Bishop Johan Bonny prepares married men for priesthood

Bishop Johan Bonny has begun preparing married men for priestly ordination to address a shortage of clergy in the Diocese of Antwerp. The bishop told the Belgian newspaper La Libre Belgique that the diocese currently has fewer than 70 priests under the age of 70, and nearly two-thirds of them are from abroad.

The shortage has impacted specialized pastoral care, leaving the diocese without priests dedicated solely to schools, youth movements, or hospitals. Additionally, only one of the five prisons in the Antwerp province has a permanent chaplain. Bishop Bonny stated that while foreign priests are important, they do not solve the lack of local vocations.

In June, Bishop Bonny traveled to Rome to discuss the situation with Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy, and Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops. The bishop reported that both cardinals intended to present the matter to Pope Leo XIV. The Holy See has not yet announced a decision regarding the proposal to ordain married men.