Pope Opens Amazon Synod Amid Controversy Over Proposal To Allow Married Priests
Even before the synod began, traditionalists were angered by the suggestion that, to offset a shortage of priests in the Amazon, married men might be ordained to serve in remote communities.
On Sunday, Pope Francis opened a three-week bishops' assembly known as a synod, denouncing contemporary forms of colonialism and urging conservatives to be open to change.
The Synod of Bishops for the Pan-Amazon Region, held at the Vatican, is focusing on the environment and indigenous peoples' rights to their land and traditions. In addition to 185 bishops, mostly from the Amazon region, participants include scientists and environmentalists.
Another issue is how to strengthen Roman Catholicism in a region where evangelical churches are gaining a foothold.
But even before it started, the synod had angered Catholic traditionalists — particularly the suggestion that, to offset a shortage
