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POPE APPROVES BARRING GAY SEMINARIANS
EWTN ^ | September 19, 2005

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.


TOPICS: Activism; Apologetics; Catholic; Current Events; General Discusssion; Ministry/Outreach; Moral Issues; Religion & Culture; Theology; Worship
KEYWORDS: cathoic; gay; homosexual; homosexualagenda; inquisitorsneeded; pope; ruleone; seminary; toolittletoolate; torquemadaclub; vatican
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To: GSlob

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.


21 posted on 09/19/2005 4:27:50 PM PDT by annalex
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To: DBeers

Scripture sets high qualifications for leaders within the church. We compromise them at our own peril.


22 posted on 09/19/2005 4:33:05 PM PDT by The Ghost of FReepers Past ("Let the wicked man forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord" Is 55:7)
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To: ninenot

"Okay, so we recieved this on opposite day, that means we should do the opposite of what it says."


23 posted on 09/19/2005 4:34:34 PM PDT by nickcarraway (I'm Only Alive, Because a Judge Hasn't Ruled I Should Die...)
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To: annalex

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.


24 posted on 09/19/2005 4:42:33 PM PDT by GSlob
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To: sandyeggo
The wheels turn slowly, don't they?

That was my thought, too, when I read that sentence.

25 posted on 09/19/2005 4:45:32 PM PDT by ELS (Vivat Benedictus XVI!)
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To: GSlob

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.


26 posted on 09/19/2005 4:48:16 PM PDT by annalex
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To: NYer


BRAVO! But they never should have been allowed in anyway.


27 posted on 09/19/2005 4:49:05 PM PDT by onyx (North is a direction. South is a way of life.)
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To: The Ghost of FReepers Past
Scripture sets high qualifications for leaders within the church. We compromise them at our own peril.

Not only that, but to whom God has given much, God expects much in return.

28 posted on 09/19/2005 4:52:21 PM PDT by ELS (Vivat Benedictus XVI!)
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To: annalex

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...


29 posted on 09/19/2005 4:54:56 PM PDT by GSlob
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To: GSlob

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.


30 posted on 09/19/2005 4:59:34 PM PDT by annalex
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To: nickcarraway

**I wonder if U.S. bishops will respond to this.**

Of course, they will. Come will comply; others will defy.


31 posted on 09/19/2005 5:15:23 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: NYer

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.


32 posted on 09/19/2005 5:22:57 PM PDT by Juana la Loca
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To: Frank Sheed

Engineering Department is "Go for Full Scale Inquisition".


33 posted on 09/19/2005 5:25:07 PM PDT by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilisation is aborting, buggering, and contracepting itself out of existence.)
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To: Salvation

Oops.

Come will comply; others will defy.

Some will comply; others will defy.


34 posted on 09/19/2005 5:33:37 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
Vatican to Start U.S. Seminary Evaluations
Apostolic Seminary Visitation To Begin This Fall
U.S. Bishops to Begin Inspecting Seminaries
Prelate Says Gays Shouldn't Be Ordained
American overseeing Vatican evaluation of US seminaries says gays should not be ordained

Vatican to Check U.S. Seminaries on Gay Presence
POPE APPROVES BARRING GAY SEMINARIANS

35 posted on 09/19/2005 5:35:04 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: NYer

"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.


36 posted on 09/19/2005 5:41:32 PM PDT by dsc
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To: little jeremiah

A "celebratory" ping!


37 posted on 09/19/2005 6:07:45 PM PDT by NYer
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To: remus4

The latest "ping"!


38 posted on 09/19/2005 6:10:39 PM PDT by NYer
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To: ninenot

Should I get started on the cucumber sandwiches?


39 posted on 09/19/2005 6:12:52 PM PDT by Desdemona (Music Librarian and provider of cucumber sandwiches, TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary. Hats required.)
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To: nickcarraway
How uncollegial of him. I wonder if U.S. bishops will respond to this.

LOL... Good one. Well, I am confident that our pope knows that he is Papa.

40 posted on 09/19/2005 6:14:34 PM PDT by Barnacle (Free Republic; The modern equivalent of the ham radio... on steroids.)
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