Priesthood for repented SSA people?

[vince2paul]

If a person realized that he suffered from SSA in his early teenage years, acted out his homosexual tendency. He met Jesus, felt the call to the priesthood, thus he repented and stopped this behaviour. Do you think he should be allowed to join the priesthood/religious order?

I recently argued with a friend about this issue, because there’s still possibility that he would be back to the old lifestyle. Any thoughts?

 

[tiggeriffic]

Would you feel the same way if it was a man that did not have SSA but acted on his attractions and had sex with women and then found Jesus and wanted to become a priest?

 

[chicago]

There might need to be an allowance for the uneasy experimentation of adolescence in your scenario. More telling would be how the young man developed sexually in future years.

 

[Cloisters]

If a person realized that he suffered from SSA in his early teenage years, acted out his homosexual tendency. He met Jesus, felt the call to the priesthood, thus he repented and stopped this behaviour. Do you think he should be allowed to join the priesthood/religious order?

I recently argued with a friend about this issue, because there’s still possibility that he would be back to the old lifestyle. Any thoughts?

What I’m hearing is that this person was actively gay before a conversion experience, and Jesus, through Mary’s graces, helped them stop?

Such would be valuable to the church–to prove that Jesus and Mary are the answer to such needs for conversion.

If the person has not been “active” since then, and has truly repented through the healing sacrament of confession, I would see no problem. But, then again, someone else (like their local bishop) might have a problem.

My “yardstick” is the amount of time someone has stayed away from the aberrant behavior without relapses.

HTH.

Blessings,
Cloisters

 

[m134e5]

If a person realized that he suffered from SSA in his early teenage years, acted out his homosexual tendency. He met Jesus, felt the call to the priesthood, thus he repented and stopped this behaviour. Do you think he should be allowed to join the priesthood/religious order?

I recently argued with a friend about this issue, because there’s still possibility that he would be back to the old lifestyle. Any thoughts?

Hormones can make guys think strange things when they are young. If they have the opportunity, and their consciences don’t stop them, they may act on those thoughts with other people. It’s not something a person should hide from- candidates for the priesthood should be open (with those who need to know) about their sexual history. If it was just a passing phase, it probably isn’t a big deal. If it isn’t just a phase, it may require counseling and because of the emotional/spiritual wounds that often accompany homosexual tendencies, I would be very reluctant to ordain someone (if I were a bishop).

 

[Linnyo]

Surely this is the type of person who would make an excellent priest. He will be in touch with the reality that faces people ion today’s world and he has first hand experience of receiving God’s grace and mercy. Think about how his tedstimony could make such a huge difference to young people who are in sin and wanting to turn themselves around. Good for him.

 

[Formosus]

I’d say yes. I beleive the document the Pope released on the subject says that if they have repented from it and no longer live an active homosexual lifestyle then they can be accepted into the priesthood. Really this is a discussion that should be had between an individual candidate and a vocation director since each case is different. Personally I do not see a problem at all. If they have truly repented and it is not a problem for them anymore, then why should it be any different from a hetrosexual who was sexually deviant but repents, like St. Augustine.

 

[vince2paul]

Thanks for all the replies.
I’m quite delighted to see most of the replies are positive.

 

[m134e5]

Thanks for all the replies.
I’m quite delighted to see most of the replies are positive.

Often, homosexuality carries with it other issues- low self-esteem, severe difficulty in relating to men appropriately, and oversensitivity (or the opposite extreme- men who are obcessed with fitting their perception of masculinity that they become overly insensitive- maybe even downright mean). These are undesirable qualities for any man- especially a priest.

If the homosexuality is just transitory- like what I described in my other post on this thread- then it’s no big deal (as long as it has passed, and he has gone to confession for any ‘acting out’). For a man who’s still insecure in their sexuality, seminary life is a recipe for disaster. If they already have trouble relating to men, how will they survive seminary- surrounded by men- and come away a better man for it, and their brother seminarians better men for having lived with them?