Gay Priests Struggle with Vatican's Rules

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I think a Homosexual priest who is living a chaste life can serve the church.

**The integrity of the person ****2339 **Chastity includes an apprenticeship in self-mastery which is a training in human freedom. The alternative is clear: either man governs his passions and finds peace, or he lets himself be dominated by them and becomes unhappy.125 "Man’s dignity therefore requires him to act out of conscious and free choice, as moved and drawn in a personal way from within, and not by blind impulses in himself or by mere external constraint. Man gains such dignity when, ridding himself of all slavery to the passions, he presses forward to his goal by freely choosing what is good and, by his diligence and skill, effectively secures for himself the means suited to this end."126

**2358 **The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition. **2359 **Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.
 
By RACHEL ZOLL

The Rev. Fred Daley, a gay, Roman Catholic priest, had grown increasingly disturbed by Vatican pronouncements over the years that homosexuals were unfit for the clergy.

Then the situation escalated–some church leaders suggested that gays were responsible for the clergy sex abuse crisis. Daley was so angry, he did something last year that almost no other gay Catholic cleric in the country has done: He . . .
 
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Evangel:
By RACHEL ZOLL

The Rev. Fred Daley, a gay, Roman Catholic priest, had grown increasingly disturbed by Vatican pronouncements over the years that homosexuals were unfit for the clergy.

Then the situation escalated–some church leaders suggested that gays were responsible for the clergy sex abuse crisis. Daley was so angry, he did something last year that almost no other gay Catholic cleric in the country has done: He . . .
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Very sad this is. This issue must be approached with great care.
 
IMHO those that need to “come out” do not serve the Holy Mother Church properly. I do not expect a priest or teacher to “need” to tell the world of his/her sexual leanings or urges. Since they are to be committed to the Church and not man (meaning people) the subject IMHO is a non-issue. Don’t act or talk about sexual urges if you are a priest or nun and the issue goes away.
 
homosexuals (those afflicted with ssa) can work faithfully and fruitfully anywhere in the church, so long as they keep their condition in check. by analogy: i work for a college football team, we have a ball carrier who is athsmatic. He is good at what he does, really good, so long as he doenst agrivate his athsma and he takes steps to prevent problems from occuring in the first place.

Gays, that is those who embarce the gay sub/counterculture, cannot by nature of the sacandal they perpetuate be effective workers in the vineyard. therefore those who “come out” put themselves in a very bad spot.

that said, “coming out” mis saying you are gay. i do think if there is a relevant reason and it is done prudently, it may be okay for someone to admit they struggle with SSA. In fact if they are suceeding they might even be a heroic example. (for example a group like Courage)
 
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Brain:
homosexuals (those afflicted with ssa) can work faithfully and fruitfully anywhere in the church, so long as they keep their condition in check. by analogy: i work for a college football team, we have a ball carrier who is athsmatic. He is good at what he does, really good, so long as he doenst agrivate his athsma and he takes steps to prevent problems from occuring in the first place.

Gays, that is those who embarce the gay sub/counterculture, cannot by nature of the sacandal they perpetuate be effective workers in the vineyard. therefore those who “come out” put themselves in a very bad spot.

that said, “coming out” mis saying you are gay. i do think if there is a relevant reason and it is done prudently, it may be okay for someone to admit they struggle with SSA. In fact if they are suceeding they might even be a heroic example. (for example a group like Courage)
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**As an asthmatic that is controlled by avoiding situations that could cause an attack, I can say that in avoiding the situations I do not “come out” and talk about the things I must avoid. I do it quietly and without placing others in the position of making my avoidance their problem also. So I avoid strong chemicals, smoke, perfumes and take my meds prior to the use of incense at services. This is only commonsense.

IMHO someone with SSA should also do so quietly and not place themselves in the position of conflict by announcing the fact.

Just as I try not to make others feel responsible for my attacks. Others should not be placed in the position of thinking they caused a person to regress with SSA. I also want to be able to freely allow my grandsons and granddaughter to be alter servers without the fear of them being the object of attraction by the adult responsible for their care. Or should we all war Burkas, men, women and children, then there would be no problem.
**
 
Very interesting article. It really made me think about the people who give their lives to God and the Catholic Church and are told to hide in a corner and basically that not only what they do is evil, but who they are is evil also. It would be very hard to serve with those kinds of attitudes swirling about. It’s one thing to be told not to sin, but to be told that you are intrinsically evil would make me want to run from that organization. Maybe that is what all homosexual priests should do. Leave. And then when we are left with what will probably amount to an unbelievable shortage of priests, we can deal with it then. If we have to close hundreds of churches, so be it. I just know that if I devoted my entire life to an organization or cause, and they slapped me in the face, and told me I was disordered and evil, I would go elsewhere, somewhere where I was appreciated.
 
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KathleenElsie:
I do not expect a priest or teacher to “need” to tell the world of his/her sexual leanings or urges.
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I agree. If the person is celibate, the matter is a non-issue. So why bring it up?
 
As I have, through the years, become more comfortable with who I am, it seemed the institutional church and its decrees and its pastoral letters from the Vatican seemed more harsh and almost mean-spirited," said Daley, who didn’t realize he was gay until after he was ordained and has remained celibate. "But what I find on the grass-roots level is vibrant, alive communities of faith in my everyday ministry."

