The Vatican has approved new guidelines for Italy indicating that an applicant for the seminary cannot be rejected solely based on being gay, provided he remains celibate.
The guidelines stipulate that seminary directors should view sexual orientation as just one aspect of a candidate’s overall personality.
While the new guidelines do not alter the Roman Catholic Church’s stance that “homosexual tendencies” are “intrinsically disordered,” they clarify that a candidate’s sexual orientation should not disqualify him from entering the priesthood as long as he maintains chastity.
The Catholic Church has faced challenges reconciling the fact that the priesthood has historically been a refuge for gay men, despite church teachings that oppose same-sex relations.
Bishops in other countries where homosexuality is often condemned are unlikely to adopt similar guidelines to those of the Italian bishops.
These guidelines, approved by the Vatican’s clergy office and adopted by the Italian Bishop’s Conference in November, took effect on Thursday for a three-year trial period and address various aspects of a candidate’s time in seminaries.
Rev. James Martin, a prominent advocate for a more inclusive church for gay Catholics, noted that this marks the first instance of a Vatican-approved document suggesting that a gay man’s admission to the seminary should not be solely determined by his sexual orientation.
Father Martin interpreted the guidelines to mean that if a gay man can lead an emotionally healthy, chaste, and celibate life, he may be eligible for seminary admission.
The complexity of this issue was highlighted last year when reports surfaced that Pope Francis had used an anti-gay slur during a conference with Italian bishops regarding the admission of gay men into seminaries.
During the conference, Francis reportedly expressed that there was already too much “gayness” in Catholic seminaries, using a pejorative term, which led to a subsequent Vatican apology.
In June, the pope faced further accusations of repeating an anti-gay slur during a meeting with priests in Rome, which surprised many Catholics who had supported his generally inclusive stance toward the L.G.B.T.Q. community.
Despite these incidents, Francis has met with gay-rights activists and permitted priests to bless same-sex couples, although he has not allowed the blessing of their unions.
Father Martin, after meeting with Francis following the derogatory remarks, shared that the Holy Father acknowledged knowing many good, holy, and celibate seminarians and priests with homosexual tendencies.
Nonetheless, Francis has consistently expressed concerns that gay candidates for the priesthood might enter into relationships and lead double lives.
In 2016, he approved a document stating that men with “deep-rooted” homosexual tendencies should not be allowed to enter seminaries, echoing a 2005 directive by Pope Benedict XVI.
Seminary directors have interpreted these instructions variably, but the new guidelines provide clearer direction.
The guidelines, which were published on the Italian bishops’ conference website, reference the 2016 document’s prohibition on men with deep-rooted homosexual tendencies while also emphasizing that discernment should not be limited to this aspect alone, but should encompass the overall personality of the candidate.
Additionally, the guidelines state that the aim of priestly formation in the affective-sexual realm is to enable candidates to embrace chastity in celibacy as a gift.
Francis DeBernardo, executive director of New Ways Ministry, a Maryland-based organization supporting gay Catholics, described the guidelines as a positive development.
He noted that they clarify previous ambiguous statements regarding gay seminary candidates, reducing fear and discrimination, and promoting equal treatment for gay and heterosexual candidates alike, which is essential for the Church’s approach to all LGBTQ+ issues.