| A group of women have called on Pope Francis to life the church's vow of
celibacy. He is pictured here in St Peter's Square, Vatican City
Twenty-six Italian women who claim to
be having affairs with a priest have written to Pope Francis begging him
to lift the Catholic clergy's vow of celibacy Daily Mail Reports
In
an extraordinary letter addressed to His Holiness, the unnamed women
say they are just a 'small sample' of believers being forced to 'live in
silence' because of their relationship.
The
letter starts: 'Dear Pope Francis, we are a group of women from all
over Italy (and further afield) and are writing to you to break down the
wall of silence and indifference that we are faced with every day.
Each of us is in, was or would like to start a relationship with a priest we are in love with.'
The
26 women signed with just their name and the initial letter of their
surname, plus the name of their hometown, but they did write their
surnames and telephone numbers on the envelope.
'As
you are well aware,' the letter reads, 'a lot has been said by those
who are in favour of optional celibacy but very little is known about
the devastating suffering of a woman who is deeply in love with a
priest.
'We humbly place our suffering at your
feet in the hope that something may change, not just for us, but for
the good of the entire Church.'
'We
love these men, they love us, and in most cases, despite all efforts to
renounce it, one cannot manage to give up such a solid and beautiful
bond.
'Unfortunately, this
brings with it all the pain of not being able "to live it fully". This
continuous giving and then letting go is soul destroying.
+3The unnamed women say they are just a 'small
sample' of believers being forced to 'live in silence' because of their
relationship (file picture)
Pope Francis arrives in Saint Peter's Square for his inaugural mass at the Vatican
'When this enormous pain
leads to a definitive separation, the consequences are no less
devastating and both parties are often scarred for life. The only other
alternatives are either for the priest to abandon the priesthood or for
the relationship to carry on in secret.
'In
the first scenario, the dramatic situation the couple is faced causes
enormous suffering to both parties: we would also like the men we love
to live their priestly vocation fully, serving the community and
continue the mission they have been passionately and devotedly engaged
in for a great many years.
'We
wish to stand by their side and support them in their calling which is
strengthened by the vital force of love they discovered with us.'
'The
second scenario, that is, when the couple chooses to continue a
relationship in secret, involves living one’s life in a constant state
of hiding, frustrated by an incomplete love, with no hope of
childbearing; a love that cannot see the light of day.
'It
may sound like a hypocritical situation, remaining celibate but keeping
one’s companion secret. Unfortunately, however, this is often the only
and painful choice that has to be made because of the
impossibility of
giving up such a strong love that is rooted in the Lord.'
About 6,000 Italian men have left the priesthood to marry, compared with a total of 33,000 parish priests now in service.
The Pope has previously supported the tradition of celibacy, but has suggested his position might waiver.
'For
now, I am in favour of maintaining celibacy, with all the pros and cons
that come with it, because in 10 centuries there have been more
positive experiences than errors,' he was quoted saying in 2010, before
he became Pope, in the book, On Heaven and Earth.
The Pontiff has disclosed he had a girlfriend in Argentina as a young man before choosing to become a priest.
He
has argued that celibacy is more Church tradition than hard and fast
doctrine, pointing out that, up until the year 1100, some priests choose
it while others did not.
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