Sounds like AmChurch to me.
 
I’m a bit confused.

Most Catholics (not all) believe that a homosexual’s sexual orientation is a choice. One might conclude from this that a homosexual is a confused heterosexual.

Therefore wouldn’t a “homosexual priest” who does not engage in either homosexual fantasy or acts, be not a homsexual at all?

In other words, there would be no such thing as a “gay priest”.

Assuming the first assumption to be true of course. :confused:
 
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Mijoy2:
I’m a bit confused.

Most Catholics (not all) believe that a homosexual’s sexual orientation is a choice. One might conclude from this that a homosexual is a confused heterosexual.

Therefore wouldn’t a “homosexual priest” who does not engage in either homosexual fantasy or acts, be not a homsexual at all?

In other words, there would be no such thing as a “gay priest”.

Assuming the first assumption to be true of course. :confused:
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This is a tough subject because we really do not know what causes homosexuality, but personally, I can’t believe anyone would CHOOSE that lifestyle. But if a Catholic does not act on this proclivity, would this not be like any heterosexual who engages in sexual practices that are against church teaching, i.e. infidelity, sex before marriage, etc.?
 
mary bobo:
This is a tough subject because we really do not know what causes homosexuality, but personally, I can’t believe anyone would CHOOSE that lifestyle. But if a Catholic does not act on this proclivity, would this not be like any heterosexual who engages in sexual practices that are against church teaching, i.e. infidelity, sex before marriage, etc.?
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Exactly. It would seem to me, if we buy into the concept that one can be chaste and yet homosexual, we have concluded that ones homosexuality is somehow not of ones choosing (such as skin color or height) . To now say that said individual can’t be a priest for said reason, is no different then making a height requirement on priests. No priests above the hieght of 6’3" or below the hieght of 5’1".

The prospective priest has no power of this particular attribute, yet he cannot become a priest for this attribute. Doesn’t sound like something Jesus would say.

I’m certain someone will tell me how wrong I am. I await.
 
The Rev. Fred Daley, a gay, Roman Catholic priest, had grown increasingly disturbed by Vatican pronouncements over the years that homosexuals were unfit for the clergy.
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While Rev. Daley may be be increasingly disturbed by these Vatican pronouncements over the years, he needs to realize that he ( Rev. Daley) views this from his ‘ity bity’ standpoint.

Did Rev. Daley think that perhaps the Church has been disturbed by the increasing numbers of homosexual men attracted to the priesthood in recent years? Perhaps the Church in her great wisdom feels this is the best way to be sure that all men have an equal opportunity to the calling.
Perhaps we should all just ‘rest’ and watch the Church do what it is going to do.
The worst that can happen in all this is another schism will occur. What is new?
The Glorius Church remains the same.
Another disobediant group of people will sever themselves from the Mother Church.

For those of you who doubt that homosexuals and homosexual sympathizers have saturated the priesthood in places …take a look at this webpage for a list of names. Thirty-five proponents of ‘gay’ rights from one diocese? A bit much!
 
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Brain:
homosexuals (those afflicted with ssa) can work faithfully and fruitfully anywhere in the church, so long as they keep their condition in check.
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Not if the Church says they can’t. The Church, not you or me or the hypothetical homosexual man with his condition in check, gets to decide who is fit to be a priest.
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Mijoy2:
To now say that said individual can’t be a priest for said reason, is no different then making a height requirement on priests. No priests above the hieght of 6’3" or below the hieght of 5’1".
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So, then, homosexuality and height are morally equivalent? How absurd.

– Mark L. Chance.
 
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Evangel:
By RACHEL ZOLL

The Rev. Fred Daley, a gay, Roman Catholic priest, had grown increasingly disturbed by Vatican pronouncements over the years that homosexuals were unfit for the clergy.

Then the situation escalated–some church leaders suggested that gays were responsible for the clergy sex abuse crisis. Daley was so angry, he did something last year that almost no other gay Catholic cleric in the country has done: He . . .
Click to expand...
If he is chaste then why was this necessary? A priest’s vocation is to shepherd souls to heaven, not to promote personal sexual identity.

Would it be appropriate for a priest to announce to his congregation that he has a special affinity for many of the wives in the pews but that he still loves being a priest?
 
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Brad:
If he is chaste then why was this necessary? A priest’s vocation is to shepherd souls to heaven, not to promote personal sexual identity.

Would it be appropriate for a priest to announce to his congregation that he has a special affinity for many of the wives in the pews but that he still loves being a priest?
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It’s funny you said that. Our priest has just started talking about his former girlfriends and the fact that his last girlfriend and he were talking marriage before he went to the seminary. Only a couple of years ago we didn’t know a thing about his dating past or if there even was one. I suspect he wants everyone to know he is heterosexual.
 
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Brad:
If he is chaste then why was this necessary? A priest’s vocation is to shepherd souls to heaven, not to promote personal sexual identity.

Would it be appropriate for a priest to announce to his congregation that he has a special affinity for many of the wives in the pews but that he still loves being a priest?
Click to expand...
Right
This announcement shows not only lack of maturity but insensitivity for the congregation of people he was speaking to…
This is kinda’ like airing your personal dirty laundry on the pulpit. pheww!

How many people in the parish are not even familiar with this whole controversy? How many young and old people just don’t understand? This must have been shocking for many to hear.
 
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