Kenyan cardinal urges Catholics to “fight on” amid celibacy scandals

June 29, 2009

Amid national media coverage of priests who have failed to keep their sacred promise of celibacy, Cardinal John Njue of Nairobi is urging the faithful to “fight on” and remember that “the Catholic Church has never forced anyone to be a priest. It only dictates that if you want to be one you have to subscribe to the principle of celibacy.” The cardinal added that any priest who “wanted to opt out of that call was free to do so. What we do not want is when someone wants to drag others into quitting when you have realised as a priest you no longer can manage the call.”

 

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Further information:

• Njue tells church faithful to fight on despite scandals (The Standard)
• Priests torn between love for spouse and celibacy vows (The Standard)
• It’s not just the priests, nuns too break the vow (The Standard)