Shortage of Catholic priests.

I don’t think it’s a simple as letting them get married. Probably more to do with the large scale cover up of child abuse, crimes against humanity and people generally not believe a word of the Catholic religion.

Once they sort that though, everyone will want to be a priest.

You can have a perfectly good Catholic funeral without it including a mass.

since being gay carries equal rights, the church isn’t the hiding place it once was.

I think the issue with marriage is more financial/legal. Church provide homes for priests how does it work when separated and broken families involved.

The current set up few priests, nuns sharing a house wouldn't work with families.

Divorce splitting assets again tricky with church owning buildings ( churches, house, maybe even schools)

The last 4-5 weddings I've been to including my own, and at least the same amount of funerals have been Humanist ceremonies. The Catholic Church seems to be really struggling for relevancy these days.

• Homosexuality is no longer seen as sinful, degenerate, or illegal, so no need to go to the priesthood to cover it up or repent for it.
• No-one will ever fully trust the Church again after the scale of abuse of women and children that has been revealed.
• Decades of jokes, thoughts, arguments, debates and programmes either attacking or mocking religion instead of religious only views being allowed breaking down centuries of indoctrination.

And the big one for me. No-one will ever listen to or place any faith in the Church again regarding morality and righteousness after the scale of abuse of women and children that has been revealed. And when religion loses all moral authority, or said morality is seen an hypocritical and corrupt as people see in the Church in light of it's own actions and words, all the Church offers are a few stories which people will either believe or not.

I was reading a very good researched and informed article a number of years ago - Apparently even the Pope in all his power and might can get challenged - there’s a cohort of senior clerics that don’t want progress and are ultra conservative - Francis has been battling them since his early days as pope - so getting through married priests isn’t as plain sailing as “make it so” unfortunately.
Even then, as others have said you’re going to actually then have to attract married men or indeed women if it went that far, to the “priesthood” - that’s going to involve years of dedicated study and participation in religious events to get you up to speed - this will all be done part time as you’ll still be working in your normal job- so even if the green light for married male or female priests came in tomorrow morning you’d need:

1. Volunteers
2. Committing to approx 5 years of part time study and completion of various activities to set you up for success in your priestly duties
3. An extremely large workload eventually leaving you very little time for family

I’m just not seeing it happening.

I know that there is a certificate or diploma course currently running for lay people wishing to support priests in some of their duties - this course is an intensive 2 year programme with a lot of study meetings and work experience- it covers things like visiting the sick leading prayer etc You then give a 5 year commitment post “graduation” to support your parish - it’s probably the way things will go medium term but even then, that initiative needs volunteers to sign up and you can imagine it’s not quite over subscribed

On the issue of inheritance for married priests hasn't celibacy been the exception to the long term norm?

I think the Greek orthodox priests are paid like basic rank civil servants, but that's as far as I know about that.

How's the son?

he’d be long finished 3rd level college at this stage - actually that would be a cool reboot - Len’s son joins the priesthood - Doogle is now PP and takes on Len’s son as a trainee - laughter ensues for 3 series and a few Christmas specials - I mean it couldn’t be any worse than Mrs Browns Boys ……could it ? 😀

it will be Graham Lenihan’s big come back from being cancelled 🤪