Vatican norms for priests breaking celibacy vows

Rome: The Vatican has confirmed that it has issued general guidelines on priests breaking celibacy vows and fathering children.

“I can confirm that these guidelines exist,” the Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti wrote to The New York Times in response to a query. “It is an internal document.”

“It’s the next scandal,” the paper quoted Vincent Doyle, a psychotherapist in Ireland, born to a Roman Catholic priest whom he believed as his godfather, who's created a global support group to help children of priests suffering from the ‘internalised shame that comes with being born from church scandal,’ as saying. “There are kids everywhere.”

The Pope has called a four-day meeting of bishops this week to discuss the escalating sexual abuse scandal that has plagued the church worldwide.

More people are coming out in the open throughout the world, including India, with tales of such abuse.

"There will be nuns sexually assaulted by priests. And there will be children of priests, who is scheduled to meet privately in Rome with several prominent prelates," the report says.

“For the church, stories like Mr Doyle’s draw uncomfortable attention to the violation of celibacy by priests and, for some former clerics and liberals inside the church, raise the issue of whether it is time to make the requirement optional, as it is in other Christian churches."