Can there be openly gay priest who maintain a celibate lifestyle?

[JReducation]

This bother me a little bit.

There are two priests… one who had multiple sexual (non homosexual) partners when he was growing up. The other one had homosexual tendencies that he never fulfilled and never committed an act with someone of the same sex. The first one will be able to approach priesthood swearing celibacy and the other one who has promise to live a celibate life because of his tendencies can’t become a priest if that’s his desire?

Why do we have to believe the promiscuous one and not the one that has been celibate? it doesn’t’ make sense. Because he has homosexual tendencies doesn’t mean that he is going to abuse children.

This is wrong. But again I trust the Holy Mother Church and need not to understand the reasons for these injustices.

Read the document very carefully.

the Church, while profoundly respecting the persons in question[9], 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

It is not speaking about those who have same-sex attractions and live a celibate life. In fact, in the first part of the statement it speaks that a person who has been free of deep seated homosexual tendencies for at least three years can be considered.

Also, if you notice the wording, it says “seminary”. Diocesan priests attend seminary. Religious go through another prosess of formation. We go through aspirancy, postulancy, novitiate and juniorate before making final vows. During that time we study philosophy and theology at either a university or a theologate for religious. Some religious also study theology at a diocesan seminary, but they are not part of the diocese. They are dependent on their major superior, not the bishop. The major superior decides if they may be ordained. The rules for religious orders are a little different.

Because we live in community druring the 7-10 years of formation, the formators have the opportunity to observe the individual more closely. The rules from the Vatican are that the formators must observe the daily interactions of the new religious. They are looking for healthy and appropriate interactions between the religious in formation and the members of the religious community as well as with persons of both genders outside of the community. This rule applies to ALL religious in formation, regardless of their sexual attractions.

The same rule applies to heterosexual men. A man who has lived a promiscuous life cannot enter a diocesan seminary without an extended period of celibate living.

The issue here is that deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not very clear. But reading the rest of the sentence it seems to mean those who are sexually active, those who identify themselves as gay and those who support the “gay culture.” According to my understanding this individual is not exercising discipline and sees homosexuality as an identity and a culture. I may be wrong, but I have not seen another explanation of that term.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[Lypher]

Can there be openly gay priest who maintain a celibate lifestyle? Or if you are openly gay, or openly have those temptations, are you eliminated from being a Catholic priest? And if such a person cannot be a priest but feels they have that calling to live a celibate life, what options does the Church give them?

You can have an opposite physical attraction, but I do not believe you can call yourself Gay unless you condone the lifestyle. I think if a Priest that had attraction to males was serious about his faith he should probably be in a monastery where he could not cause Potential problems with the flock. That being said the Church would have to put some pretty strong supervisors there to make sure that they did not grow up to hurt young priests… double edged sword but at least we would limit the risk to children and the leaders would be able to determine which priests could become shepards…

God Bless and Pray for me Please…

 

[Malena60]

Read the document very carefully.

the Church, while profoundly respecting the persons in question[9], 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

It is not speaking about those who have same-sex attractions and live a celibate life. In fact, in the first part of the statement it speaks that a person who has been free of deep seated homosexual tendencies for at least three years can be considered.

Also, if you notice the wording, it says “seminary”. Diocesan priests attend seminary. Religious go through another prosess of formation. We go through aspirancy, postulancy, novitiate and juniorate before making final vows. During that time we study philosophy and theology at either a university or a theologate for religious. Some religious also study theology at a diocesan seminary, but they are not part of the diocese. They are dependent on their major superior, not the bishop. The major superior decides if they may be ordained. The rules for religious orders are a little different.

Because we live in community druring the 7-10 years of formation, the formators have the opportunity to observe the individual more closely. The rules from the Vatican are that the formators must observe the daily interactions of the new religious. They are looking for healthy and appropriate interactions between the religious in formation and the members of the religious community as well as with persons of both genders outside of the community. This rule applies to ALL religious in formation, regardless of their sexual attractions.

The same rule applies to heterosexual men. A man who has lived a promiscuous life cannot enter a diocesan seminary without an extended period of celibate living.

The issue here is that deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not very clear. But reading the rest of the sentence it seems to mean those who are sexually active, those who identify themselves as gay and those who support the “gay culture.” According to my understanding this individual is not exercising discipline and sees homosexuality as an identity and a culture. I may be wrong, but I have not seen another explanation of that term.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

Thanks for taking the time to explain this issue to me! God bless!

 

[Lypher]

Read the document very carefully.

the Church, while profoundly respecting the persons in question[9], 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

It is not speaking about those who have same-sex attractions and live a celibate life. In fact, in the first part of the statement it speaks that a person who has been free of deep seated homosexual tendencies for at least three years can be considered.

Also, if you notice the wording, it says “seminary”. Diocesan priests attend seminary. Religious go through another prosess of formation. We go through aspirancy, postulancy, novitiate and juniorate before making final vows. During that time we study philosophy and theology at either a university or a theologate for religious. Some religious also study theology at a diocesan seminary, but they are not part of the diocese. They are dependent on their major superior, not the bishop. The major superior decides if they may be ordained. The rules for religious orders are a little different.

Because we live in community druring the 7-10 years of formation, the formators have the opportunity to observe the individual more closely. The rules from the Vatican are that the formators must observe the daily interactions of the new religious. They are looking for healthy and appropriate interactions between the religious in formation and the members of the religious community as well as with persons of both genders outside of the community. This rule applies to ALL religious in formation, regardless of their sexual attractions.

The same rule applies to heterosexual men. A man who has lived a promiscuous life cannot enter a diocesan seminary without an extended period of celibate living.

The issue here is that deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not very clear. But reading the rest of the sentence it seems to mean those who are sexually active, those who identify themselves as gay and those who support the “gay culture.” According to my understanding this individual is not exercising discipline and sees homosexuality as an identity and a culture. I may be wrong, but I have not seen another explanation of that term.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

A FAR better explanation then mine… God Bless You Brother… Pray for me please.