The Movement for Married Clergy was established in the mid-seventies to further discussion of and promote the cause for the acceptance of married priests within the Roman Catholic Church. It argues for both the ordination of suitable married laymen and for the welcoming back of priests who have left active ministry and may have married, but who are able and willing to return to service.

It seeks to work within the framework of the Church in England as is clear in the Mission Statement for the Movement elsewhere on this website. Since its inception, the crisis in vocations to the priesthood has given rise to a rapidly changing age profile of serving priests which is reflected in the closure or amalgamation of parishes that is now becoming an active issue in many dioceses. 

We welcome your views and support as we continue to argue the case for a change in the discipline of the Western Church.

---

Latest news....         

Two important new contributions to the debate:
Hubert Wolf: '16 theses on celibacy'
Peter Daly: 'The priesthood is being crucfied on the cross of celibacy'

there is much more about these two on our News page: click here   

For all the latest news click here
       [Our News page also includes links to articles in German, Dutch, 
        French, Italian and Spanish - most browsers offer a translation, if
        required] 

 



The icon above is of St Peter and his Wife, by Eileen McCabe, with whose kind permission it is used here.  For more information about it, click here.