Gmür didn’t stop at questioning celibacy; he also waded into another contentious issue: the ordination of women. “The subordination of women in the Catholic Church is incomprehensible to me. Changes are needed there,” he declared.
“I am in favor of the ordination of women; it will also be a topic at the synod that will soon take place in Rome,” Gmür stated.
While celibacy has been debated and subject to speculation, Pope Francis has repeatedly and unequivocally said the issue of women priests has been clearly decided, while also clarifying the essential role of women in the Catholic Church.
In his interview published Sunday, Gmür also spoke about a need for a more equitable distribution of power within the Church.
“We need to distribute power better,” he said, adding that the Swiss Bishops’ Conference is setting up an ecclesiastical criminal and disciplinary tribunal. This tribunal would act independently of the bishops and be staffed with external experts.
“I will lobby in Rome for the Church to decentralize,” Gmür added.