Can/Should a homosexual become a religious brother/sister?

  • Thread starter Thread starter PluniaZ
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
The document you cited states that:

The church…cannot admit to the seminary or to holy orders those who PRACTISE homosexuality, present DEEP-SEATED homosexual tendencies, or SUPPORT the so-called ‘gay culture’

That does not mean that men who experienced some form of attraction to other men in their lifetime can’t be priests or brothers, it means they can’t be actively engaged in or promoting sinful behavior, i.e. not celibate.
 
Stephen_says said:
The document you cited states that:

The church…cannot admit to the seminary or to holy orders those who PRACTISE homosexuality, present DEEP-SEATED homosexual tendencies, or SUPPORT the so-called ‘gay culture’

That does not mean that men who experienced some form of attraction to other men in their lifetime can’t be priests or brothers, it means they can’t be actively engaged in or promoting sinful behavior, i.e. not celibate.
Click to expand...
Hopefully this answers the thread without a rehash of stuff that is rehashed constantly.
 
PluniaZ said:
The Vatican recently confirmed that homosexuals cannot be admitted to the priesthood:

clerus.va/content/dam/clerus/Ratio%20Fundamentalis/The%20Gift%20of%20the%20Priestly%20Vocation.pdf

However, it only refers to admission to “holy orders.” Being a brother or sister in a religious order is not a holy order, from what I understand. Does anyone know the church’s view on a homosexual living in a religious community as a celibate brother or sister?
Click to expand...
Pretty much the same. Why? First, how practical is it to put a homosexual man or woman in a community consisting of no one but people to whom they might be attracted? There’s a readin certain institutions are seoarated by sex.

But more importantly, homosexuals are not making the same great sacrifice when they enter a state of celibacy, as they ought not to be acting on their attractions.
 
I would contact your diocese. Or I would contact the organization you, or others, may be interested in.

Ed
 
St_Francis said:
Pretty much the same. Why? First, how practical is it to put a homosexual man or woman in a community consisting of no one but people to whom they might be attracted? There’s a readin certain institutions are seoarated by sex.

But more importantly, homosexuals are not making the same great sacrifice when they enter a state of celibacy, as they ought not to be acting on their attractions.
Click to expand...
This makes a lot of sense. Living in community with people you are attracted to would be the near occasion of sin, whereas the whole point of a religious community is to remove its members from the near occasion of sin.

At the same time, this means those with homosexual tendencies are stuck in pretty much isolated lives, without family or close community. May Our Lady pray for them to receive the grace they need to make it through this difficult trial.
 
PluniaZ said:
This makes a lot of sense. Living in community with people you are attracted to would be the near occasion of sin, whereas the whole point of a religious community is to remove its members from the near occasion of sin.

At the same time, this means those with homosexual tendencies are stuck in pretty much isolated lives, without family or close community. May Our Lady pray for them to receive the grace they need to make it through this difficult trial.
Click to expand...
I don’t think that your conclusion is accurate. Lots of people form “communities” of friends, lots comment that their friends are closer than their families of origin. Just because people are not married or in a religious community doesn’t mean they are doomed to isolation.
 
Probably should not until they can say about their journey “at one time I had same sex attraction” with “at one time” being years ago and in the interim having worked through a lot of whatever it is they need to work through.

That said, there are many communities who would welcome them while experiencing ssa.
 
St_Francis said:
I don’t think that your conclusion is accurate. Lots of people form “communities” of friends, lots comment that their friends are closer than their families of origin. Just because people are not married or in a religious community doesn’t mean they are doomed to isolation.
Click to expand...
Anecdotes about people with tons of friends aside, a celibate homosexual who is trying to be a devout practicing Catholic faces a lot of obstacles in overcoming a life of loneliness and isolation. Families tend to be friends with other families, and avoid people with unnatural sexual inclinations, which is fine. And celibate Catholic homosexuals can’t exactly foster close friendships with other celibate Catholic homosexuals, because that is the near occasion of sin. Maybe if you’re a kid in school or just out of school it’s easy to make lots of friends regardless of your orientation, but most working adults don’t spend their non-working hours making new friends.

Just something to keep in mind as we are asking Our Lady to intercede for the Church and its members.
 
I think it’s a shame there aren’t lay communities for people that don’t fit well with parishes but also aren’t suited to the religious life. It can be a lonely place.
 
ConfusedLucy said:
I think it’s a shame there aren’t lay communities for people that don’t fit well with parishes but also aren’t suited to the religious life. It can be a lonely place.
Click to expand...
Feel free to start one. They’re called private associations of Christ’s faithful without the intention of becoming an institute of religious life (or society of apostolic life or secular institute). Such can grow into a beguinage (non-vowed religious women or men sharing common living quarters and following an horarium)…

Admitting members with SSA is entirely up to the community. If the SSA isn’t well controlled, the answer would, of course, be no. Remember, these are the people you’re going to spend the rest of your life with. They have to discern if you’re a good match for them, as well.
 
