Those who dreaded the publication of the Holy Father’s response to the Amazon Synod will be able to breathe a sigh of relief, on one count at least. In the course of 40 pages His Holiness devotes his most incisive remarks to an explanation of why admitting women to Holy Orders would be a mistake.
On the question of celibacy the Pope is silent, ignoring the Synod’s proposal to ordain married men. However, he begins by saying that by means of this Apostolic exhortation he intends “to officially present” the Synod's final document, and neither to “replace” nor “duplicate” it. It is unclear, then, whether his silence on viri probati is a tacit endorsement or rejection.
