Life of Guangzhou - Pope Bars Marriage for Priests

The Vatican categorically closed the door on marriage for priests yesterday in a long-awaited document which also reaffirmed the Roman Catholic Church's opposition to gay marriage, abortion and euthanasia.

In a 140-page "Apostolic Exhortation," the Pope said that all believers had to defend what he called fundamental values. He called on Catholic politicians to honour their moral duty to uphold the Church's beliefs.

He said such values included "respect for human life, its defence from conception to natural death, the family built on marriage between a man and a woman, the freedom to educate one's children and the promotion of the common good in all its forms".

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"These values are not negotiable," he said.

"Consequently, Catholic politicians and legislators, conscious of their grave responsibility before society, must feel particularly bound, on the basis of a properly formed conscience, to introduce laws inspired by values grounded in human nature," he said. The Pope also reaffirmed the Church's law on celibacy in an all male-priesthood, calling it "a priceless treasure".

Liberal Catholic groups have called for celibacy to become optional for priests, saying this would help ease the shortage in many areas.

The Pope re-affirmed that Catholics who divorced and remarried could not receive communion. The Church does not recognise divorce.

In another section, the Pope said he wanted to see more Latin and more Gregorian chant in services.