Cardinals could split on issues like celibacy

VATICAN CITY -- Cardinals have come to Rome united to celebrate Pope John Paul II's 25th anniversary as pontiff, but some issues may divide them when it comes time to choose his successor, such as celibacy for priests and age limits for the pope.

While none would acknowledge they are pursuing an agenda at the moment, some have been unusually frank as concern grows over the health of the 83-year-old John Paul.

In an interview Wednesday with The Associated Press, Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony said it's only natural extreme views are being voiced "at a time when people feel there is some kind of change."

"You're always going to find those (times) as opportunities for those to raise their views, to try to influence the next chapter in the book," he said.

Belgian Cardinal Godfried Danneels, mentioned as a possible candidate for pope, said he was coming to celebrate, "but at a party people can also discuss other things."

Danneels and other prelates made clear they didn't expect meetings in Rome would be turned into lobbying sessions to prepare a new papacy, but they also acknowledged some simmering issues.

Even before the princes of the church began arriving this week, Scotland's newly appointed cardinal, Archbishop Keith O'Brien, caused a stir with remarks on celibacy, contraception and homosexuality.

The Roman Catholic Church's insistence that priests be celibate has been blamed for the drop in the number of priests and also by some for the clergy sex abuse scandals in the United States, Ireland, the Philippines and other countries. Church opposition to contraception has similarly alienated some Catholics, while sparking criticism that its ban on condoms was harmful in the fight against AIDS.

O'Brien was quoted as saying, shortly after being named a cardinal Sept. 29, that the celibacy rule and ban on contraception should be debated, and that he was not opposed to homosexual priests.

"If they are leading a celibate life, God bless the men," he was quoted as saying.

He later rolled back, saying his remarks had been misinterpreted, and took the unusual step of making a public pledge to defend church teaching on those issues. A spokesman denied he had acted under Vatican pressure.

Recently, some 160 priests in the archdiocese of Milwaukee, Wis., called publicly for the Vatican to allow married men into the priesthood, but American church leaders defended the celibacy requirement.

Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, archbishop of Washington, D.C., said there are "always different currents of thought in the church" but they are "basically melded within the real strong doctrine of the church."

While noting that celibacy was a discipline -- not church doctrine -- he nevertheless said it has its place in today's priesthood.

"It is a discipline that is based on a long-term appreciation of the value of celibacy, the beauty of celibacy and the importance of celibacy in the Western church, as it allows us to serve more easily God's people," McCarrick said.

Catholic priests must take a vow of celibacy, although the pope in 1980 allowed married Episcopal clergy to join the Catholic Church. Married priests are the norm among Eastern Rite Catholics in their homelands in eastern Europe and the Middle East.

In an interview in the Flemish-language magazine Knack published last week, Danneels touched on the problem of a sick, aging pope in view of the lack of provisions in church law to remove an incapacitated pope.

While he said he was against a fixed term limit, he said future popes will abdicate and "that will happen automatically."

"One cannot continue to bear the responsibility if you turn 90 or 100, no matter how well you're cared for. But the choice of the right moment must be the prerogative of the pope and that's how it will work," Danneels said.

New York Cardinal Edward Egan said Wednesday there was a need to draft provisions to deal with a sick pope, particularly now that modern medicine can prolong life. Egan helped draft the 1983 update of church law which said specific laws would be created to deal with the situation.

Current guidelines call for the College of Cardinals to step in should a pope become incapacitated.

"I do not know why they have not provided us with legislation in this regard," Egan told reporters. "I would say for any leadership, this is something that's going to have to be addressed, and of course it's not a crisis because it's a great blessing that the medical community has achieved what they have achieved."

Mahony, at a news conference, said only a small percentage of the cardinals are extreme right or extreme left, with most "somewhere in the center."

"I would not be surprised if you hear, from time to time, voices being raised, just asking questions," said the Los Angeles prelate, adding: "I think right now we are here to celebrate the Holy Father, and there will be ample time" to discuss other matters later.

Associated Press reporter Raf Casert in Brussels, Belgium, contributed to this report.