http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051112/ap_on_re_us/gay_priests

Quote :

"Gay Priests Struggle With Vatican's Rules By RACHEL ZOLL, AP Religion Writer Sat Nov 12, 2005 [...] A key 1961 Vatican document on selecting candidates for the priesthood made clear homosexuals should be barred. But the instruction, and others that followed, have clearly not been enforced in many American seminaries and religious communities. Estimates of the number of gays in U.S. seminaries and the priesthood range from 25 percent to 50 percent, according to a review of research by the Rev. Donald Cozzens, a former seminary rector and author of "The Changing Face of the Priesthood." A gay priest who had been worried that he would be expelled if seminary administrators discovered his sexual orientation said his disclosure was welcomed instead. He said his spiritual director told him, "I'm grateful for your honesty." Historically, many gays and lesbians chose religious life partly because it was a socially acceptable alternative to marriage and protected them from questions about why they were single, Cozzens said. But the gay priests interviewed for this story insisted they were not hiding out. They said they found religious communities where they could be relatively open with fellow clergy. "My superiors encouraged me to keep talking about it as a way to help me understand how to better live a celibate life in a real healthy way," said a gay priest, who attended seminary in the 1980s and refused further identification."

Mmmmm. Isn't that interesting? 25-50%! And the "superiors" and "spiritual directors" of the Church of Rome approve of homosexual priests. WOW, THE CHURCH OF ROME TRULY IS "THE ONE AND ONLY TRUE CHURCH"!

Paging Wolfpack2k...

11/16/2005 12:20:04 PM

if they're leading the celibate life that a priest is supposed to, i fail to see how it makes any difference whatsoever

but i'm sure you can make a big deal out of it with your bat-shit insane mentality

11/16/2005 12:22:29 PM

thank you for opening our eyes salisburyboy. you truely do lead us in a great direction.

/thread

11/16/2005 12:23:56 PM

to me, it doesn't matter if they're gay or not, except that they're being hypocritical. The catholic church simulataneously demonizes homosexuals and allows 25-50% of their priests to be gay? Whether they're practicing or not, it's still hypocritical.

I'd question whether those numbers are true, but if they are, it is indeed a big deal.

11/16/2005 12:26:43 PM

i may be ignorant here, but does the bible speak out about homosexuality as in an orientation, or does it speak about homosexual sex?

i know the whole sodom and gomorrah deals are about "men lying with men" and all

but i'm thinking that if a priest struggles with homosexual thought, and is doing his best to not commit that "sin", and is celibate as he took an oath to be, then he isn't being hypocritical, he's being a good christian.

now if he believes it isn't a sin, that goes against catholicism and would be hypocritical...

the actual problem is the ones touching little boys, and really there's probably plenty touching little girls too

[Edited on November 16, 2005 at 12:33 PM. Reason : *]

11/16/2005 12:32:22 PM

Quote :

"A long-awaited Vatican document said the church cannot ordain as priests those who are active homosexuals, who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies or who support the "gay culture," an Italian newspaper reported. The newspaper, Il Giornale, reported what it said were key excerpts from the eight-page document in its Nov. 9 edition. Vatican officials refused to comment on the accuracy of the newspaper report. The document, which was expected to be formally released in late November, was approved by Pope Benedict XVI Aug. 31, the newspaper said. It was signed by Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, which prepared the instruction for use by bishops, religious superiors and seminary rectors around the world. The document said the church should welcome homosexuals with respect and sensitivity and avoid discrimination. But, the newspaper said, the document added that "the church, while deeply respecting these persons, cannot admit to the priesthood those who practice homosexuality, who present deeply rooted homosexual tendencies or who support the so-called gay culture.""

i guess we'll see what happens
http://bcc.rcav.org/05-11-14/intl.htm

here's a longer article
http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2005/11/12/vatican_policy_on_priests_said_to_prohibit_gays/

[Edited on November 16, 2005 at 12:43 PM. Reason : .]

11/16/2005 12:42:01 PM

this thread delivers

11/16/2005 12:48:21 PM

Originally I thought that it was okay for priests to be homosexual as long as they practice celibacy. That's why I was suprised by the recent rulings that they were talking about in ^^ when first announced.

11/16/2005 1:05:55 PM

Better to have them in the vatican than hiding out in San Francisco where it is hard to reach them.

11/16/2005 1:17:46 PM

Quote :

"if they're leading the celibate life that a priest is supposed to, i fail to see how it makes any difference whatsoever but i'm sure you can make a big deal out of it with your bat-shit insane mentality"

Uh, the church recently stated that since the homosexual mind is fundamentally icky or whatever that any homosexual, regardless of celibacy, is unfit to be a priest. There was a huge thread on it a few weeks back.

http://www.thewolfweb.com/message_topic.aspx?topic=355454

11/16/2005 8:46:09 PM

Quote :

"Originally I thought that it was okay for priests to be homosexual as long as they practice celibacy"

gays have no self control. its not possible. at least our hetero priest arent breakng there vows of celibacy. sex with little boys doesnt count.

11/16/2005 8:53:30 PM

Quote :

"Uh, the church recently stated that since the homosexual mind is fundamentally icky or whatever that any homosexual, regardless of celibacy, is unfit to be a priest. There was a huge thread on it a few weeks back."

how would they know? flamboyantly wearing pink briefs under their habit?

11/16/2005 11:01:42 PM

just want to point out that there is a difference between "Catholic" and "Christian"

11/16/2005 11:06:52 PM

well no shit.

there's a difference between an orange and citrus fruits as a whole too.

11/16/2005 11:08:50 PM

^^^ Plz to refer to the original thread for discussion re: how fucking idiotic the whole situation is.

11/16/2005 11:12:01 PM

that report is complete bullshit

11/17/2005 2:15:52 AM

Actually, its probably pretty accurate.

11/17/2005 2:25:25 AM

Quote :

"that report is complete bullshit"

That's what w2k says about the sex-abuse scandal.

IT'S ALL ANTI-CATHOLIC BULLSHIT!!!!!!!

11/17/2005 8:07:22 AM

Man, you are really out to bust Wolfpack2K's chops.

I'd consider the following.

Quote :

"Estimates of the number of gays in U.S. seminaries and the priesthood range from 25 percent to 50 percent"

One word. Estimates. Also, what kind of research did this guy do to determine that 25-50% of all priesthood holders in U.S. seminaries are gay?

Quote :

"former seminary rector"

Was he forcibly removed? This might all be retaliatory.

Quote :

"and author of "The Changing Face of the Priesthood.""

Keep in mind. You don't sell many books by saying "Move along, nothing to see here."

Quote :

"A long-awaited Vatican document said the church cannot ordain as priests those who are active homosexuals, who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies or who support the "gay culture,""

I take the word active to be someone that does not practice celibacy. So does this apply to the homosexual that is celibate? "Deep-seated homosexual tendencies" leaves a lot of wiggle room.

[Edited on November 17, 2005 at 8:54 AM. Reason : -]

11/17/2005 8:53:51 AM

Quote :

"I take the word active to be someone that does not practice celibacy. So does this apply to the homosexual that is celibate? "Deep-seated homosexual tendencies" leaves a lot of wiggle room."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4276912.stm

Seriously.

This had been discussed at length.

The church documents specifically say that a gay person being celibate does not change things. If you're going to discuss that, you should go to the thread for that.

11/17/2005 10:19:13 AM

New news:

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-vatican23.html

Quote :

"Reiterating its stand against sexually active gays in the priesthood, the Vatican also says in a new document that men with ''transitory'' homosexuality must have overcome their sexual tendencies for at least three years before entering the clergy."

11/23/2005 1:37:21 PM