NYT: New Vatican Rule Said to Bar Gays as New Priests

[DeepModem Mom]

New Vatican Rule Said to Bar Gays as New Priests
By IAN FISHER and LAURIE GOODSTEIN
Published: September 22, 2005


ROME, Sept. 21 - Homosexuals, even those who are celibate, will be barred from becoming Roman Catholic priests, a church official said Wednesday, under stricter rules soon to be released on one of the most sensitive issues facing the church.

The official, said the question was not "if it will be published, but when," referring to the new ruling about homosexuality in Catholic seminaries, a topic that has stirred much recent rumor and worry in the church. The official, who has authoritative knowledge of the new rules, spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the church's policy of not commenting on unpublished reports.

He said that while Pope Benedict XVI had not yet signed the document, it would probably be released in the next six weeks.

In addition to the new document, which will apply to the church worldwide, Vatican investigators have been instructed to visit each of the 229 seminaries in the United States.

Although work on the document began years ago under Pope John Paul II, who died in April, its release will be a defining act in the young papacy of Benedict, a conservative who said last spring that there was a need to "purify" the church after the deeply damaging sex scandals of the last several years....


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/22/international/europe/22vatican.html?hp&ex=1127361600&en=53b08101f5606757&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[Bill McBlueState]

1. baffling

It baffles me that progressive people can remain part of such an organization. To think that barring gays is an appropriate response to the child rape scandal? How... Republican.

[ozarkvet]

4. Should be protested

I would think that a lot of seminaries would follow the no-Army-recruiters-on-campus strategy (because of the discriminatory don't-ask-don't-tell policy) and bar the Roman Catholic Church from recruiting on campus.

And certain student organizations that support this discrimination would also need to be scrutinized carefully.

[DeepModem Mom]

2. Important news -- print edition page-one today. nt

[area51]

3. Only straights allowed?

My 2¢: I'm not Catholic, but I've heard that fewer men have been entering the priesthood. So the Vatican actually needs men, both straight & gay, to enter the priesthood in order to have enough people to serve. I've also heard that most pedophiles aren't gay, so this will in no way solve the problem Benedict is concerned about.

[VegasWolf]

5. Well there goes the Catholic Church! Who wants to be a priest now? nt

[Oreegone]

6. Oh NO !!

Now they will only consider pedophiles?

[Duncan Grant]

7. They're not "purifying" the church; they're on a witch hunt.

I'm so disgusted by this level of spiritual immaturity - I'm speechless! It seems evil is truly done by those who know exactly what they're up to... :grr:

[teknomanzer]

8. Two questions...

First, when are they going to ban pedofiles and pederasts?

Second, how will they know if someone is gay? Will they have the neophyte perform a heterosexual act before the approving eyes of the clergy? I just want to know.

[wiley]

9. And all the priests sang

Thank Heaven for little girls.

:yoiks:

[Behind the Aegis]

10. How will they know?

Will the application have a box to check? Will it be a trick question, like Jesus was righteous or a righteous hunk?! Will they test their test their knowledge of show-tunes? Or, will they have to endure the "test*?" (for those that don't get it..this is :sarcasm:)

Personally, it is their Church, they can exclude who they want. As long as they stay out of politics, they can decide who can be priests and who can't. I don't want to interfere with their Church, if they don't interfere with my politics!

*The test

Ten potentials are lined up. They are stripped down naked and have strings with bells at the end attached on their "unit." A buxom, nude woman is walked through the room. When they hear 9 bells ringing, they know who might be heterosexual. When they tell them to "hit the showers" and hear 3 bells ringing, they will know who is gay and/or bisexual!

[Busshianic]

11. Ye hypocrites!

Lawyers for pope seek immunity in Texas sex abuse lawsuit naming Ratzinger as defendant