Catholic Church to open its doors to gay priests

[TisHerself]

The fact of "choice" may very well make sexual activity less common than in other all-male institutions. I don't know, but it wouldn't surprise me.

But we can't pretend that celibacy is a universal achievement among priests. As I'm sure you know, the Church has wrestled with the problem for some time and has maintained large retreats for the counseling of priests who "stray." (This is not to say most such priests were molesting children.) I know about these retreats because men who went there told me.

Nova I am going to answer several of your posts at the same time OK, First a question you don't have to answer if you don't want to I understand. Why did you convert to Catholicism knowing their stance on Homosexuality?
As for the Stats on % of Gay Priests read......Priests A Calling In Crisis......

I stand by my statement The Church's position Love the sinner Hate the sin IS very clear. If some individuals because of their own personal judgemental views think otherwise the blame does not belong with the Church.
My closest friend of 30 yrs is Gay has been in a committed relationship for 20 yrs. She knows I agree with the teaching of The Church on Homosexuality, we do not discuss it. I may not agree with her life style but I also do not judge her that is not for me to do. She is quite simply my friend and I love her.

The major problem I have with this thread is the implications that the only reason All Catholic Homosexual Youths enter The Priesthood is to supress their
Homosexual desires. I find myself totally offened for them, it attacks them as persons of Faith. It has an almost Born again fundamentalist attitude about it.
Heterosexuals are The Chosen ones THEY enter for the right reason, but Homosexuals don't. Nothing could be further from the truth and yes you are right there are Priests who do break their vows. Both Straight and Gay, and no there are not Large retreats specifically for that purpose.
There are retreat centers that cover problems that Priests are having that being one of them. There are a much larger % of Priests who do not break their vows than do. Of the ones that do I think we have to keep in mind that we are all human and no one is perfect .
I also would like to say I know and work with many wonderfull Priests and yes some Gay. They take their vows very seriously are kind caring and loving men
and none of them want the Celibacy rule changed.

PS.. Just to clarify so you don't think I am incredible naive. I am not saying that No Homosexual Youths has ever entered for the reasons you have said, just as I am sure Heterosexual Youths have entered for the wrong reasons.
Those are most probably among the ones who end up breaking their vows.

 

[Becba]

Being gay and in the Catholic church has to creat great conflict in these peoples lies. I am not religious and beleive gay people are born that way and should be accepted.

I just don't understand how they reconcile their sex drive and inclinations and their religion. I would imagine it is difficult enough just being gay.

 

[Dark Knight]

Being gay and in the Catholic church has to creat great conflict in these peoples lies. I am not religious and beleive gay people are born that way and should be accepted.

I just don't understand how they reconcile their sex drive and inclinations and their religion. I would imagine it is difficult enough just being gay.

Try being gay in an evangelical or fundamentalist protestant church. As Nova said, we're downright friendly by comparison, lol. And other protestant denominations have also been debating gay clergy, let's not forget that fact.

 

[BillyGoatGruff]

I correspond regularly with just such a priest, who was "put out to pasture" so to speak, as he was a little too attracted to women. I guess celibacy was tougher on him than some of his fellow priests. It is a shame, as he was an amazing priest, very well-loved and respected. His vocation is now more oriented towards writing and educating, which is good in some ways. But he was a brilliant homilist, and touched our hearts constantly. Losing him was a great blow. In his case, I believe he would have been every bit as effective had he been able to marry.

They do have lay brothers, don't they? No pun intended.
Perhaps being an administering member of the laity would have been a better calling for him.

 

[IrishMist]

Serving in the priesthood is a calling, and a very honorable one. You may not comprehend the motivation to choose a celibate life, but it is not for everyone. It takes a very special person with a particular devotion and selflessness to choose this vocation.

I agree that it is a calling, and takes a special person to choose a live of celibacy. But isn't that what the Catholic church expects of a gay person? A life of celibacy?

 

[Maral]

I agree that it is a calling, and takes a special person to choose a live of celibacy. But isn't that what the Catholic church expects of a gay person? A life of celibacy?

Yes, the Catholic Church expects a gay person to be celibate, just like the Church expects all unmarried heterosexuals to remain celibate.

 

[IrishMist]

Yes, the Catholic Church expects a gay person to be celibate, just like the Church expects all unmarried heterosexuals to remain celibate.

But a heterosexual has the option of getting married, ending their celibacy. So, really, the Catholic church expects life long celibacy for homosexuals. Is that right?

