Shoshana says,
"So, this priest told me that this was true and most priests were homosexual. If homosexuality was not allowed, there would be hardly any priests at all. Now that was earth-shattering. Well, you could still be homosexual and still live by the vow of celibacy no different than a heterosexual priest. Well…I guess, but do they??? "
Shoshana**, **if you think about it, over the course of the last 2000 yrs. it may well have been that a disproportionate number of priests have at least had homosexual leanings. (It is not as black and white as the gay lobby would have you believe. Some people claim to go both ways with equal enthusiasm) But, if we are to be faithful to the Church and the Bible we clearly cannot pass any moral judgement upon anyone because of their “sexual orientation” as it is now known. In the case of a homosexual, unless he was to force himself to marry, his option as a Christian is only celibacy. Thus, it would be natural for him to enter a profession where celibacy is a requirement. His sexual leanings would of course be a special cross for him to bear, but anyone who is sincerely following God’s will in this deserves our love and prayers, including and especially priests. Perhaps, in some sense this is God’s way of giving them a place for them to serve Him.
Giving way to urges and practicing homosexuality, within or without the seminary, or the parish, is a mortal sin as it would be for a heterosexual priest to break his vows. That is not to equate the two, for homosexual practice is mortal sin in any context.
Personally, if I knew that my priest was homosexually inclined, it would not change my opinion of him. I would still go to him for Confession, for guidance, for the Eucharist, and I would still love him and pray for him. And I would have the same concern if he broke his vows.
I guess we might say that Bill Clinton’s much touted "Don’t ask, don’t tell, " policy has been around a long time. The blatant defiance of Church teaching, the promiscuity and licentiousness is more a product of the pagan culture around us, and I hope it is less widespread than it appears.