Homosexuals joining the priesthood must remain in the closet, according to new directive from the Holy See
The Vatican has given gay men the go-ahead to become priests, provided they remain celibate and refrain from promoting “gay culture,” according to a directive published by the Italian Bishops Conference (CIE) on Thursday.
The document was agreed by the CIE in November and published on Thursday with authorization from the Vatican. It will remain in force for a trial period of three years.
It states that “persons with homosexual tendencies” wishing to join the clergy must commit to celibacy, as their straight counterparts also do.
However, the document continues, the Church “cannot admit to the Seminary and to Holy Orders those who practice homosexuality, present deeply rooted homosexual tendencies or support the so-called gay culture.”
“The aforementioned persons find themselves, in fact, in a situation that seriously hinders correct relationships with men and women,” it states.
While the new rules offer a path into the priesthood for gay men, they do not depart from the language of a 2016 order issued by Pope Francis, which bans men who “practice homosexuality, [and] show deeply rooted homosexual tendencies” from becoming priests.
Francis has issued a series of somewhat contradictory statements on homosexuality since he became Pope in 2013. Asked that year whether he supported gay men joining the priesthood, he replied “who am I to judge?” However, in 2018 he recommended that gay priests should stay out of the Church, saying “It’s better for them to leave the ministry or the consecrated life rather than to live a double life.”
Last year, the pontiff apologized after complaining in an interview that there is too much “frociaggine” (Italian for “faggotry”) occurring in seminaries.
While the Pope has never contradicted the catechism of the Catholic Church, which states that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered,” he has made several concessions to the LGBT community, including a ruling in December 2023 allowing priests to bless unmarried and same-sex couples.