 

[Details]

I just don't understand how they reconcile their sex drive and inclinations and their religion. I would imagine it is difficult enough just being gay.

I dunno - to me it seems just like one more sin. Ask any priest - they all sin - the whole premise is that we are all sinners. Why is this one sin worse than the others? It isn't the huge deal in the bible that it is in the churches and the public today - it's mentioned, but so are a ton of other things we pretty much disregard or consider sins, but not the kind of things that would mean you couldn't be a priest, or, as some people believe, couldn't really be a catholic/christian. You can lie, you can have premarital sex, you can do a ton of other things that the bible says are very wrong - and people still accept you as a christian, and someone who can continue to aspire to be better, aspire to be a priest - temptations are not the problem, giving in to them is. But if you are gay, it is very, very different - and I don't see why. The bible doesn't consider this a huge, huge issue - not worse than lying, certainly.

 

[TisHerself]

But a heterosexual has the option of getting married, ending their celibacy. So, really, the Catholic church expects life long celibacy for homosexuals. Is that right?

Yes IrishMist that is correct.

 

[Dark Knight]

But a heterosexual has the option of getting married, ending their celibacy. So, really, the Catholic church expects life long celibacy for homosexuals. Is that right?

Life long homosexual celibacy, yes. Like anyone who slips and falls and commits a sin, they can repent and be forgiven, but we have to all make the effort to not sin, at least. And again, it isn't just the Catholic Church expecting this.

 

[TisHerself]

Life long homosexual celibacy, yes. Like anyone who slips and falls and commits a sin, they can repent and be forgiven, but we have to all make the effort to not sin, at least. And again, it isn't just the Catholic Church expecting this.

Right but for some reason people seem to think it is only the Catholic Church that expects it.

 

[ScorpioGal]

Well, why is this ex-catholic FEMALE not surprised!?!?! They still won't accept WOMEN as priests.

I've always wonder how women can belong to any church that would think of them as "less" than a male. To the catholic church, women are third class citizens, behind men and now behind gays.

Way to go, Mr. Benedict!!!

 

[Dark Knight]

Well, why is this ex-catholic FEMALE not surprised!?!?! They still won't accept WOMEN as priests.

I've always wonder how women can belong to any church that would think of them as "less" than a male. To the catholic church, women are third class citizens, behind men and now behind gays.

Way to go, Mr. Benedict!!!

Why isn't there a "rolling my eyes" smiley? lol! Just pretend there is.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

Why isn't there a "rolling my eyes" smiley? lol! Just pretend there is.

:slap:

 

[Lake Erie Princess]

A Vatican document expected to be made public soon says the Church will allow gay men who have lived chastely for three years to be candidates for the priesthood.

The document, which has been in the works for three years will update Vatican policy which up until now made clear that homosexuals should be barred from the priesthood.

A senior official with the Vatican, who requested anonymity because the document has not yet been released said the new policy will permit candidates who have lived a chaste life for at least three years before their admission to the seminary.

The Italian weekly Panorama said in its Friday editions that Pope Benedict XVI approved the document during the summer.

I find it extremley difficult to believe that Pope Benedict would condone homosexual priests.

This is the SAME Pope who said shortly after his installation that gays were an ABOMINATION AGAINST GOD !Pope Benedict also issued a statement to all churches to NOT serve Eucharist to any gay who showed up at mass with the scapular made out of rainbow cloth.

Maybe, who knows, but I feel that Pope Benedict is much TOO conservative to turn the tide at this point of the game. I agree with him also.

In a similar report Friday, the National Catholic Reporter said seminary officials will be asked to exercise "prudential judgement."

Vatican teaching holds that homosexual acts are "intrinsically disordered." The Church, however, says that homosexuals should be treated with compassion and dignity.


Article

Vatican teachings profess that homosexuals acts are disordered.
Shortly after being installed as Pope, he made a statement on television, and said that homosexuals were an ABOMINATION against God !

Further he notified ALL churches to refuse those wearing the rainbow banner to mass to be REFUSED the Eucharist.

The Catholic Church does currently have a shortage of priests, but I think that they will continue to struggle under tradition with a lesser number of Priests. Thus they will continue to deny the availability of Priesthood to females, and confirmed Homosexuals.

I am a convert to Catholism for the past 3 years, and I say ~ follow tradition, be conservative, and leave things as they are. Following Canon Laws does not allow deviance from current Catholic laws.

