Is it true that a lot of Catholic priests are gay?

[2towers]

If I asked my priest that question [whom I love dearly] he would knock me out of my chair with his cane, absolve me of my sins, and tell me to recite the act of contrition.

If you asked some Nuns that, you’d have to buy a new set of knuckles!

 

[R_H_Benson]

He would assault you instead of try to provide you with a truthful answer?

 

[1neophyte]

He would assault you instead of try to provide you with a truthful answer?

Mendacity. It’s a cancer.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

It was my understanding he stated that he was gay. He is of course dead now so in that sense it may be hearsay as he’s not here to confirm it. But it doesn’t seem like an unreasonable concept.

Edited to add, and re your celibacy point, I brought him up as an example of how, as long as a priest stays celibate (and I have seen nothing indicating that Fr. Mychal was anything other than celibate), his orientation matters not.

 

[Xanthippe_Voorhees]

For one tacky enough to ask who a priest is sexually attracted to? Yeah, I’m sorry but that’s none of your freaking business. Perhaps not to the point of assault, but a fair amount of righteous anger would be appropriate.

For the life of me, I don’t understand this culture in which every last detail, including sexual preferences, must be known to all for someone to be considered “honest”. It’s just not right.

 

[R_H_Benson]

For the life of me, I don’t understand this culture in which every last detail, including sexual preferences, must be known to all for someone to be considered “honest”. It’s just not right.

The Church has always maintained that homosexual tendencies make a man unfit for Holy Orders. Therefore, men seeking ordination are morally obligated to disclose their sexual orientation.

 

[Xanthippe_Voorhees]

Xanthippe_Voorhees:

For the life of me, I don’t understand this culture in which every last detail, including sexual preferences, must be known to all for someone to be considered “honest”. It’s just not right.

The Church has always maintained that homosexual tendencies make a man unfit for Holy Orders. Therefore, men seeking ordination are morally obligated to disclose their sexual orientation.

But if he has been ordained it is NO place for a parishoner to ask. None.

 

[Zaccheus]

Homosexuality is disordered and against nature. Remaining celibate when gay and remaining celibate when straight are not the same thing.

Celibacy is celibacy.

 

[R_H_Benson]

But the question we are considering is not “Are you gay, Father?”, rather, “Father, are many Catholic priests gay?”

A priest should have no qualms with giving a sincere inquirer an honest answer to the best of his ability.

 

[NiceIsAsNiceDoes]

This is a manifestation of the secularists worship of their idol named “sex”. If somebody is a virgin the secularists shun them. They worship sex as their false god. It consumes them and makes them think something is wrong with a person who chooses to be celibate.

This isn’t true. Some may think that. Most believe promoting celibacy as a requirement for all adults unless they are married is not living in the way God created us to live. It is just that they believe differently than you. They don’t worship sex, and it certainly doesn’t consume them.

 

[Xanthippe_Voorhees]

Sorry, no. That would encourage the priest to speculate on his fellow brothers in priest hood. He has no way of knowing–as he shouldn’t be going around asking them if they are gay, either. This asking about sexual preference is simply uncouth.

 

[Zaccheus]

But the question we are considering is not “Are you gay, Father?”, rather, “Father, are many Catholic priests gay?”

A priest should have no qualms with giving a sincere inquirer an honest answer to the best of his ability.

How many sincere inquirers are going to ask their priest if he’s gay?

 

[R_H_Benson]

This asking about sexual preference is simply uncouth.

It was among the first questions I was asked during my psychiatric analysis when I entered the seminary.

 

[R_H_Benson]

As I have already pointed out, the question we are considering is not “Are you gay, Father?”, rather, “Father, are many Catholic priests gay?” That is a legitimate question to ask.

 

[Xanthippe_Voorhees]

Xanthippe_Voorhees:

This asking about sexual preference is simply uncouth.

It was among the first questions I was asked during my psychiatric analysis when I entered the seminary.

Yes, it’s appropriate for a psychologist to ask a candidate for the priesthood. That’s it. It is not a question to be asked by fellow seminarians, by fellow priests, and by parishioners.

 

[R_H_Benson]

Yes, it’s appropriate for a psychologist to ask a candidate for the priesthood. That’s it. It is not a question to be asked by fellow seminarians, by fellow priests, and by parishioners.

A parishioner has every right to ask his priest his knowledge regarding the number of homosexuals in the clergy. There may be a number of reasons why one may want access to such knowledge. Even if the priest doesn’t know, I don’t see why this question should for some reason be off limits.

 

[NiceIsAsNiceDoes]

One day will come, and not soon enough, when someone’s sexual orientation will carry no more weight than the color of their hair. Nobody will care. Patience really is a virtue.

 

[2towers]

I guess it is just me, but I still think it would be insulting to ask even “are their many gay priests” to any priest. First off, how would he know, and secondly, it isn’t a relevant question in the normal priest / parishioner relationship, at least in my mind.

 

[Xanthippe_Voorhees]

Xanthippe_Voorhees:

Yes, it’s appropriate for a psychologist to ask a candidate for the priesthood. That’s it. It is not a question to be asked by fellow seminarians, by fellow priests, and by parishioners.

A parishioner has every right to ask his priest his knowledge regarding the number of homosexuals in the clergy. There may be a number of reasons why one may want access to such knowledge. Even if the priest doesn’t know, I don’t see why this question should for some reason be off limits.

The sexual preference of EVERYONE besides yourself and your spouse is off limits. No need to know. Would it be right to ask father how many homosexuals are in the parish? The youth group? There is no good reason…nothing good can come of it. It’s all just fodder for gossip.

 

[Melodeonist]

I’m sorry, but from what I’ve seen I feel they often put sex on a pillar. They don’t date for the same reasons faithful Christians date if you catch my drift. They also use the word “virgin” as an “insult”.