Voice of the Faithful invites fellow Catholics, laity and clergy, to join us in calling upon the Holy See to conduct an ecclesial review of mandatory celibacy for diocesan priests. We call for this study to be conducted as a serious, extensive, unbiased review, utilizing the insights of history, modern psychology, sociology, and pastoral practice, of the discipline of celibacy in the Latin Rite. And we call for the study to be conducted without prejudging the outcome.

This public call inviting others, as individuals and groups, to join us, would coincide with a nationwide effort to engage Catholic laity through an exploration of the Current State of the Priesthood and its Ability to Meet the Needs of the Faith Community. This exploration would focus upon such things as access to the Eucharist for the laity, diocesan priests’ workload, lowering of standards for seminary candidates, priests’ morale, financial security issues for priests, the impacts of mandated celibacy, and the decline in vocations to the priesthood. This effort will be planned and implemented by the Priest Support Working Group of Voice of the Faithful, an international organization of Catholic laity.

After gathering a wide base of support, Voice of the Faithful will issue a formal petition to Rome calling for this review.