The cause of married priests has been dealt a double blow, Australia's leading Catholic declaring his opposition and another senior church leader suggesting most priests would make "bad marriage risks".
The Bishop of Parramatta, Kevin Manning, has taken a swipe at the secular press for its "slanted advice", questioned whether a global shortage of priests existed and suggested that Australian Catholics encourage their children to enter religious life.
The Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal Pell, told the Herald he could never see a day when Rome would permit priests to marry. More realistic was a debate on whether the church should admit married men to the priesthood, but he did not support even that step.
"That's the only theoretical possibility. I hope it isn't a realistic possibility at all. If we did that it would weaken the church enormously. You've got to invest a lot of time and energy into making a marriage work and so therefore you are so much less free, at least theoretically, to do the church's work.
"I think our strengths have been brought about and maintained by the faithful sacrifice of celibate priests, brothers and nuns."
Australian priests have written to the Vatican's Synod of Bishops asking it to consider admitting married men and readmitting priests who have left the clergy to marry.
The National Council of Priests, representing half of Australia's 1649 Catholic clergy, argues that marriage should be no bar to ordination.
Their request comes at a time when a manpower shortage in the Sydney diocese has forced some parishes to share priests.
The council is preparing a follow-up discussion paper opening debate about the Catholic tradition of the Eucharist, of which the shortage of priests is one aspect, to all parts of the church.
"The availability of an ordained priest is just one important and essential element of that discussion," the council's president, Father Hal Ranger, said yesterday.
Writing in this month's issue of the diocesan newspaper Catholic Outlook, Bishop Manning said the 1950s and '60s was a time of an abundance of priests. But having fewer priests now did not necessarily mean there was a shortage.
"In fact, some areas of Australia were over-serviced. There are fewer priests nowadays, but does that constitute a shortage?"
Bishop Manning said the council should be commended for its proposal, which was not new, but most priests "would probably be bad marriage risks at this time of their lives". If Catholics wanted more vocations, they should "pray insistently" and encourage their children to enter the priesthood.
"I have to ask: do Catholics really want more vocations?; do they pray insistently for vocations?; how ready are Catholic families to encourage their children to enter the priesthood or religious life?; is inherent selfishness, which regulates the number of children in the family and seeks the 'good life', the principal goal of families?"
Priests ought to provide active encouragement for others to consider a vocation. Their example of a "sacrificial life" would bring young men to the priesthood.
"How many people, including priests who advocate the ordination of married men, personally encourage candidates for the priesthood, or ask them: 'Have you ever thought of becoming a priest?'
"And how many priests ponder the bad example they give young men by their constant criticism of the church?"
Rebel bishop banished from duties over ordination
Australian Anglican bishops have rebuked a rebel bishop but left open the way to reconciliation in a dispute over women priests.
The bishop of the Murray diocese, Ross Davies, has been called to account for his actions when he took part in the American consecration of a Brisbane priest as bishop in the Traditional Anglican Communion, a breakaway church that opposes women priests and is not recognised by the Anglican Church of Australia.
Bishop Davies, an opponent of women priests, was subsequently banished from church duties in Melbourne. This week's meeting of bishops, chaired by the Anglican Primate, Dr Peter Carnley, pictured, expressed its "deep concern and regret at the unilateral action".
"We recognise the office of bishop is not a personal possession of any individual but belongs to Christ's holy church," their statement said. "Therefore, this conference requests the Bishop of Murray to explain his actions to a select group appointed by this conference."
Dr Carnley said Bishop Murray's actions were in clear contravention of the policy guiding the 38 national churches of the international Anglican Communion.
"Never ever before have we had a situation where a member of one church has become a bishop in another church."
Dr Carnley said expulsion was a "thinkable" way to deal with Bishop Davies, but "the Anglican way of doing things is always to try to re-establish trust and the fullness of fellowship".