Posted on 11/30/2005 6:59:21 AM PST by sidewalk
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany has criteria to address issues raised and meet the requirements in the Vatican "Instruction " on the admission of homosexual candidates to the seminary and priesthood.
Bishop Howard J. Hubbard made the remarks Tuesday in response to the Vatican’s official release of the "Instruction" document on gays in the clergy.
In its document, the Vatican said men with "deep-seated " homosexual tendencies should not be ordained, but those with a "transitory problem" could be if they had overcome the tendencies for three years.
In his one-page written response, Hubbard said "issues of sexual orientation and sexual history are addressed directly as part of the process of admission and ongoing formation, and only those individuals who have integrated their sexual identity with all aspects of their personality and who have demonstrated a clear ability to live a celibate life are called to ordained ministry."
Hubbard said all prospective candidates for the priesthood are expected to be "prepared intellectually, emotionally and spiritually to lead a celibate life and to have demonstrated an ability to fulfill this commitment."
"Currently we require a fiveyear period of celibate living prior to diaconal ordination — two more than the Instruction requires."
In the past and today, priests with a homosexual orientation have exercised their priestly ministry in a "chaste, faithful and pastorally effective manner," said Hubbard, with no further clarification.
When an individual is going through the process of being ordained in the Albany diocese, there are discussions about his sexual orientation.
"At some point in time and on more than one occasion, there are discussions about celibacy and how the person has dealt with it," said diocese spokesman Kenneth Goldfarb. "I don’t know how specifically it comes up."
The diocese did not have a breakdown on how many of its priests are homosexuals.
Bump for NYer.
>> "Currently we require a fiveyear period of celibate living prior to diaconal ordination — two more than the Instruction requires." <<
Mr. Hubbard does not read very well. The three-year limit mentioned in the directive is not for celibacy; it's for transitory homosexual leanings. No-one who has ever practiced homosexuality should EVER be considered for the priesthood. I also notice Mr. Hubbard seems to ignore any distinction between homosexuality and heterosexuality at all.
>> When an individual is going through the process of being ordained in the Albany diocese, there are discussions about his sexual orientation... "At some point in time and on more than one occasion, there are discussions about celibacy and how the person has dealt with it," said diocese spokesman Kenneth Goldfarb. "I don’t know how specifically it comes up." <<
Again, the diocese seems to think chaste homosexuals are acceptable. (And probably also equates chastity to mere abstinence.) They don't see capable of understanding that the Catholic Church has accepted the Rule of the Bruces:
"...And no Poofters!"
Translation from Hubbardese:-
".....those who have already decided they are poofters but have no intention of getting married...."
>> "Currently we require a fiveyear period of celibate living prior to diaconal ordination — two more than the Instruction requires."... In the past and today, priests with a homosexual orientation have exercised their priestly ministry in a "chaste, faithful and pastorally effective manner." <<
Also, notice how in one stroke, Hubbard claims that they are going beyond the requirements of the no-gay rule, and in the next asserts a knowledge of gays.
**In his one-page written response, Hubbard said **
Do you have a copy of this from the Albany diocese's website? Would be interesting to see if Hubbard twists in the wind with his actual words.
**"Currently we require a fiveyear period of celibate living prior to diaconal ordination — two more than the Instruction requires."**
Hmmmm.
From the article: "...only those individuals who have integrated their sexual identity with all aspects of their personality and who have demonstrated a clear ability to live a celibate life are called to ordained ministry."
Hubbard said all prospective candidates for the priesthood are expected to be "prepared intellectually, emotionally and spiritually to lead a celibate life and to have demonstrated an ability to fulfill this commitment."
"Currently we require a five year period of celibate living prior to diaconal ordination — two more than the Instruction requires."
First of all, "integrated their sexuality with all aspects of their personality"
is Amchurch gobbledegook and good old fashioned psychobabble.
These words have also been used to justify admission of homosexual men to seminaries all over America. Michael Rose and many others have documented this ad nauseam.
Militant gays insist that their sexuality is "integrated", and most psychologists employed by diocesan vocation boards also insist that homosexual men are for the most part normal and healthy individuals who have "integrated their sexuality with all aspects of their personality." Hubbard is simply using coded words that say nothing.
Homosexual men admitted to the seminary are also "prepared intellectually, emotionally and spiritually to lead a celibate life and to have demonstrated an ability to fulfill this commitment."
"Celibacy" in the strict sense of the word is the promise NOT TO MARRY.
"Chastity" is the proper use of one's sexuality according to his state in life.
For unmarried persons, this means continence.
Homosexual men do not wish to marry women, so they are quite prepared to lead a "celibate" life. But continence is another matter!
They also very easily fulfill Bishop Hubbard's "five year period of celibate living before diaconal ordination", since marriage is the last thing on their minds.
Am I parsing his words too much?
later pingout.
I'm biting my tongue!
I can see why you went to the Maronite Rite and placed yourself under the authority of a totally different bishop. This Hubbard character is slicker than an oiled eel!
It is not possible to parse Hubbard's words too much. He's as slick as Clinton with the language. And that comes from someone who grew up in the diocese and was even confirmed by him.
NYer, I'm biting my tongue on Hubbard, too.
Knowing him, it is no wonder he's been stuck as Bishop of Albany for more than 25 years without getting a promotion of any kind. He was the youngest bishop in the U.S. when he first rose to that rank back in the '70s. Thank goodness that JPII and BXVI were around to block him from advancing further.
I wonder if the Vatican doesn't have a master-strategy at wrk here. To wit: let the bishops mangle the new requirements a la Hubbard, and then, maybe a year or two down the road, produce the evidence that bishops and their seminaries have *no intention* of following the directives, with the end-game benefit that the Vatican can now *absolutely prohibit* gays and those with homosexual tendencies from the seminaries, on the grounds that the bishops are acting in bad faith, and direct, overriding control from the Vatican is needed.
If the Vatican had a "no exceptions" policy now, there'd be immense foot-dragging and non-compliance, and, unless heads would *really* roll, they'd be reduced to sputtering threats. But, if this is a set-up for a future hard-line approach, they might let the bishops hang themselves, and then be able to grab the reins with *much* less guff from the hustings, since there is a track record of ineptitude and malevolence that Rome can point to.
So I hope. So I pray.
He must have a different instruction.
The one which I read says nothing about a three year period of "celibate living".
It does say that those who may have been afflicted with transitory homosexual tendencies must have been free of these for 3 years, but that goes much further than remaining celibate. A man can be a raging font of homosexual desires but still celibate due to want of opportunity or other reasons.
In other words, Hubbard is saying it's "business as usual", boys.
A priest of the Albany diocese once told me (jokingly, but definitely making a point) that "homosexuality isn't an obstacle to being ordained in the Albany diocese, it's a requirement!"
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.