This interview with Pope Francis by German weekly 'Die Zeit,' has opened the debate on the 'viri probati,' or 'tested married men.\u00e2?\u009d\u00a0<\/p>\n
However, they do not exist. It is a proposal that has been talked about for years, but has never been put into practice.<\/p>\n
The expression, 'viri probati,\u00e2?\u009d is inspired from the first-century letter of a disciple of the apostles, St. Clement. In it, he explains how the early apostles chose their successors.<\/p>\n
'And thus preaching through countries and cities, they appointed the first-fruits [of their labors], having first proved them by the Spirit, to be bishops and deacons of those who should afterwards believe.'<\/p>\n
During the Second Vatican Council, some spoke of the 'viri probati,' but the potential idea was discarded.<\/p>\n
The idea is that in situations of extreme lack of priests, married people with 'proven' fidelity to the Catholic Church could be ordained.<\/p>\n
Currently, two Brazilian bishops (Jaime Vieira Rocha, Erwin Kr\u00ed\u00a4utler) are requesting these sort of priests for large areas of the Amazon, where communities live for years without the Eucharist.<\/p>\n
To understand the pope's response in this interview, one must understand the context of the question.<\/p>\n
When 'Die Zeit\u00e2?\u009d asked about the crisis of vocations, Pope Francis responded that 'optional celibacy is not the solution to the lack of vocations.'<\/p>\n
The journalist then asks if ordering a 'viri probati' is a way to solve it. The pope replies as follows:<\/p>\n
'We must think, if the 'viri probati 'are a possibility [to solve the problem]. But we must also decide what kind of functions to entrust to them, for example in isolated communities.'<\/p>\n
Then he explained that we should not be afraid of the truth and reasoning past decisions, because the truth sets us free.<\/p>\n
Indeed, in the first centuries of Christianity there were married priests, but from the fourth century on the practice of celibacy was consolidated in the West.<\/p>\n
The pope's response says not to be afraid to question problems, but also, not to seek hasty solutions that may not resolve them or lead to further problems.<\/p>\n
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