Many priests 'reject' celibacy

2004-04-23 09:17

Sao Paulo, Brazil - Forty-one percent of Brazil's Roman Catholic priests responding to a survey on their practices and beliefs said they reject the church's rule demanding celibacy, the Catholic Bishops Association said Thursday.

The same survey showed 62% rejecting the idea that homosexuality is a sin. Forty-one percent said they have experienced "loving relationships" with women since ordination, a phrase that was not specifically defined.

Archbishop Joao Braz de Aziz of Brasilia said by telephone that "loving relationships" with women did not necessarily involve sexual relations "in every case."

However, one of the co-ordinators of the survey, Luiz Antonio Gomez de Souza, said: "We are not talking here about platonic relationships between priests and women."

Satisfied

Meanwhile, 94% said they were satisfied with their lives as priests and would make the same choice again.

The survey was conducted by the Brazilian Centre for Religious and Social Studies at the request of the bishops association. The centre, an academic group, is supported financially by the Bishops Association.

"We are going to give this survey careful attention and then craft a response addressing the concerns of Brazilian society and of Brazil's Roman Catholic priests," said Aziz, who is a member of a bishops' committee reviewing the survey.

Aziz said the association would offer a more detailed response to the survey within a few days.

The survey was conducted in late 2003 and the results tabulated and analysed early in 2004. Researchers sent a questionnaire to 1 834 priests nationwide, representing about 11% of Brazil's total population of 17 000 Roman Catholic priests. A total of 758 priests responded to the questionnaire.

Brazil is the world's largest predominantly Roman Catholic country, with 74% of the nation's 178 million population saying they are Catholic, according to the Brazilian Census Bureau.

"We consider the survey to be a valid, scientific sample," said Aziz.

- AP