Freedom of choice

French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen ditches her plan to ban the hijab. Yet I have been told that in some countries wearing a hijab is by personal choice, which is very fair to the people.

We should do exactly the same in another religion, Catholicism, with priests and make being celibate a personal choice, which would greatly reduce the substantial abuse of children worldwide by celibate priests.

It would be much kinder to Catholic families concerned for their child’s safety at school and church. Priests’ celibacy sadly has been mandatory for almost 1000 years. It is high time for freedom of choice on this by priests.

Just one example of this horrible tragedy is that 330,000 child victims of sex abuse were abused at the hands of 3000 priests and other church staff in just one country: France. Murray Hunter, Auckland