November 30, 2005

Seminary Ban Angers Gay Leaders

CONNECTICUT
Hartford Courant

November 30, 2005
By FRANCES GRANDY TAYLOR, Courant Staff Writer

Gay leaders denounced the Vatican's policy that would ban homosexuals from seminaries and the priesthood, while Roman Catholic Church leaders said the instructions published Tuesday were a clarification and "restatement" of existing policy.

"God is neither sexist nor homophobic," said Frank O'Gorman of People of Faith for Gay and Lesbian Civil Rights. "Sexual maturity, not sexual orientation, should be the criteria."

The Vatican guidelines would bar men "who are actively homosexual or show deeply seated homosexual tendencies," and who "support gay culture or are so concerned with homosexual issues that he cannot sincerely represent the church's teaching on sexuality," said Bishop William S. Skylstad, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Men who for three years have "clearly overcome" homosexual tendencies that were a "transitory problem" during adolescence can be eligible to become priests, according to the instructions, which were approved by Pope Benedict XVI and released by the Vatican's Congregation for Catholic Education.

Posted by kshaw at November 30, 2005 08:06 AM