U.S. church ordains its 1st married priest in nearly a century

He is quite a progressive Pope.

Married Anglican priests remain so when they convert to Catholicism, and some African Catholics allow it as well. Imposed celibacy is only a centuries old tradition, and even after its imposition priests, bishops and cardinals had common law spouses

A tiny step forward by the Catholic church is welcome, much better than any step back.

Allowing married Maronite priests was normal everywhere but the US. As is pointed out in the story 1/2 of the Maronite Catholic priests in Lebanon are married

Unfortunately, half the U.S. priests would marry each other, if given the chance (not that it bothers/affects me). Perhaps that is what is holding up the Vatican.

Well if the Vatican hopes to bring the Anglican Communion, or at least some of them back to Rome, then they are going to have to end their 900 year official policy on clerical celibacy. I can`t see the entire Anglican Communion returning, as the more Protestant elements have doctrinal differences that go beyond mere clerical celibacy...transubstantiation being a major bone of contention.

A friend of mine is a Dominican priest from Spain, and he sees celibacy as being a personal choice for the priest. He figures being married with kids, while solving some problems, could create new ones as well. »He`s an interesting combination of liberal and conservative beliefs.

It's going the other way. Catholic priests are marrying and joining the Anglican communion as priests. The rector of one of our big, local Anglican churches is one of those.