and is pictured here during his trip to see him in the Vatican in October.)
A childhood friend of Pope Francis has claimed that he intends to
overturn the centuries-old ban on Catholic priests from getting
married and that he told a divorcee 'living in sin' that she could
receive Holy Communion.
The Pope considers the law on priestly celibacy 'archaic' and 'not
part of the doctrine of the Church', according to the confidante.
The friend also claimed the Argentinian-born pope also vowed to reform
another Catholic rule which bars divorced people in new relationships
from taking the Holy Communion.
According to Oscar Crespo, Pope Francis said that changing the
Catholic law which bars civil divorcees from taking a full part in
church life is the 'number one priority' of his papacy.
Mr Crespo said that the Pope, 78, also sent a message to a divorced
woman 'living in sin' with a new partner assuring her that she was
free to confess and receive the Eucharist.
The Catholic church doesn't recognise divorce, considering that anyone
who remarries or starts a sexual relationship with another person
other than the one they first married is committing adultery.
Taking Holy Communion while in a state of sin is considered an even graver sin.
Argentinian teacher Claudia Garcia Larumbe had sent a message to the
Pope via Mr Crespo asking if she really was excluded from confessing
or taking communion after moving in with her new partner.
After Mr Crespo reminded the Pope that church law "forbids" divorcees
in new relationships from partaking in the holy sacraments, Francis
said: "Just tell her the Pope said that she can".
Ms Larumbe, 39, told MailOnline she was "speechless and emotional"
after receiving the Holy Father's personal dispensation to partake in
the key Catholic sacraments.
The revelations will bring fresh hope to millions of civilly divorced
churchgoers, as well as thousands of clergymen who are increasingly
uncomfortable about their lifetime celibacy vows.
But in a sign the pontiff does not intend to force through the radical
reforms at the expense of church unity, he told Mr Crespo: "Changes
are made either with time or with blood, and I choose peace."
History: Oscar, fifth from left, & the future pope, fourth from right,
in a high school picture together.Mr Crespo, 77, the best friend and
former secondary school classmate of the Pope, travelled to Rome in
October, and spent several hours with him in his private quarters at
the Vatican.
The retired food technician, who took with him letters and messages
from students and staff of their former technical college, revealed
that the pontiff - real name Jorge Bergoglio, was "serious and
passionate" as he talked about what he described as his "two main
plans".
Speaking to MailOnline, he said: "He said, these were his priorities
as Pope. The first of all is to change the rules for divorced couples.
"The second was to eliminate the law of celibacy. He said it was not
part of the doctrine of the church. It was started more than 1,000
years ago by a pope, and he considers it archaic, an antiquity which
needs to be reconsidered.
"He thinks God made everyone to live in family, including priests."
--naijascoop.com
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