Two Catholic priests suspended after publishing a book on celibacy

The book also comments on sexual abuse within the Church.

Michal Lajcha serves a mass in a church in Kľak.Michal Lajcha serves a mass in a church in Kľak. (Source: AP/TASR)

Should Catholic priests be allowed to have a wife and a family? Two Slovak priests argue in their book that celibacy should be voluntary. They ended up suspended from their functions.

The suspension came for both authors of the book, The Tragedy of Celibacy - Dead Wife, Michal Lajcha and Peter Luciano Baláž, after the book was published. In the book, they branded celibacy the wound of the Catholic Church that has been festering for eight centuries.

SkryťTurn off ads
Article continues after video advertisement
SkryťTurn off ads
Article continues after video advertisement

“The Church doesn’t ordain married men,” said Michal Lajcha, one of the authors of the book, as quoted by the public-service RTVS. “Our book doesn’t fight against celibacy, but for enabling married man to be ordained. This, in fact, means voluntary celibacy.”

SkryťTurn off ads
Read also: Bishop denies misconduct allegations Read more 

At the same time, the authors are critical of the sex abuse scandals in the Catholic Church, saying that celibacy is one of the reasons behind them. The discussion about celibacy and the subsequent reaction of the Catholic Church came around the same time as the latest report about sexual abuse in the Catholic Church was published in Germany by Cardinal Reinhard Marx.

Priests want to continue

Lajcha, who served in the central Slovak villages of Kľak, Ostrý Grúň and Hrabičov, did not look like your typical Catholic priest.

The rest of this article is premium content at Spectator.sk
Subscribe now for full access

I already have subscription - Sign in

Subscription provides you with:
  • Immediate access to all locked articles (premium content) on Spectator.sk
  • Special weekly news summary + an audio recording with a weekly news summary to listen to at your convenience (received on a weekly basis directly to your e-mail)
  • PDF version of the latest issue of our newspaper, The Slovak Spectator, emailed directly to you
  • Access to all premium content on Sme.sk and Korzar.sk

Top stories

A Slovak citizen got his possessions frozen over sanctions - he attempted an arms deal for Russia. (Illustrative photo)

News digest: Slovak citizen is accused of involvement in attempted Russian arms deals

Heger goes to Ukraine, virtual reality resurrects a Roman camp. and AI is taking over – or is it?


8 h
Volkswagen will make all-electric versions of the Porsche Cayenne luxury SUV.

News Digest: Volkswagen Slovakia to produce all-electric luxury SUV

LGBT+ minority could face new difficulties, a suspect is charged in the Daniel Tupý murder case.


24. mar
Filip Toška holding chard in the hydroponic Hausnatura farm.

How a Mayan doomsday prophecy took a Slovak to hi-tech agriculture

Hydroponic farm run out of former telephone exchange.


9. mar
Easter egg decorations from Stará Bystrica.

Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners

Tips for the top 10 events in the capital between March 31 and April 9, plus regular services in different languages, training, temporary exhibitions, classical music and highlights of the year.


30. mar
SkryťClose ad