New Rules Affirm Pope Benedict's Stance Against Gays

Washington Post ^ | October 8, 2005 | Daniel Williams

[NYer]

ROME, Oct. 8 -- In the first five months of Pope Benedict XVI's reign, stern opposition to homosexuality in and outside the Roman Catholic Church has quickly become a prime public message for the Vatican.

The new pontiff plans to issue guidelines that attempt to inhibit homosexuals from entering seminaries to train for the priesthood. Church inspectors have embarked on a tour of U.S. seminaries and, according to their working papers, are tasked to ask: "Is there evidence of homosexuality in the seminary? (This question must be answered.)"

[onyx]

On the same day, Benedict himself spoke up: "The inalienable value of matrimony and the family cannot be equated or jumbled up with other forms of human unions," he said at Castel Gandolfo, a papal retreat near Rome.





We are truly blessed to have this Pope.

[NYer]

Two years ago, when he headed the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Benedict attacked homosexual unions as a misrepresentation of marriage. In a document entitled "Considerations on Projects of Legal Recognition of Unions between Homosexual Persons," he wrote that "within homosexual unions, the biological and anthropological elements of matrimony and the family, on which foundations for legal recognition of such unions could be reasonably laid, are totally absent."

The document stated that among the missing elements are a "conjugal dimension" for "transmission of life."

Note to The Washington Post: The pope is Catholic. He answers to a Higher Authority.

[bourbon]

We are truly blessed to have this Pope.

absolutely!

[little jeremiah]

Later pingout!

[Victoria Delsoul]

"No doctrinal chief has ever written and spoken about homosexuality as extensively as Ratzinger has, because homosexuals have never had the freedom to organize and demand recognition they enjoy today," wrote author John L. Allen Jr. in a biography of Benedict, published before he became pope.

His papacy's early focus on homosexuality is a reaction to outside events, some analysts have said: the spread of so-called civil unions or marriage rights to same-sex couples, and the disclosure of sexual abuse by priests. Vatican officials have largely blamed the abuse on homosexuality.

"Given that the church is in the world, action in political life to increase public recognition of homosexual relations is bound to mean more church activity in response," said Rome-based theologian Robert A. Gahl. "Such liberalizing trends in the outside world have also intruded in the seminary, and the church must respond as well."

Excellent! I'm also glad the Pope has opposed to grant legal status to homosexual marriage in Italy.

[xzins]

ping

[Dr. Eckleburg]

The title here is misleading and obscures this from the WP article:

"On Friday, the Corriere della Sera newspaper reported that the new rules will permit homosexuals to enter the priesthood so long as they have been celibate for three years and don't keep in touch with homosexual society via the Internet or movies. One Vatican official confirmed the basics of the article, but added that the document would also insist that aspiring priests not participate in gay solidarity events, such as parades and seminars that treat homosexuality in a "positive way."

Too bad. God protect the children.

[Campion]

An article in a secular Italian newspaper and a "confirmation" by an anonymous "Vatican official" doesn't mean much. Wait for the real document.

[marshmallow]

If the Corriere della Serra story is correct, then the homosexuals have won. At least for now.

The supposed criteria are unpoliceable and unverifiable and as such, they will simply perpetuate the current troubles brought about by ordaining homosexuals. Who's to say if somebody has been celibate for 3 years or not?

If the Church believes what she teaches about homosexuality, i.e. that it is intrinsically disorded, then I'm at a loss to see how it can condone the ordination of those who possess this disorder. The Church will be saying "OK, you have a sickness, but if we think you can keep a lid on it and within certain boundaries then we'll ordain you." A real risk and a recipe for disaster. It's perfectly true that homosexuals should be treated with respect and love but that doesn't mean that they ought to be admitted to Holy Orders.

There are other routine standards which need to be met in order to be accepted into the seminary, including good physical health and a certain level of academic aptitude. Will these be relaxed also?

I sure hope this report is untrue.

[Salvation]

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
Pope bans homosexuals from ordination as priests
Questions Arise Over Seminary Inspections
New Vatican Rule Said to Bar Gays as New Priests

New Vatican Rule Said to Bar Gays as New Priests (ABOUT TIME)
VATICAN: HOMOSEXUALS ARE NOT TO BE ORDAINED AS CATHOLIC PRIESTS
Homosexuals in the seminary; A Global Church in a Globalized World
Gay Men Ponder Impact of (Anti-Gay Clergy)Proposal by Vatican(Barf Alert)
Aquinas Seminary is First for Scrutiny

Vatican Begins Inspections At St. Louis Seminary (Rector: No homosexuality-pedophilia link)
The Sins of the Seminaries
Notre Dame Experts React to Potential Seminary Rules
Seminary Reviews Not Just About Homosexuality, Says Prelate
Jesuit Official Rips Expected Ban on Gays

Jesuit Official Rips Expected Ban on Gays
Jesuit official protesting expected Vatican ban on gay priests
A Catholic Moment of Truth
Gay Catholics Angry Over Seminary Searches
New Rules Affirm Pope Benedict's Stance Against Gays

[tuesday afternoon]

Huh. I agree with you. Let's wait for the real document.