The Vatican has introduced new guidelines in the Catholic Church’s stance on gay men becoming priests. According to the revised guidelines, approved by Italian bishops, openly gay men can now enroll in seminaries and train to become priests, provided they remain celibate.
This requirement is already in place for heterosexual priests.
As stated in the guidelines, “When referring to homosexual tendencies in the formation process, it is also appropriate not to reduce the discernment to this aspect alone, but … to understand its meaning within the whole framework of the young person’s personality.”
This announcement shows a deviation from the Church’s previous teachings, which viewed homosexual activity as “intrinsically disordered.”
A 2016 instruction also stipulated that men with “deep-seated homosexual tendencies” were ineligible to become priests.
As noted in the guide, “When referring to homosexual tendencies, it’s also appropriate not to reduce discernment only to this aspect, but, as for every candidate, to grasp its meaning in the global framework of the young person’s personality.”
It remains unclear whether these new guidelines will be implemented in other countries.
The Pope has been criticized for adopting a more accepting tone towards the LGBT+ community, stating publicly that “being a homosexual is not a crime.”
Moreover, Pope Francis has instructed priests to bless same-sex couples on a case-by-case basis. However, the admission of gay men into the priesthood has remained a taboo subject until now.
The new guidelines, however, do not alter the Church’s stance on women becoming priests. Women, regardless of their sexuality, remain barred from becoming Catholic priests, and only men can become the Pope.
