Married priests now?

The Catholic churches in Africa, or at least their leaders, are often considered more Roman than the Romans, but a new movement for married priests founded by Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo seems to be gaining traction, according to an op-ed piece in the Times of Zambia. A number of legally married priests in Zambia are now ministering openly in association with Married Priests Now, Milingo's movement, which is funded by (of all people) the Rev. Sun Myung Moon.

It would be ironic indeed if the church of the developing world--thought by many to be the future of traditional Catholicism--is the place that finally does in mandatory celibacy. But their clergy shortage is most extreme, so it makes sense that wider use of married priests would begin in places like Africa and Latin America.

Milingo is, I'll grant, a little nutty, but who knows how this might turn out? And really, would the vast majority of Catholics really care if their priests were married, as long as they were competent, compassionate ministers? Would you?