No gays allowed

last updated 8 January 2015

Rome

The Vatican this week officially published guidelines barring gay men and “supporters of gay culture” from the priesthood. The guidelines, portions of which have leaked out over the last several weeks, allow men who have “overcome” their homosexual tendencies to enter Catholic seminaries, but those who have a “deep-seated” orientation should not apply. “Deep-seated homosexual tendencies, which are found in a number of men and women, are also objectively disordered and, for those same people, often constitute a trial,” the document says. It also calls on Catholics to show gays respect and sensitivity.