Is Belgian bishop right to push plan to ordain married men as priests?

Bishop Johan Bonny of Antwerp has defended his intention to ordain married men as priests in the Latin rite, saying that support for such a move is widespread among bishops in Western Europe and known within the Roman Curia.

In an interview published on April 2 by Katholisch, the Belgian bishop said: “I know many bishops, and almost all of them – mostly from Western Europe – tell me that they also want to ordain married men.” He added: “I have not yet heard a Catholic bishop tell me, ‘Even if the Pope gives me the possibility, I will not ordain married men.’ They know this in Rome as well.”