[Orual]

No comment until the final version is released.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Nothing like closing the barn door after the horse has already escaped.

[DoctorMichael]

............homosexual inclination as "objectively disordered"...........about bloody time.

...........Psychological methods...........Libs will have a field day protesting this form of 'profiling'.

[yendu bwam]

It received new and more urgent attention in the wake of U.S. clerical sex abuse cases, many of which involved homosexual acts.

Correction: the vast majority of which involved homosexual acts (against teenage boys)

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

A new document isn't needed. Just enforce the ban that was imposed in February of 1961.

[yendu bwam]

"The document's position (on admission of homosexuals to the priesthood) is negative, based in part on what the 'Catechism of the Catholic Church' says in its revised edition, that the homosexual orientation is 'objectively disordered,'" said one source.

Homosexuals, as the Catechism points out, are deserving (as is anyone) of the church's compassion and love. But homosexuality IS a serious disorder - it is not 'ordered' or 'normal' for men to desire to engage in sex with the rear ends of other men. The promiscuity of typical homosexual men is also highly disordered, and of course, the acts in which they engage have nothing to do with procreation. Such acts spread disease, create tensions among men (both heterosexual and homosexual), and raise disordered (and often filthy and disgusting) sexual acts to a high plane in the typical homosexual's life. Further, homosexual priests, even if chaste are subject to enormous temptations, as they live in the close company of other male priests, and are often put in charge of teenage boys - for whom they obviously have a (perverted) sexual attraction. It's high time to recognize that while we should love and have compassion for homosexuals, it's a really BAD idea to have people with a serious and sometimes dangerous sexual disorder as priests. Our sons and families have paid a huge price in ruined lives. Our lay people have paid a huge price in broken trust and suspicion. Let's have strong, virile (in the right way), normal men for priests.

[yendu bwam]

Many Vatican officials have privately voiced apprehension about over-reliance on psychological methods to screen candidates to the priesthood.

It's quite obvious that such methods have been frequently used by liberals and apostates and sexual dissenters in the Church to disallow good men who only wish to teach true Christianity. That such has occurred is really horrific - and has contributed mightily to the spread of active homosexuality in the preisthood, and to the thousands of teenage boy molestations. Such methods are powerful tools which have been used evilly by evil people.

[yendu bwam]

Father Baker said homosexuality was a "disordered attraction" that can "never 'image' God and never contribute to the good of the person or society." He cited potential difficulties for homosexual seminarians or priests; they included problems dealing with their tendencies in a largely heterosexual society, questions about adherence to church teachings, and possible temptations presented in male environments like the seminary or the priesthood.

This is diplo-speak, but it does hit some nails on the head. Basically, homosexuality, like premarital sex, drugs, etc. etc. is something from which no good, and often great evil comes.

[yendu bwam]

While some Vatican officials have expressed similar views, others are concerned that such an attempt to "weed out" candidates to the priesthood would rely too heavily on interpretive evaluations of an individual's sexuality.

OK. When a candidate for the priesthood goes to bed with a man, it's pretty clear that he's homosexual. When a candidate for the priesthood 'hits' on other men, it's pretty clear that he's a homosexual. When a candidate for the priesthood says that he sexually attracted to men, it's pretty clear that he's a homosexual. Yes, there is no clear way in some cases to tell, but where it is clear (in many, many cases), take action.

[Cicero]

This pope is a great man, but his one area of apparent failure has been his reluctance to enforce the rules. Another document will accomplish nothing unless the Vatican enforces it. Are they willing to fire bishops who continue to allow their seminaries to ordain gay priests while turning away normal candidates? I doubt it. Are these bishops going to change their ways because another document has been promulgated? I doubt it. Not when the know that the media would pound them mercilessly at the least hint of "homophobia."

The essence of the problem is the infidelity and weakness of many of the bishops, who permit open dissent and fear to provoke the secular media and the wrath of the politically correct.

Excommunication is not a popular word among Protestants, but it is what has been needed for some time. Public heretics like Frances Kissling, Charles Curran, and Fr. McBrien at Notre Dame need to be publicly excommunicated. And bishops who allow people like them to flourish publicly in their dioceses need, after due warning, to be removed from office and replaced by bishops who are loyal to the Magisterium and not afraid to follow Christ.

It's unlikely to happen. So whatever document they come up with will be consigned to the circular file just like Ex Corde Excclesiae.

Maybe Pope John Paul II knows that strict discipline would have provoked a revolt or schism, or some worse consequences than the tolerance that has been shown to dissent. It's not impossible, but it's hard to imagine. A whole generation of Catholic children have grown up deprived of the fullness of their faith, and that is the worst consequence of this inaction.

[johnb838]

Kudos to the Catholic Church. Like the Boy Scouts of America they are addressing the 'root cause' of the issue. This is the best news I've heard yet for the recovery of the church.