PluniaZ said:
Anecdotes about people with tons of friends aside, a celibate homosexual who is trying to be a devout practicing Catholic faces a lot of obstacles in overcoming a life of loneliness and isolation. Families tend to be friends with other families, and avoid people with unnatural sexual inclinations, which is fine. And celibate Catholic homosexuals can’t exactly foster close friendships with other celibate Catholic homosexuals, because that is the near occasion of sin. Maybe if you’re a kid in school or just out of school it’s easy to make lots of friends regardless of your orientation, but most working adults don’t spend their non-working hours making new friends.

Just something to keep in mind as we are asking Our Lady to intercede for the Church and its members.
Click to expand...
Try emulating the angels and not be so wrapped-around-the-axle about orientation.
 
PluniaZ said:
I don’t understand. What do you mean?
Click to expand...
People don’t typically obsess over sexual orientation. Such is a modern phenomenon. We as Christians are to turn to God a hundred times a day as we go through life.

The Angels are pure beings; have only to do God’s will; and are happy to do so. Their purity, fidelity and charity are imitable, particularly in a religious community.

There are three things that angels can’t do - absolve sins; receive Communion; and suffer.

I would suggest reading up on the Angels. At the beginning of time, they were given a choice to serve God or not. Satan and a third of the Angels were cast into Hell by Michael and the loyal Angels when Lucifer decided not to serve. (Lucifer is the angel-name of Satan). The bad angels are now called demons, whose purpose is to trip us up via temptations. Who would you rather imitate?
 
Cloisters said:
People don’t typically obsess over sexual orientation. Such is a modern phenomenon. We as Christians are to turn to God a hundred times a day as we go through life.

The Angels are pure beings; have only to do God’s will; and are happy to do so. Their purity, fidelity and charity are imitable, particularly in a religious community.

There are three things that angels can’t do - absolve sins; receive Communion; and suffer.

I would suggest reading up on the Angels. At the beginning of time, they were given a choice to serve God or not. Satan and a third of the Angels were cast into Hell by Michael and the loyal Angels when Lucifer decided not to serve. (Lucifer is the angel-name of Satan). The bad angels are now called demons, whose purpose is to trip us up via temptations. Who would you rather imitate?
Click to expand...
Thanks. Can you recommend any reading in particular?
 
Cloisters said:
Feel free to start one. They’re called private associations of Christ’s faithful without the intention of becoming an institute of religious life (or society of apostolic life or secular institute). Such can grow into a beguinage (non-vowed religious women or men sharing common living quarters and following an horarium)…

Admitting members with SSA is entirely up to the community. If the SSA isn’t well controlled, the answer would, of course, be no. Remember, these are the people you’re going to spend the rest of your life with. They have to discern if you’re a good match for them, as well.
Click to expand...
That’s definitely food for thought. I think there is a bit of a gap these days and lay communities could be the answer. Maybe in the long run that’s the right direction for me.
 
PluniaZ said:
Thanks. Can you recommend any reading in particular?
Click to expand...
We can start with this:

Fr. Hardon on Angelology: therealpresence.org/archives/Angelology/Angelology_018.htm

Morning Prayer that I use:

Angel of God
My Guardian dear
To Whom His Love
Entrusts me here
Ever this day
Be at my side
To light and guard
To rule and guide. Amen.

Prayer to One’s Angel upon Retiring for the Night:

Good night, my Guardian Angel
The day has sped away
Well spent or ill
Its story is written down for aye.
And now, of God’s kind providence
Thou image pure and bright
Watch over me while I’m sleeping
My angel dear, good night.
 
ConfusedLucy said:
That’s definitely food for thought. I think there is a bit of a gap these days and lay communities could be the answer. Maybe in the long run that’s the right direction for me.
Click to expand...
Not just lay communities, but I have always envisioned a secular institute, as well. Some secular institute members are required to maintain confidentiality where membership is concerned. Such might be the case here.

All new charisms begin as their own third orders, though, which is what you’re talking about doing. Start as a lay association (which one person can do), and see where the Holy Ghost takes the members.

Whatever is done would definitely fulfill a need, which is the first requirement for starting something.

The picture of Marie Mediatrice has a rainbow. I have used that pic to post a novena for the LGBT community. I have also always encouraged celibacy (also known as ‘asexual’) for the sake of the Kingdom of God among the same group.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the ultimate occultist is an active homosexual. The only persons on the planet who need to be thinking about sex, and in its proper form, are one man and one woman joined in holy matrimony. Everyone else needs to imitate the angels.
 
Cloisters said:
We can start with this:

Fr. Hardon on Angelology: therealpresence.org/archives/Angelology/Angelology_018.htm

Morning Prayer that I use:

Angel of God
My Guardian dear
To Whom His Love
Entrusts me here
Ever this day
Be at my side
To light and guard
To rule and guide. Amen.

Prayer to One’s Angel upon Retiring for the Night:

Good night, my Guardian Angel
The day has sped away
Well spent or ill
Its story is written down for aye.
And now, of God’s kind providence
Thou image pure and bright
Watch over me while I’m sleeping
My angel dear, good night.
Click to expand...
Thanks!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top