Letter writer Daniel John Sobieski states (“A man faithful to the doctrine of his church,” Voice of the people, April 21) that any Catholics hoping that the new pope would allow married priests or female priests ” . . . are ignoring the simple fact that Catholic doctrine is as immutable and unchangeable as are the 10 Commandments.”
This is simply not true. Peter, the first pope, was married. In fact, for the first 1,000 years of the Catholic Church, many priests were married. It wasn’t until the 11th Century that celibacy became doctrine, in no small part due to issues surrounding the inheritance of property.
Many early Christian groups indeed had women priests.
There are many more doctrines that changed over time.
Remember when it was a sin to eat meat on Friday? Not any more.
Doctrines change.
Even the official Catholic Church admits this.
The infallibility doctrine wasn’t invented until 1870 at the First Ecumenical Council. It has only been used three times.
None of these has to do with abortion, celibacy or women priests.
