An Open Letter to the Bishops (CMA on same-sex attraction)

The Catholic Medical Association ^ | Wednesday, June 26, 2002 | CMA Task Force

[maryz]

I think parts of this letter to the bishops from the Catholic Medical Association have been quoted in other posts, but this is the first time I've seen the whole thing, and it is well worth reading through.

[livius]

Wow! It's great. I hadn't seen the whole thing before, either. Thanks for posting.

Unfortunately, I bet the kind of "counseling" popular with bishops has an entirely different objective. And that's the whole problem.

[Gophack]

Wow. This is a fabulous article, very well written and understandable, straight-forward. Thanks!

[Gophack]

On April 23, 2002 the Holy Father encouraged the American Cardinals: “We must be confident that this time of trial will bring a purification of the entire Catholic community, a purification that is urgently needed if the Church is to preach more effectively the Gospel of Jesus Christ in all its liberating force. Now you must ensure that where sin increased, grace will all the more abound (Romans 5: 20). So much pain, so much sorrow must lead to a holier priesthood, a holier episcopate, and a holier Church.”

Amen!

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

"They were unwilling to admit and address the profound emotional pain they experienced in childhood of loneliness, often in the father relationship, peer rejection, lack of male confidence, poor body image, sadness, and anger. This anger, which originated most often from disappointments and hurts with their peers and/or fathers, was often directed toward the Church, the Holy Father, and the religious authorities. Rejecting the Church’s teachings on sexual morality, these men for the most part adopted the utilitarian sexual ethic which the Holy Father so brilliantly critiqued in his book, Love and Responsibility. They came to see their own pleasure as the highest end and used others — including adolescents and children — as sexual objects."

Bingo!

[narses]

You're welcome.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

Thanks for the ping. Very good article. Now why can't we get guys like this screening seminary candidates?

[narses]

We could, we would. We aren't part of the "lavender mafia" that controls the seminary admissions process and they won't. Sadly.

[narses]

There has been a massive campaign to hide this information from the general public and from those who sincerely wish to be free from same-sex attraction. In 2000, Dr. Robert Spitzer of Columbia University, who had been instrumental in the removal from the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of homosexuality as a diagnosis in 1973, was challenged by men and women healed of their same sex attractions that change is possible. Spitzer interviewed 200 men and women claiming to have achieved significant change and found that 60% of the males whom he studied identified themselves as heterosexual 5 years after their treatment ended. Most of those who were successful also participated in faith based support programs.

This is so true.

[ELS]

The Bishops, individually and collectively, should develop screening protocols which will identify men who may pose a risk to others and who cannot live the chaste celibacy required of a priest. This is essential to protect the Church and her children from further pain, sorrow and future scandals.

Sage advice. The cynic in me thinks most bishops won't follow it. The optimist in me hopes most (some?) bishops will follow it.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

As the revelations of abuse have become public it has become increasingly clear that almost all the victims are adolescent males, not prepubescent boys. The problem of priests with same-sex attractions (SSA) molesting adolescents or children must be addressed if future scandals are to be avoided.

If the media stops being politically correct and admits the problem is one of "same-sex attraction to adolescent males," progress will be made.

[maryz]

Unfortunately, I bet the kind of "counseling" popular with bishops has an entirely different objective. And that's the whole problem.

Aint' that the truth!

BTW, I didn't post it (I wish I had!) -- narses did, I just pinged those I thought would be interested.

[maryz]

Spitzer interviewed 200 men and women claiming to have achieved significant change and found that 60% of the males whom he studied identified themselves as heterosexual 5 years after their treatment ended.

Spitzer is apparently an honest man!

[maryz]

If the media stops being politically correct and admits the problem is one of "same-sex attraction to adolescent males," progress will be made.

And "If wishes were horses, . . ."

If the bishops would stop being politically correct, it wouldn't matter so much what the media did (much as we owe them for bringing the situation to light, even if they persist in distorting perceptions of the cause).

[maryz]

Some of these problems, such as pathological narcissism and borderline personality disorder are very difficult to treat.

Sounds practically word for word like some of the reports on Geoghan.

[maryz]

Additionally, men with SSA are more likely to suffer from substance abuse problems, sexual paraphilias, and sexual addiction.

Shanley?

[ThomasMore]

Bookmarked for later reading Bump!

[ninenot]

I believe that CMA made only one error: they allow for the possibility of admitting homosexuals to the priesthood, as long as they are 'undergoing' or 'have undergone' treatment.

In my opinion, this is a risk the Church should not take, period. There is the potential of scandal; the potential of criminal activity; and the potential of financial damage (awards being paid.)

'Tis better to use the Roman proscription of homosexuals, period.

[sitetest]

Dear ninenot,

"I believe that CMA made only one error: they allow for the possibility of admitting homosexuals to the priesthood, as long as they are 'undergoing' or 'have undergone' treatment."

I think what the authors are saying here is that a person suffering from SSA (often called a homosexual) can be cured of the affliction. Thus, men who are subsequently cured are no longer homosexual. The authors specifically state that those still undergoing treatment ought to be precluded.

There may be those who say something like, "Once a homosexual, always a homosexual," but then their difference is with the CMA's conclusion that homosexuality can be cured at all, not with the recommendation that a former homosexual could possibly be reconsidered as a candidate for the priesthood.

The authors also state that a successfully-treated applicant must have observed five years of sexual abstinence before being admitted to the seminary.

I think that the recommendations here actually match the Roman proscription of ordaining homosexual men.

sitetest