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In a letter accompanying its directive against
the ordination of men with "deep-seated homosexual tendencies," the
Vatican has told bishops that gay priests should not teach in Roman
Catholic seminaries.
The Rev. Donald B. Cozzens, a Catholic author and
former seminary rector, called the letter a "bombshell" because it affects
current priests, not just future ones.
Some experts on church law said yesterday that the
letter is nonbinding and can simply be ignored by bishops. But others
predicted that it will usher in a gradual purge of gays from leadership
positions in the church, even if they have kept their vows of
celibacy.
Because priests who teach in seminaries are
frequently transferred to serve in parishes and vice versa, "it could be
implemented gradually, without anybody knowing" for certain why a
clergyman was moved, said Sister Katarina Schuth, a professor at
University of St. Thomas in Minnesota who is a leading researcher on
Catholic seminaries.
"It's an amazing statement coming as it does on
the heels of so many people assuring us that this document does not relate
to priests already ordained," said the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest
in New York.
The two-page cover letter, dated Nov. 4, was sent
to bishops around the world by the Congregation on Catholic Education, the
Vatican department responsible for seminaries. It accompanied a six-page
"instruction" that said men who "practice homosexuality, present
deep-seated homosexual tendencies or support the so-called 'gay culture' "
should not be admitted to seminaries or ordained as
priests.
The instruction was published by the Vatican on
Tuesday, but the letter was not. Its contents were first reported by the
Catholic News Service on Wednesday, and the full text was obtained by The
Washington Post yesterday.
Most of the letter is devoted to the bureaucratic
history of the instruction, emphasizing the heavy involvement of the
department formerly headed by Pope Benedict XVI, known as the Congregation
for the Doctrine of the Faith.
The letter says that the instruction "does not
call into question the validity of the ordination" of men with "homosexual
tendencies" who are priests. "They are to continue to exercise their
ministry, taking care to live with integrity. . . .," it says. But it
adds: "Because of the particular responsibility of those charged with the
formation of future priests, they are not to be appointed as rectors or
educators in seminaries."
The letter was signed by the top officials of the
education congregation, Polish Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski and Canadian
Archbishop J. Michael Miller.
The Rev. Ladislas Orsy, a canon lawyer at
Georgetown University, said the cover letter does not have the same legal
authority as the instruction.
"What kind of canonical force does it have? I'm
speaking professionally, not editorializing. The honest answer is none,"
he said. "It's not a piece of legislation. It would be like a letter from
a committee chairman in Congress."
Orsy said the letter should be viewed as
nonbinding advice to bishops that concerns only future appointments of
seminary instructors, because "we have a sweeping principle in canon law
that no rule is retroactive unless it specifically says
so."
Nevertheless, several Catholic scholars said the
letter is a logical step from the instruction.
"Priests still struggling with homoerotic desires
are perhaps not the best-placed to act as evaluators or counsellors of
candidates for the priesthood who are working through similar issues,"
said papal biographer George Weigel.
Cozzens, whose survey research indicates that a
quarter to half of all U.S. priests are gay, said the letter "doesn't say
that rectors or professors in our seminaries who have already been
appointed should be removed, but one wonders if that's not what might
begin to happen -- a kind of culling of gay rectors and
professors."
Furthermore, he said, "I think it could also raise
questions about people working in chanceries and about bishops who happen
to be gay. And why stop there? I see it as a logical extension of the
instruction, but it underscores the problematic nature of the
instruction."
© 2005 The Washington Post
Company
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Statement From The Board Of
Directors and Staff of the National Association of Catholic Diocesan Lesbian and
Gay Ministries
The National Association of
Catholic Diocesan Lesbian and Gay Ministries in its mission encourages pastoral
care with lesbian and gay persons and their families. From time to time that
mission is made more difficult due to statements in the Church which are
uninformed or contain language that causes spiritual harm to lesbian and gay
Catholics, their families, and the broader Church community. Such is the case
with the document “Concerning The Criteria Of Vocational Discernment Regarding
Persons With Homosexual Tendencies In View Of Their Admission To Seminaries And
Holy Orders” issued by the Vatican Congregation for Catholic Education.
The Board and Staff of NACDLGM in
their role of supporting local diocesan and parish ministries offer the
following concerns:
1. The Vatican document refers to
“a particular issue, made more urgent by the current situation.” The document
does not explain what that current situation is. But its apparent reference to
the sexual abuse crisis in the Church is inappropriate and misleading since
pedophilia and sexual abuse cannot be equated with sexual orientation. Bishops,
theologians, pastoral ministers, and the Vatican’s own consultation with human
science experts have acknowledged this reality.
2. The document speaks of
“deep-seated homosexual tendencies.” The term “tendencies” causes much
confusion. In the context of the statement that the “Catechism distinguishes
between homosexual acts and homosexual tendencies” it can be presumed that
“tendencies” are equivalent to orientation. This can be contrasted with the
reference in the Vatican document to “a transitory problem.” If “deep-seated
homosexual tendencies” means homosexual orientation then this document promotes
the rejection of candidates based solely on sexual orientation. This conflicts
with the Vatican-approved Bishops’ letter, Always Our Children, which
says “Homosexual persons living chaste lives should have opportunities to lead
and serve the community.”
