What about being able to admire a good looking person of the same gender while wanting only sexual relations with the opposite gender? Would this be deep rooted homosexual tendencies or something else all together?
To be able to look at someone of the same gender and see in them God’s beautiful design is not sinful, but if such admiration has any sexual element to it at all, then the sexual part is intrinsically disordered. If someone has
sexual “admiration” for someone of the same gender, then it would fall under the heading of “deep-rooted homosexual tendency,” but if the admiration for one’s appearence has no sexual element whatsoever to it, then I see no reason why it would be disordered.
When one considers the Church’s new document objectively and without personal prejudice, it is clear that by “deep-rooted homosexual tendency,” the document means “ingrained homosexual orientation.” Many, many people, even faithful Catholics, don’t understand why the Church would bar those with a homosexual orientation from the priesthood, even when they never actually give into lust for people of the same sex, especially because the Catechism makes it clear that a homosexual orientation itself is not sinful, merely disordered.
Because of this, people read into the text what they
want it to say: That only those who give into their homoseuxality should be denied entry into the priesthood. However, because the document goes on to contrast their phrase “deep-rooted homosexual tendency” with “transistory tendencies” and declares that homposeuxal orientation must be shed entirely 3 years before entering seminary, it is very clear that the document means even those who struggle with homoseuxal tendencies but do not give into them should not become priests.
This fact strikes a sour note with some Catholics, who can’t understand why the Church would bar such people from the priesthood. However, the Church is not baring those who struggle with homosexual orientation from the priesthood because they have somehow sinned; rather, it is barring them because homosexuality is a serious and central enough disorientation that it would prevent a man from properly carrying out the duties of priesthood. If the Church, in her infinite wisdom, believes that homosexual orientation alone is a serious enough disorder to prevent proper application of the call to priesthood, then we must put our faith in and trust her, and pray that those who have not found a way to overcome this particular form of concupiscence find other ways to serve our Lord.
I’m asking this in reference to the new Vatican “Instruction” to seminaries regarding gays.
