Three Priests Speak on 'Gay Priest' Ban

[PLAL]

**MUST READ!!! **

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renewamerica.us/columns/abbott/050922

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**Three priests speak on ‘gay priest’ ban
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Matt C. Abbott

Matt C. Abbott
September 22, 2005

Three Roman Catholic priests have been gracious enough to provide me with their observations (edited) on the recent report that Pope Benedict XVI "has given his approval to a new Vatican policy document indicating that men with homosexual tendencies should not be ordained as Catholic priests."

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[JCPhoenix]

Great link!

I have to ask, though…is there a good, trusted, and impartial resource which gives the actual statistics on priestly abuse?

There is a man who wrote in to our Catholic newspaper who really needs a reality check as he was citing general stats yet I’ve seen reference over and over again that those who have caused the scandal and dissent in other ways are gay priests…are there solid stats?

If so, we all need them.

 

[canne]

Great article-thanks for the link. I was surprised by the 80% finding. I too would like to find that information.

 

[mercygate]

JCPhoenix:

Great link!

I have to ask, though…is there a good, trusted, and impartial resource which gives the actual statistics on priestly abuse?

There is a man who wrote in to our Catholic newspaper who really needs a reality check as he was citing general stats yet I’ve seen reference over and over again that those who have caused the scandal and dissent in other ways are gay priests…are there solid stats?

If so, we all need them.

You find the John Jay report unacceptable?

 

[PLAL]

Gays Should Not Be Priests by Monica Migliorino Miller

catholiccitizens.org/press/contentview.asp?c=30374

The Vatican Instruction that men with strong homosexual tendencies may not be admitted to the Roman Catholic priesthood is based on a number of very important pastoral and theological considerations. First, we need to appreciate that to permit such men to enter a seminary creates an occasion of sin for them. No one would argue that men attracted to women should be allowed to live in a house full of females. Seminarians live intimate, close lives with one another and are bonded together in a common goal. Even if a homosexual seminarian was committed to chastity, the environment places a spiritual burden on the practice of that virtue.

The John Jay School of Criminal Justice reported that 81% of the victims of sexual abuse by priests were male and the majority of these were over the age of 13. This means that the sex scandal was primarily a homosexual problem. The Instruction demonstrates that the church is facing up to some hard facts and seeks to be responsible.

The church would be rightly criticized if it deliberately allowed men to enter the priesthood who had a strong erotic attraction to children or men who were heterosexual but could not or had not completely resolved to live celibate lives for whatever reason. Yet, many accuse the church of discrimination when it seeks to ban gay men, especially because those men will be in close contact with other males and, when ordained, may often be involved with pastoral work with teen boys.

MORE catholiccitizens.org/press/contentview.asp?c=30374

 

[Riley259]

**MUST READ!!! **

renewamerica.us/columns/abbott/050922

Three priests speak on ‘gay priest’ ban

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Matt C. Abbott

Matt C. Abbott
September 22, 2005

Three Roman Catholic priests have been gracious enough to provide me with their observations (edited) on the recent report that Pope Benedict XVI “has given his approval to a new Vatican policy document indicating that men with homosexual tendencies should not be ordained as Catholic priests.”

Very useful link. I wish that the secular media and liberal Catholics would be exposed to this kind of orthodox theology regarding the priesthood and homosexuality. In my corner of the country it’s been tough enough just trying to explain why the Church’s moral theology is correct. More priests need to speak about this (in the correct way) from the pulpit.