A clergy group says that it hopes a landmark move to allow married priests could ‘set a precedent’ and lead to it being adopted in Ireland.
Details of the landmark move, which would shift a nearly 1,000-year-old restriction on the practice, emerged during the weekend.
A meeting at the Vatican decided that bishops in remote areas of South America could be allowed to be wed and also be priests.
Fr John Collins of the Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) said: “If the situation in the Amazon continues they will be facing a serious crisis because we’re talking about there being not enough priests to go around.
“And the [Amazon] synod in many ways is a microcosm of what will happen in many parts of the world.”
“It is clearly only happening in the Amazon region and not Europe, North America or any other region.
“But I would presume if a precedent in one area happens that it will become realistic in the rest of the Church. As we know the Church is universal.
“I’m not saying it’ll be introduced in Ireland anytime soon but we’re hopeful.”
The decision could lead to a landmark change in the Church’s centuries-old discipline of celibacy.
The proposal, made in a final document of a three-week assembly, known as a synod, passed by a vote of 128 in favour and 41 against.
But, despite the role of women being discussed only a handful of the fairer sex were present for the discussions and none of them were allowed to have a say.
Pope Francis, who has previously signalled openness on the marriage issue, will consider it along with many others on issues including the environment.
His approval would mean that remote areas of the Amazon would become a de facto experiment for the future of the Catholic Church.
The 82-year-old is expected to respond by the end of the year.
There is a shortage of priests in the region the proposal suggests with this move seen as a potential solution.
An ACP poll in 2012 revealed almost nine in 10 Irish Catholics priests wanted to be allowed to marry.
The clergy group has about 1,100 members – about 30% of the priests in Ireland.
Fr Collins insisted the proposal was a welcome development but stressed there “needs to be an awful lot more done”.
He said: “It’s encouraging. And for [three-quarters] of the synod to pass it is a wonderful thing.
“But we will see what the Pope will put into action.
“When we see what happens we can get a little bit excited.
“Some very good dialogue has taken place but it needs to include women.
“The reality is none of the women were given a vote and it’s extremely sad and that needs to change.
“It’s like giving a child soup and taking that soup away when it’s put into their mouth.”
If the proposal is passed it would allow Catholics in isolated areas to attend Mass and receive the sacraments more regularly.
At least 85% of Amazon villages cannot attend Mass every week and some cannot do so for years.
Conservatives oppose the change, fearing it would be a slippery slope leading to a married priesthood throughout the 1.3 billion member Church.
The document said that some bishops in the synod thought the issue of a married priesthood should be discussed on a universal basis.
