2/2
Pope Francis' great gift to the church, not just in AL but in his ministry of mercy, is to restore the Sacrament of Penance by making it possible for penitents and confessors to pray and discern in the context of the sacrament how God's mercy can be realized in this particular person, in these particular circumstances. If priests appropriate PF's wisdom and incorporate his teaching into their ministries, there will be a profound renewal in the church, the fruits of which may take another two or three generations to realize.
I don't for a second think that you described a hypothetical situation regarding the ministers in your church. They're living in the real world and making real decisions for themselves and their families. They have nothing to hide, nothing to be embarrassed about; and acknowledging their reality should not involve "letting it slip."
The church cannot be healthy, whole or holy while women and married men are excluded from any office or ministry in the church.