UNITED STATES
Washington Blade
By ELIZABETH WEILL-GREENBERG
Friday, November 18, 2005
A group of Catholic priests has created a new organization to support gay clergy and parishioners, just days before the Vatican is expected to announce a formal ban on gays entering into the priesthood.
The Italian newspaper Il Giornale reported that the document articulating the ban is to be released on Nov. 29, apparently confirming long circulated rumors.
The eight-page document is called, “Instruction on the criteria for determining the vocation of candidates with homosexual tendencies who stand to be admitted to the priesthood and the sacred orders,” according to the Italian newspaper’s report.
“The church may not admit to the priesthood those who practice homosexuality, present deeply-rooted homosexual tendencies, or support so-called ‘gay culture,’” the document will say, according to Il Giornale.