UNITED STATES
New York Daily News
By REV. JOHN TRIGILIO JR.
The Vatican is expected to issue a directive soon that reinforces a 1961 ban on admitting seminary candidates with a homosexual inclination. This is a prudent and reasonable measure consistent with the moral teachings of the church. The Catechism defines the homosexual orientation as "objectively disordered," comparable to a physical or psychological condition that may not be a matter of choice. That was the reason for the previous instruction 44 years ago.
The directive is not retroactive and does not affect those already ordained priests. It is aimed specifically at seminaries. Besides sexual concerns, alcohol abuse at seminaries also needs to be addressed, and sound doctrine and solid spirituality from the seminary maintained.
This policy is neither new nor unreasonable. What is unfair is to place someone who has a same-sex attraction in a closed environment exclusively populated with his own gender for a minimum of five to eight years. Imagine a heterosexual man living in an all-female dorm, sharing common bathrooms and having a woman roommate. The very close confinement, morning, noon and night, would be a trial for any straight, red-blooded male. A man with a homosexual orientation in a seminary could commit sin in his heart, even if he didn't act upon temptation.
The tragic pedophile scandal involving some priests is not the issue here. Sexual abuse of children is not restricted to either sexual orientation and is a heinous crime regardless of who perpetrates such depravity - whether clergy or laity, family member, teacher or coach.