VATICAN CITY
Cape Times
November 24, 2005
By Philip Pullella
Vatican City: A new Vatican document on homosexuality in the Catholic priesthood has touched off a storm of criticism from those who say the church is missing the point and using gays as scapegoats for its sex scandals.
The document, which says the church can admit those who have clearly overcome homosexual tendencies for at least three years, is due to be released officially next week.
But it said practising homosexuals and those with "deep-seated" gay tendencies and those who support a gay culture should be barred, a stand which was welcomed by conservatives both in the Catholic Church and in other religions.
"This looks like a diversionary tactic to deflect public attention away from the Vatican's real problem which is child sex abuse by clergy," said Peter Tatchell of the British gay pressure group OutRage!
"The Pope should be tackling paedophiles within the church, not witch-hunting gay people," he said.