No Comment on Homosexual Tendencies Instruction Yet?

[ben_dy]

I’m rather surprised… I don’t come to this forum often but I’m surprised, now that the English Translation of the “Instruction Concerning the Criteria of Vocational Discernment Regarding Persons with Homosexual Tendencies” has been published (at least at EWTN and at some of the Catholic news sites) that there would be storms a’brewin’!

Did most people read the Italian translation last week? Or is everyone waiting for the official www.vatican.va post? All I could find there was this VIS press release .

I’m ready for the heat! Actually, what I’m ready for is for obedience. This is addressed, primarily in my opinion, to our Bishops and I am hoping that they will respond with obedience and (dare I hope) firm agreement.

 

[Brad]

Plenty of comments here:

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=86686

 

[arieh0310]

One of my favorite quotes from the document is:
*
“The desire alone to become a priest is not sufficient, and there does not exist a right to receive sacred ordination. It belongs to the Church - in her responsibility to define the necessary requirements for receiving the Sacraments instituted by Christ - to discern the suitability of him who desires to enter the seminary, to accompany him during his years of formation, and to call him to holy orders if he is judged to possess the necessary qualities.”*

Nobody has a right to the priesthood, it is a Sacrament instituted by Christ and entrusted to His Church (a priviledge).

 

[fix]

ben_dy:

I’m ready for the heat! Actually, what I’m ready for is for obedience.

The left leaning legalists have already begun the attack:

Canon law experts note that [the guidelines] were not issued in forma specifica, meaning the Pope has not officially invested it with his personal authority, according to the National Catholic Reporter. That might mean there is room for further interpretation or revision…

That is true – but the reason is important: “Instructions” do not normally promulgate new legislation (which would require the forma specifica approval of the Pope). Instructions rather provide greater specification to the way that the existing discipline of the Church is to be understood. That is what we have here: a restatement in more precise terms of the centuries old discipline of the Church.

As this document breaks no new ground legislatively, no forma specifica approval is warranted. In converse fashion, one may likewise conclude that the notions of the likes of [a prominent Log Cabin Dominican] are not only ruled out by this document, his ideas were never a part of authentic Catholic discipline (note esp., the letter of Card. Medina footnoted in this Instruction).

cwnews.com/offtherecord/offtherecord.cfm