I do not feel like a 2nd class citizen being denied a choice to be a Priest as a female. I would not want to be. That is up to the men, the males who ONLY can be Christlike to lead the services as law depicts in the church.

Unlike many things and churches, I would hope that the 1st true church of the world, being the Roman Catholic Church, will continue on in its previous traditions, and hold tight to the past !

 

[Jeana (DP)]

Vatican teachings profess that homosexuals acts are disordered.
Shortly after being installed as Pope, he made a statement on television, and said that homosexuals were an ABOMINATION against God !

Further he notified ALL churches to refuse those wearing the rainbow banner to mass to be REFUSED the Eucharist.

The Catholic Church does currently have a shortage of priests, but I think that they will continue to struggle under tradition with a lesser number of Priests. Thus they will continue to deny the availability of Priesthood to females, and confirmed Homosexuals.

I am a convert to Catholism for the past 3 years, and I say ~ follow tradition, be conservative, and leave things as they are. Following Canon Laws does not allow deviance from current Catholic laws.

I do not feel like a 2nd class citizen being denied a choice to be a Priest as a female. I would not want to be. That is up to the men, the males who ONLY can be Christlike to lead the services as law depicts in the church.

Unlike many things and churches, I would hope that the 1st true church of the world, being the Roman Catholic Church, will continue on in its previous traditions, and hold tight to the past !

WOW :truce: :truce: :truce: :truce:

 

[Dark Knight]

Vatican teachings profess that homosexuals acts are disordered.
Shortly after being installed as Pope, he made a statement on television, and said that homosexuals were an ABOMINATION against God !

Further he notified ALL churches to refuse those wearing the rainbow banner to mass to be REFUSED the Eucharist.

The Catholic Church does currently have a shortage of priests, but I think that they will continue to struggle under tradition with a lesser number of Priests. Thus they will continue to deny the availability of Priesthood to females, and confirmed Homosexuals.

I am a convert to Catholism for the past 3 years, and I say ~ follow tradition, be conservative, and leave things as they are. Following Canon Laws does not allow deviance from current Catholic laws.

I do not feel like a 2nd class citizen being denied a choice to be a Priest as a female. I would not want to be. That is up to the men, the males who ONLY can be Christlike to lead the services as law depicts in the church.

Unlike many things and churches, I would hope that the 1st true church of the world, being the Roman Catholic Church, will continue on in its previous traditions, and hold tight to the past !

*standing ovation* WOW INDEED!!!!!

 

[Dark Knight]

:slap:

That's the rolls eyes sarcastic smiley, I wasn't going for sarcastic, lol! :crazy: :crazy: :crazy:

 

[angelmom]

Well, why is this ex-catholic FEMALE not surprised!?!?! They still won't accept WOMEN as priests.

I've always wonder how women can belong to any church that would think of them as "less" than a male. To the catholic church, women are third class citizens, behind men and now behind gays.

Way to go, Mr. Benedict!!!

As a Catholic woman I don't see it this way at all. The women in our parish RUN the place, and the pastor knows it. He has said over and over that we truly have the power...virtually every organization in the parish is headed by a woman, the entire school is staffed by women, and most of his staff are women. Most important, he is a big believer in the old saying about "the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world." We are passing the faith along to our children and the children of the parish. Where are the men? Selling Christmas trees and holding Monte Carlo nights for fundraisers! They don't have time for much more than their own faith, but the women are the ones determining the path our parish will follow. The women are the ones deciding the curriculum for PSR and the day school, choosing which groups should be presented to the Parish Council (largely women) for approval...it goes on and on.

Jesus did not choose any women apostles to go forth and lead the church and say the Mass, but He did have many women as disciples, some of whom were closer to Him than His most beloved friends. He appeared to the women first after the resurrection and stopped to comfort them on His path to the crucifixion. He passed the ability to consecrate the Eucharist on to the men, while entrusting the future of His church to His Blessed Mother, and to Martha and Mary, Mary Magdalene, and so many others. When the men ran and hid, the women stayed by the tomb in prayer. They never gave up hope, and they believed - although the men doubted.

Don't you see the trust He has placed in us? You say we are "behind" the men and the gays, but remember, "The last shall be first." His own mother, who gave birth in a stable and fled to Egypt for her life and watched her own Son murdered, was crowned the Queen of Heaven. We are His hands and feet on earth, and our reward is with Him there. What more can we ask than to be able to do His will?

 

[concernedperson]

I am so sorry.