Posted on 09/19/2005 3:35:59 PM PDT by NYer
Vatican, Sep. 19 (CWNews.com) - Pope Benedict XVI has given his approval to a new Vatican policy document indicating that men with homosexual tendencies should not be ordained as Catholic priests.
The new document-- which was prepared by the Congregation for Catholic Education, in response to a request made by the late Pope John Paul II in 1994-- will be published soon. It will take the form of an "Instruction," signed by the prefect and secretary of the Congregation: Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski and Archbishop Michael Miller.
The text, which was approved by Pope Benedict at the end of August, says that homosexual men should not be admitted to seminaries even if they are celibate, because their condition suggests a serious personality disorder which detracts from their ability to serve as ministers.
Priests who have already been ordained, if they suffer from homosexual impulses, are strongly urged to renew their dedication to chastity, and a manner of life appropriate to the priesthood.
The Instruction does not represent a change in Church teaching or policy. Catholic leaders have consistently taught that homosexual men should not be ordained to the priesthood. Pope John XXIII approved a formal policy to that effect, which still remains in effect. However, during the 1970s and 1980s, that policy was widely ignored, particularly in North America. The resulting crisis in the priesthood-- in which one prominent American commentator observed that the priesthood was coming to be seen as a "gay" profession-- prompted Pope John Paul II to call for a new study on the question.
The Congregation for Catholic Education prepared the Instruction after soliciting advice from all of the world's bishops, from psychologists, and from moral theologians. A draft of the Instruction was then circulated among the Vatican dicasteries concerned with the issue, notably including the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
The pending release of the Instruction, in the face of certain criticism from liberal forces in America and Western Europe, demonstrates the determination of the Vatican to improve the quality of priestly ministry, and to protect the Church from some of the scandals that have recently shaken the Catholic community-- and no doubt deterred many men from entering priestly training.
Informed sources in Rome indicate that the Instruction probably will be made public after the Synod of Bishops, which meets in Rome from October 2 through 23.
In the case of a faithful struggling with temptations of the flesh, perhaps there is a point when self-mutilation becomes a lesser sin. Even then, the advice would be to ask God rather than a surgeon for help.
A priest, however, in addition to avoiding sin himself should be in a position to teach others. If he had to resort to self-mutilation to avoid sin, he is no priest material.
The point of celibacy is properly ordered sexuality, not denial of sexuality.
Scripture sets high qualifications for leaders within the church. We compromise them at our own peril.
"Okay, so we recieved this on opposite day, that means we should do the opposite of what it says."
I'm not sure of "he is no priest material". There was one Avvakum (born 1621-burned 1682, the founder of "old believers" in Russia, and a very interesting writer). He was counted as leading godly life, both during his lifetime and after his death. Well, he belonged to married clergy. Once, while he was receiving a confession, his flesh became excited - and he immediately put his hand in the candle flame and kept it there till his flesh calmed down. This and other similar acts gave him greater moral authority to place demands on his flock - for he treated himself worse than he treated them.
That was my thought, too, when I read that sentence.
But that is different, as Patriarch Avvakum kept his body intact, and administered a proper confession. Castration is not mortification of flesh -- it insults the Creator.
BRAVO! But they never should have been allowed in anyway.
Not only that, but to whom God has given much, God expects much in return.
His rank was Archpriest (monsignor, should we translate). As for keeping his body intact - he must have ended up with a serious burn. In his religious practice he routinely made use of corporal punishment as proper means of penance. And he actually considered that weakness to be a failing in himself, and repented it bitterly...
But again, mortification of the flesh is not a way to flee the temptation, but rather to defeat it. Mild forms of that are even encouraged, such as fasting. In contrast to any of that, castration offers no redemptive suffering.
**I wonder if U.S. bishops will respond to this.**
Of course, they will. Come will comply; others will defy.
I hate to be a party-pooper, but if this doesn't change church policy, and the previous policy barring homosexuals has been widely ignored... what's the point? The issue to date hasn't been church teaching or policy, it's been the will to enforce it.
Engineering Department is "Go for Full Scale Inquisition".
Oops.
Come will comply; others will defy.
Some will comply; others will defy.
Vatican to Check U.S. Seminaries on Gay Presence
POPE APPROVES BARRING GAY SEMINARIANS
"The text, which was approved by Pope Benedict at the end of August, says that homosexual men should not be admitted to seminaries even if they are celibate, because their condition suggests a serious personality disorder which detracts from their ability to serve as ministers."
I'm on board with that, but I don't see that, "Must not be admitted on pain of being burned at the stake," phrasing I was hoping for.
A "celebratory" ping!
The latest "ping"!
Should I get started on the cucumber sandwiches?
LOL... Good one. Well, I am confident that our pope knows that he is Papa.
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