New guidelines released by the Italian Bishops’ Conference on Friday brings the ordination of openly gay men to the Catholic priesthood closer.
The conference’s new guidelines for the training of priests didn’t recommend that openly gay men shouldn’t be barred from the priesthood, but it did heavily hint at it.
“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,” the report titled “Guidelines and norms for seminaries” stated.
However, it also went on to say that any gay priests must never have sex, as has always been the case for heterosexual priests.
Officially, the Catholic Church teaches that homosexual people must be treated with dignity and respect, but that homosexual activity is “intrinsically disordered.” It also says that men who “practice homosexuality, present deep-seated homosexual tendencies or support the so-called gay culture” cannot be ordained.
All women remain barred from the Catholic priesthood, whatever their sexuality.
In January 2023 Pope Francis told the Associated Press in an interview that “being homosexual isn’t a crime.”
Also in 2023, Francis approved “blessings” for same-sex couples, but insisted that marriage can only be between a man and a woman.
But whilst Francis has been more supportive of LGBTQ rights than any other pope, he has also used disparaging language about gay men.
In May he said they shouldn’t be allowed to enter the priesthood as there was “frociaggine” in some of the seminaries.
The word “frociaggine” translates to the homophobic word “faggotry” in English.
