Few things were as countercultural as The First Modern Pope’s bold statement in 1967. Then, amid the sexual revolution that was gaining momentum across the western world, Paul VI reaffirmed the practice of priestly celibacy in his encyclical letter On Priestly Celibacy. Needless to say, the instruction met strong opposition from all camps.

Despite frequent calls for revision of this stance, the Church’s position remains unequivocal: prior to being ordained deacon, the candidate is to publically assume before God and…