How can the Vatican think inner conflict makes a priest safer?

The Vatican's recent instruction on barring gays from the seminary may be the worst document issued by the church since it declared in 1866 (three years after the Emancipation Proclamation) that "slavery itself ... is not at all contrary to the divine and natural law."

For centuries, gay priests, bishops, even cardinals have served the church and all its people with dedication and dignity. They were men who had come to terms with their "deep-seated homosexual tendencies" (to use the Vatican's words) and lived chaste and celibate lives. They did what other men who also felt called to serve in the priesthood did: They came to terms with their deep-seated heterosexual tendencies and lived chaste and celibate lives.

Now the church seems to be saying that it wants no more of the former. It does not want candidates for the priesthood who are at peace with who they are and have accepted their gay orientation. On the other hand, the document extends a cautious welcome to those whose homosexual tendencies are only "the manifestation of a transitory problem" and who are struggling to overcome these tendencies. If they can do so at least three years before being ordained deacons, they may proceed on to the priesthood.

As everyone knows, a major yet unstated reason for the publication of this instruction is the priest abuse scandal that has crippled the church and won't go away.


http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0512110190dec11,0,4208993.story?coll=chi-newsopinionperspective-hed

If they've been paying attention, they'd have known that the clergy has been the traditional haven for social "misfits"

Banning gays will be the worst mistake the church has ever made.

Not just for socio-political reasons, but for recruitment reasons as well.

And as an institute desperate for new blood (and relevance) this couldn't have come at a worse time.

the crap from the Vatican.

Never regretted it either.