It is no secret that the Catholic Church has issues with many priests who do not adhere to the rules of celibacy. This topic is highly controversial. It is worth noting that the regulations are governed by the Code of Canon Law from 1917. Initially, celibacy was entirely voluntary. Over time, only lower-ranking priests were allowed to have wives. In the 4th century AD, the synod prohibited them from having sexual relations and offspring. In the 11th century, Pope Gregory VII established the principle of priestly celibacy as a general rule.
The Priest Admitted to the Faithful That He Had a Child and a Partner. They Appreciated His Honesty
From time to time, the media highlight cases of priests who did not follow the rules applicable to them. Earlier this year, there was news about a 43-year-old clergyman from the Czech Republic. During a service, Lukas Engelmann confessed to the faithful that he had a child and a partner. He decided to leave the priesthood because of this. He apologized to everyone he had disappointed with his behavior. - I didn’t want to. I'm sorry - he said. As one might expect, the matter aroused great emotions. Many people appreciated the priest’s honesty. - Only God can judge him - commented one of the Catholic Church faithful in an interview with the newspaper "Denik."
Catholic Priest Astonished the Faithful During Mass
Another interesting case is described in the book by Artur Nowak and Stanisław Obirek, "Gomorrah. Power, Fear, and Money in the Polish Church" (Agora Publishing, 2021). It turns out that a bishop from the Diocese of Płock organized a grand wedding in the cathedral church for his son.
"We are, of course, referring to Bishop Bogdan Sikorski, who was the head of this diocese from 1964 to 1984. Wikipedia contains a modest but full of praise note about him. However, from the leak of historians who have been working on his biography for years, we learn that not only did he live in a relationship for years, but he also organized a lavish wedding in the cathedral for his son. This doesn’t shock us, but we believe such facts should be publicly known as an example of great tolerance and understanding from the renowned strict Primate Stefan Wyszyński" - reads the book by Artur Nowak and Stanisław Obirek.
