Pope Leo Reaffirms That Priests Must Stay 'Chaste'

Pope Leo XIV affirmed Wednesday that priests should stay celibate and insisted that bishops take "firm and decisive" action to deal with sex abusers, as he gave marching orders Wednesday to the world's Catholic hierarchs. Leo offered his message during a meeting in St. Peter's Basilica with about 400 bishops and cardinals from 38 countries attending this week's special Holy Year celebrations for clergy, per the AP. History's first American pope, the former Cardinal Robert Prevost, said bishops must remain celibate "and present to all the authentic image of the church, holy and chaste in her members as in her head."

Referring to cases of abuse, Leo said bishops "must be firm and decisive in dealing with situations that can cause scandal and with every case of abuse, especially involving minors, and fully respect the legislation currently in force." It was the second time in a week that Leo has commented publicly on the abuse scandal. On Friday night, in a written statement to a crusading Peruvian journalist who documented gross abuses in a Peruvian Catholic movement, Leo said there should be no tolerance in the Catholic Church for any type of abuse. He identified sexual and spiritual abuses, as well as abuses of authority and power in calling for "transparent processes" to create a culture of prevention across the church.

The late Pope Francis, who in many ways placed Leo in position to succeed him, had also reaffirmed celibacy for Latin rite priests, while acknowledging it was a discipline of the church, not doctrine, and therefore could change. But he refused appeals from Amazonian bishops to allow married priests to address the priest shortage in the region. Pope Leo also said on Wednesday that the primary role of bishops is to forge unity in his diocese among clergy and to be close to his flock in word and deed. Bishops must live in poverty and simplicity, generously opening their homes to all and acting as a father figure and brother to his priests, Leo said. "In his personal life, he must be detached from the pursuit of wealth and from forms of favoritism based on money or power," he noted.