Zero tolerance for actively gay priests?

[Malcolm]

Is there a zero tolerance policy for actively gay Catholic priests, bishops, etc ? If there isn’t why isn’t there? Of course everyone who sincerely repents should be forgiven as an individual but shouldn’t some things make people ineligible for the most important job of shepherding souls ? Don’t ordinary school teachers lose their jobs when they have inappropriate sex?

If the church was serious about removing the problem wouldn’t they just remove it ? I think it would help restore some of the moral authority the church once had in the eyes of the world. At this point I’m no longer sure the leadership even considers gay sex to be a sin anymore.

Jesus wove cords together to whip those who had turned His Father’s house into a business so I wonder what He would have done if He returned to find a cocaine fueled gay sex orgy with male prostitutes in the Vatican apartments ? nothing ?

 

[po18guy]

Unless they openly admit to it, how ya’ gonna figure this out? 24/7 Priest cams?

 

[TheMortenBay]

Is there a zero tolerance policy for actively gay Catholic priests, bishops, etc ?

A priest being openly gay (practising) would be grounds for dismissal. Among worse things it’s breaking the priest’s vow of celibacy.
Men with deeply rooted homosexual tendencies cannot be considered for the priesthood.

 

[Beryllos]

I can think of few circumstances in which you can be certain that another person is actively gay. One is that you witness the act. How else can you tell?

I don’t dispute that an actively gay priest would be a problem. I’m just not sure how you expect to enforce a zero-tolerance policy without creating another problem of misperceptions and false accusations.

 

[awesomecatholic]

A priest being openly gay would be a huge problem. They would be dismissed or maybe there would be worse consequences. The Church requires that men with homosexual tendencies cannot become priests.

 

[phil19034]

I know of one parish where it is a pretty open secret among staff (of that parish and the surrounding parishes) that the pastor is actively gay and his boyfriend stays with him at the Rectory.

I have no idea if the Archbishop & Auxiliary Bishops know, but I assume that the other area priests know too.

MY GUESS as to why there isn’t a real zero tolerance policy in place is because the actively gay priests know where the skeletons are buried.

 

[Malcolm]

So men who are gay are not supposed to be priests but if that were true why are there so many and why aren’t they removed ?

The notion that many Catholic priests are quietly gay is not new. In the 2000 book “The Changing Face of the Priesthood” Rev. Donald B. Cozzens suggested that the priesthood was increasingly becoming a gay profession. Cozzens estimated that as much as 58 percent of priests were gay, and that percentages were even higher for younger priests. His numbers matched previous estimates by sociologists who put the numbers of gay priests between 10 and 60 percent.

Father Gary Meier, a gay, St. Louis-based Catholic clergymen, says there’s a wide range of statistics out there on gay priests, but jokes that in his experience, “30 percent are gay, 30 percent are straight, and 30 percent are in denial.”

Why is it even possible for someone to be publicly identified as a “gay Catholic clergyman” talking about his “experience of how many priests are gay” ? Why aren’t heads rolling ?

Could it be because homosexual men are actually in charge of the church today ?

 

[TheMortenBay]

Could it be because homosexual men are actually in charge of the church today ?

I think that is some serious conjecture. I think it has much more to do with the opinion on these issues in the general population and a fear of the Church being marked as bigoted.

 

[gracepoole]

I know of one parish where it is a pretty open secret among staff (of that parish and the surrounding parishes) that the pastor is an actively gay and his boyfriend stays with him at the Rectory.

What the what?!

 

[gracepoole]

Malcolm:

Could it be because homosexual men are actually in charge of the church today ?

I think that is some serious conjecture. I think it has much more to do with the opinion on these issues in the general population and a fear of the Church being marked as bigoted.

Malcolm’s supposition is in line with Michael Rose’s book Goodbye, Good Men.

 

[redbetta]

You should write the bishop about that because, for all you know, they might not know.

 

[phil19034]

You should write the bishop about that because, for all you know, they might not know.

I will not do so because, for me, it would only be “hear say” unless I rat out the Parish staff members who told me in confidence.

So if the staff - who know and do not approve - will not say anything, I will not either. Because again, I cannot provide proof.

 

[gracepoole]

redbetta:

You should write the bishop about that because, for all you know, they might not know.

I will no do so because for me, it would only be “hear say” unless I rat out the Parish staff members who told me in confidence.

So if the staff who know (and do not approve) will no say anything, I will not. Because again, I cannot provide proof.

Can you strongly urge parish staff to report it? This is seriously outrageous and frightening if it’s really happening.

 

[TMC]

Is there a zero tolerance policy for actively gay Catholic priests, bishops, etc ? If there isn’t why isn’t there? Of course everyone who sincerely repents should be forgiven as an individual but shouldn’t some things make people ineligible for the most important job of shepherding souls ? Don’t ordinary school teachers lose their jobs when they have inappropriate sex?

I suppose it depends on what you mean by zero tolerance. If you mean defrocking, the answer is no, that is not my understanding of the policy.

My understanding is that gay priests that violate their vows are treated more or less the same as straight priests that violate their vows - confession, penance, counseling, etc. I have never heard of a priest, gay or straight, being defrocked merely for violating his vows of continence. For context, it appears that violation of vows is a pretty common problem, and I have no reason to believe it is a bigger problem among gay priests than with straight priests. A one strike and your out policy would leave us with very few priests.

And, no, school teachers are not fired for having “inappropriate sex.” Not sure why you would think that.

 

[phil19034]

Can you strongly urge parish staff to report it? This is seriously outrageous and frightening if it’s really happening.

I did. But the situation is far more complex. Besides being an active gay priest, he’s first and foremost a vindictive jerk.

They believe they have valid reasons why they don’t want to make this into a public issue (I don’t know what they are - only that he’s a real piece of work behind the scenes).

The staff person simply asked that we pray for him.

 

[Episcopalian]

Obviously by my username, you can tell that I’m not Catholic!

Imho, if priests are actively participating in sexual acts they should definitely be reprimanded…provided it’s true!

 

[PatK63]

Careful! If you call for vengeance, where are you going to hide?
I would hope if a priest is openly celebrating his sexual sins or any sin with no sign of repentance that the priest would be disciplined.
Being gay isn’t the problem. Acting out publicly with no remorse is a problem.

 

[Horton]

The Church requires that men with homosexual tendencies cannot become priests.

In my opinion a homosexual man should be able to become a priest IF his calling to the priesthood is a true calling and not an escape from his sexuality, he has not been active in homosexual lifestyle, and he meets the same requirements as other men who have/are discerning the priesthood.

 

[gracepoole]

gracepoole:

Can you strongly urge parish staff to report it? This is seriously outrageous and frightening if it’s really happening.

I did. But the situation is far more complex. Besides being an active gay priest, he’s first and foremost a vindictive jerk.

They believe they have valid reasons why they don’t want to make this into a public issue (I don’t know what they are - only that he’s a real piece of work behind the scenes).

The staff person simply asked that we pray for him.

Would it be wrong, then, to suggest that the bishop investigate to determine what’s going on? That’s not an accusation of guilt but rather a question.

 

[twf]

MY GUESS as to why there isn’t a real zero tolerance policy in place is because the actively gay priests know where the skeletons are buried.

Look how far McCarrick rose…to the pinnacle of the Church hierarchy (or close enough)…despite complaints to Rome years back…open secrets that fester.