What kind of response have you received from parishioners?

Ninety-nine-point-nine percent supportive. For most people the issue is, "Duh? What's the problem?" Most people say, "What are the bishops waiting for?" We're promoting optional celibacy. We respect celibacy. Those who would like to enter the priesthood as celibate are welcome. We're not trying to rule it out; we're trying to make it optional.

There has been a mind change over the years, especially with the priest shortage. Here in the Milwaukee archdiocese, we speculate in 12 years, we're going to lose 50 percent of our priests. Now we're not naive enough to think that if the pope were to allow married priests tomorrow that we'd have a whole glut of priests. I don't think that would happen. But I think we'd have a few more, and the priests that are now leaving to get married would stay. We want to attract more candidates, and we want to get back the priests who are leaving. There were two priests in Milwaukee within the last six months who said they decided to leave because they wanted to get married. And they're good priests. Good young guys.

Some would suggest that that simply shows a lack of commitment on their part.

Yeah, you can speculate. But it comes to a breaking point.

So other American priests support you?

Before our petition hit the news, we had 160 priests behind us who already signed the letter, so that speaks for itself. Since we sent the packet of letters to Bishop Gregory, six more have signed, and there's a couple more pending. Now I'm getting calls from around the country and letters supporting our effort. I had a call from Illinois this morning. I got one call from a man in Phoenix who was totally opposed to what we're doing, but that was the only [negative] call that I got.

You must be thrilled that other groups are sprouting up around the country.

I never envisioned it. I'm not a real, what do you call it, expansive thinker. When we did this, and I'm not pulling your leg, I was hoping it would get 3 inches of print maybe in the metro section of our morning paper on page 5. I never dreamt that this would catch fire. But I attribute this to the work of the Spirit. This is not our effort anymore. We're just a couple little pumpkins here. There is a bigger force behind this than the three of us.

There's been a lot made of recent problems with sexual abuse in the priesthood. Sometimes people raise the question as to whether the requirement for celibacy is related to that. Do you think making celibacy optional could help?

I do not believe there is a connection. Sexual abuse of children is not related to one's celibacy or one's sexual life. The percentage of people who sexually abuse minors is just about the same for priests as for dads. Child abuse is not a sexual inclination; it's more of a disease. Even though everybody wants to make one, I don't believe there's a connection. It never entered our minds.

Would you consider proposing opening the priesthood to women?

We're not going there. Because according to our Holy Father [the pope] we cannot discuss that issue.

So you aren't exactly radical.

Not at all. In fact, I'm generally described as middle of the road.

Do you think this debate could lead to a schism similar to the one that the Episcopal Church may now face since they made a gay priest bishop?

No, because most people are in favor of it. National surveys [conducted by the Catholic University of America] show that over 50 percent of priests, maybe more, are in favor of optional celibacy. The only reason we didn't get 50 percent on our petition is that we were not anonymous.

What do you think it's going to take for priests to feel more comfortable speaking out on this?

Courage. The more priests who have the courage to speak out, the more who will get courage. The three of us speaking out -- that wouldn't have made a difference. But the fact that we now have 169 [from the Milwaukee area], that's starting to be noticed.

Was it a difficult decision for you to attach your name to the issue?

Yes. It's one thing to talk about it, but it's a whole other ballgame to put your name on the line and send it to the bishops of the country. But I just love our church, and it just pains me that people cannot have the Eucharist every Sunday. I just felt that somebody had to start talking. It's a sacrifice, but I'm willing to make it. If I get my head cut off, so be it.

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