Vatican prepares draft directives against admitting gays as priests

Catholic News Service ^ | October 8, 2002 | John Thavis

[NYer]

I pray that this will be signed and enacted during this pope's reign.

[NYer]

Father Baker said that if a man has a predominant or exclusive same-sex attraction that in itself is grounds for bishops to have "a prudent doubt regarding the candidate's suitability" for receiving the sacrament of orders.

Yes, but what about the homosexual bishops who are mandated to follow these norms?

[yendu bwam]

Yes, but what about the homosexual bishops who are mandated to follow these norms?

It will be up to the Pope not to choose homosexual men for bishops in the future.

[Desdemona]

One thing that bugs me about this is that the language is not strong. "Should" does not adequately replace "will" and "must", etc.

I'm glad that psychology is finally getting the criticism it deserves, but the norms need to be stated more emphatically. It's a little too fuzzy, touchy-feely. There is a level between this and outright hellfire and brimstone.

[NYer]

The media will have a hey day with this once word gets out! Expect to see ACT UP members picketing catholic churches, diocesan offices and schools across the US.

[Romulus]

Expect to see ACT UP members picketing catholic churches, ...

Bring it on!

[yendu bwam]

The media will have a hey day with this once word gets out! Expect to see ACT UP members picketing catholic churches, diocesan offices and schools across the US.

Well, I've been through the attack-the-Boy Scouts thing. After a while, people aren't intimidated anymore.

[yendu bwam]

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.

[Romulus]

Maybe I don't understand the players as well as I thought, but I'm surprised to see the Congregation for the Clergy not mentioned here as an active participant in the drafting of this document.

[Askel5]

Splendid ... how best to support these folks?

[NYer]

I'm surprised to see the Congregation for the Clergy not mentioned here as an active participant

Perhaps this is due to the large number of homosexual priests AND bishops/cardinals. Should this draft become a directive, it will raise serious questions about those homosexuals who have already been ordained. And .... there are many!

[american colleen]

Yes, but what about the homosexual bishops who are mandated to follow these norms?

Or the heterosexual ones, like Thomas Gumbleton, who believe homosexuals should be ordained? He's very vocal about it.

[american colleen]

Bring it on!

I'm ready!

[Steve0113]

Bring it on!

I would really enjoy that. Just be sure to wear goggles and rubber gloves -- who knows what they might try.

[NYer]

Just be sure to wear goggles and rubber gloves

Absolutely! They created quite a mess when they stormed St. Patrick's Cathedral, tossing condoms at the parishioners and deficating on statues. 111 protesters were arrested that day ... and returned 10 years later to celebrate the 10th anniversary of that infamous event. Here's a sample of their work ...

[Domestic Church]

Good point on the wording...should not has wiggle room for the doubting Bishops...can not or will not is a tighter fit.

[Steve0113]

That's just charming.

[Romulus]

how best to support these folks?

Perhaps via a polite but pointed petition to one's local ordinary that this ruling (its meaning pre-interpreted by the Holy Father's warning last month to the Brazilian bishops not to ordain men with "affective disorders") be implemented with all deliberate speed, in a spirit consistent with:

1. the 1961 Document, "Careful Selection and Training of Candidates for the States of Perfection and Sacred Orders" (as promulgated by the Vatican's Sacred Congregation for Religious on February 2, 1961);

2. Pope Paul VI's encyclical Sacerdotalis Caelibatus ("On Priestly Celibacy"), and

3. the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith's message of October 1, 1986, entitled "Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons."

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

Vatican

[NYer]

Yes, he posted it to the News Forum. Polycarp duplicated it to the News Forum as well. Guess we're all so excited!! I did a search of the Religion forum pre post.