3. The reason the Vatican gives for not admitting
such candidates to the seminary or ordination is that “Such people, in fact,
find themselves in a situation that seriously obstructs them from properly
relating to men and women.” It goes on to state that the “negative consequences
that can result from the Ordination of persons with deep-seated homosexual
tendencies should not be obscured.” What evidence exists that gay priests cannot
properly relate to men and women? What negative consequences result from their
ordination? Such unsubstantiated judgments are unacceptable in a Gospel-based
Church. Clearly, the often-used philosophical term “objective disorder” does not
mean psychological disorder, though that distinction has progressively been
obscured in the Church’s ongoing discussion of homosexuality. In his 1997
article in L’Osservatore Romano, Dr. Gianfrancesco Zuanazzi wrote: “we state
that a deviation [homosexuality] from the sexual norm [heterosexuality] can
coexist with perfect mental functioning. In particular, homosexuality should not
be regarded as an illness per se.”
4. The question must be raised as to the meaning
of “the so-called gay culture.” Those who minister with lesbian and gay people
know that the stereotype of a “gay culture” actually distorts the reality of
their lives. Gay people are part of a variety of communities, including
spiritual, ethnic, and cultural support systems. The language of “so-called gay
culture” falsely stigmatizes groups and organizations which support justice,
healing, and hope for communities targeted by violence and unjust
discrimination. The Board and Staff of NACDLGM call upon local ministries and
ministry leaders to give voice, as we do, to the integrity and ministerial
abilities and graces of persons with homosexual orientations. We affirm our gay
bishops, priests, seminarians, and lay ministers and pray for the continuance of
their support and courage. We hope that our bishops will continue to support
them as well.
NACDLGM is a network of persons and ministries
in dioceses and parishes in support of lesbian and gay Catholics and their
families. Founded in 1994, NACDLGM national office is located in Berkeley,
California. Website: www.nacdlgm.org
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November 4 Letter From the Vatican's Congregation on
Catholic Education
We are happy to present you with the enclosed 'Instruction Concerning the
Criteria for the Discernment of Vocations With Regard to Persons With Homosexual
Tendencies in View of Their Admission to the Seminary and to Holy Orders.'
The new document is the result of a long process of preparation. Already in
1996, in fact, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith invited this
congregation to prepare an instruction concerning the criteria for the
discernment of vocations with reference to those with homosexual tendencies.
Subsequently, the same congregation forwarded abundant documentation on the
question.
The draft versions of the document were submitted, for examination, to the
fathers of this congregation at the plenary sessions held in 1998, 2002 and
2005. Furthermore, the texts were sent for evaluation to the following
dicasteries: the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Congregation
for the Oriental Churches, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the
Discipline of the Sacraments, the Congregation for the Evangelization of
Peoples, the Congregation for the Clergy, the Congregation for Institutes of
Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, and the Pontifical Council for
Legislative Texts. In the plenary assembly of 2005 the fathers approved the
instruction, acknowledging it to be helpful and very useful.
The Holy Father Benedict XVI, on Aug. 31, 2005, approved and ordered the
publication of the present document, which had been presented to him by the
prefect of this congregation.
The instruction is based on the conciliar and post-conciliar texts concerning
the priesthood, as well as on those texts that refer to the problem of
homosexuality, such as the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the documents of
the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
The document does not treat all questions in the area of affective maturity
and sexuality that require an attentive discernment during the entire period of
formation. It only contains norms concerning a specific question, made more
urgent by the current situation, and that is: whether to admit to the seminary
and to holy orders candidates who 'practice homosexuality, present deep-seated
homosexual tendencies or support the so-called 'gay culture.'
The aforementioned document does not call into question the validity of the
ordination and the situation of priests who, in fact, have been ordained with
homosexual tendencies or of priests in whom such tendencies have manifested
themselves after ordination. Like all other priests, they must remember the
promise that they made on the day of their ordination to live perfect chastity
in celibacy. They are to continue to exercise their ministry, taking care to
live with integrity the mission they have received, in faithfulness to the
Gospel and to the magisterium. Because of the particular responsibility of those
charged with the formation of future priests, they are not to be appointed as
rectors or educators in seminaries.
The Congregation for Catholic Education, in publishing this document, wants
to offer bishops, major superiors and all superiors whom it may concern, a
useful tool for carrying out an attentive and prudent discernment regarding the
suitability of candidates for holy orders, from their admission to the seminary
until their ordination. The norms of the instruction, therefore, must be taken
into consideration in the drafting or updating of the 'Ratio Institutionis
Sacerdotalis' of every country. Moreover, it is clear that the aforementioned
norms are to be faithfully observed by all superiors to ensure a suitable
preparation of future priests in view of the good both of the candidates
themselves and of the church.
The text of the document will be published on Nov. 29, 2005, in L'Osservatore
Romano. Until that date, it remains strictly confidential.
Hoping that this latest document will contribute to an even greater
improvement of the formative path to holy orders, we willingly take the
opportunity to express to you our sentiments of highest esteem, remaining
Yours most devotedly in Christ
Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, prefect
Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, secretary.
© 2005 Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive
Dignity Canada Dignité is Canada's
organization of Roman Catholics who are concerned about our church's sexual
theology, particularly as it pertains to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and
transgendered persons. We work in collaboration with other Catholic
organizations seeking reform in our church's leadership and teachings.
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