“I would rather die or resign,” is how Paul VI settled the question of celibacy with Cardinal Alfrink.
On January 28, 2019, during the flight back from his trip to Panama for World Youth Day, Pope Francis was asked about priestly celibacy.
According to Msgr. Sapienza, the Pope replied, “In the Latin rite, a phrase of St. Paul VI comes to mind: ‘I prefer to give my life rather than change the law of celibacy.’ It was a courageous phrase in a more difficult time than this, it was in the years 68-70”.
‘The Tablet,’ 50 years ago, published in an article:
“The Pope… urged all the Dutch bishops to defend the celibacy rule at the council, and expressed strong concern at some of the trends evident in the Church in the Netherlands … less than a week after the Dutch Pastoral Council voted in favor of making celibacy an optional choice and admitting women to the priesthood."
Instead, Paul VI asked Cardinal Alfrink and the bishops “to express serenely, without any reticence, your total agreement with the universal Church on the contested points.” Priestly celibacy, he said, was an “incomparable treasure” of the Latin Church and the bishops should “make known and support the indispensable conditions for its exercise.”
Then, the Dutch prelate pointed to the lack of vocations. “The Holy Father said, No. It should not be done. I would think I was betraying the Church.”
When the cardinal mentioned to him the “quality” of married men who might be candidates, Paul VI replied, “Let them do lay apostolate.”
Alfrink understood that he would not get a positive answer that same morning, but the Pope told him that he did not want to give “false” hope, and that “his conscience would not be clear.” “It would be to disjoint the discipline of the Latin Church”.
Then, Alfrink asked him if he feared that, if permitted, there would no longer be a celibate clergy.
The Pope replied, “We would have priests absorbed by other tasks, family, work...” The Dutch bishop admitted that outcome and said that one of the reasons for celibacy is “availability,” being “completely free” for the mission.
“You cannot have a double clergy” (one married and one not), Paul VI said.
– “I think likewise”.
“It would be ruinous. I would rather die or resign!” Paul VI concluded.
Msgr. Sapienza ended by revealing that Francis said: “I think the same as St. Paul VI, but with one difference: that he is a saint”.
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