Amazon Bishop: "Pressure" Stopped Francis from Ending Celibacy

Austrian-born emeritus Amazon bishop Erwin Kräutler told Kath.ch on March 27 that Pope Francis may have refrained from abolishing celibacy due to external pressure.

He believes Francis was open to the idea at the 2019 Amazon Synod but ultimately did not adopt it in the 2020 document Querida Amazonia: "That makes me wonder: who is responsible for this rift?" Kräutler said, suggesting outside influence.

The Amazon Bishop reveals that Francis "was put under such pressure that he could no longer do otherwise psychologically and personally, and didn’t dare allow the ordination of married men as priests," despite previously encouraging "bold proposals".

Monsignor Kräutler added that the Amazon bishops had hoped for female priests, too. Many communities in the Amazon are "already" led by women. In his religion, the ordination of women is a matter of church law that could be changed with a single signature.

Kräutler served as Prelate of Xingu in Brazil from 1981 to 2015 and helped prepare the 2019 Amazon Synod.

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