Brian  Eyre, married priest: “Without the Eucharist everything the Church does is vain.” Pope Francis, Molfetta, 20 April 2018

A priest can live with a good woman. He can share the same house with her, share the same bed, be intimate with her and from their intimacy give fruit to the birth of their children. He can carry on doing pastoral work with her.

I will never forget the words of my Bishop in Brazil when at a meeting of all the clergy of the diocese he said: “Se casar, escolhe bem”,  “If you marry, choose well”.

The Church had 12 centuries of experience with married priests beginning with the first pope, Pope Peter. In the gospel of  Saint Matthew, chapter 8, verses 14 to 16, we read that Our Lord cured St Peter’s mother-in-law. In the 12th century celibacy became a rule for the priests of the Latin Rite. Since then, great pastoral work has been done by celibate priests. However, if we believe that the celebration of the Eucharist is essential to the life of a Christian community then the call for the return to married priests should be listened to, if not, then many parishes will be left without the Eucharist. The number of students studying today for the priesthood is at its lowest in Ireland.

In Brazil, I asked for and received a dispensation from celibacy and got married in the church after 18 years of celibate life. I left the group of good men called the clergy for a married life. I did not give up pastoral work and the people accepted me as a Pastoral Agent. My wife and I, in order to set up a home, took on secular jobs and we have been able to reconcile  married life, jobs and two children, and still find time for pastoral work. It wasn’t easy to do this but with the support of my wife it is possible. She brings to our pastoral work a different way of doing things, a different approach, a different way of bringing Our Lord to others. I thank the day that she came into my life, a life of service to others which is what priesthood is all about.

I believe that there is a place for married priests living among the people and these priests can come from Viri Probati from men and women who have the same kind of lifestyle as their neighbours have, such as in housing estates. Here, these men and women could be the religious and social animators of the life of that community.

Brian  Eyre, married priest, father of a daughter and son, and three grandsons. I am now living in Tralee, Ireland.

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