks the 'good life', the principal goal of families?"

..."How many people, including priests who advocate the ordination of married men, personally encourage candidates for the priesthood, or ask them: 'Have you ever thought of becoming a priest?'

"And how many priests ponder the bad example they give young men by their constant criticism of the church?"