Pope Francis open to married men becoming priests

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis said in an interview with Germany’s Die Zeit newspaper published this week, the church should study whether married men of faith could be ordained.

This could come as an answer to the shortage of priests around the world, which he calls an “enormous problem.”

Father Stanley Pondo at St. Louis Church in Batesville says he thinks it would be difficult.

Pope Francis stressed that removing the celibacy rule is not an answer to the priest shortage.

Currently, married clergymen that convert to Catholicism can become ordained.

Father Stanley says it is unclear how this will affect the Catholic Church.