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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Homosexuality	Mike	Sunday, June 1, 2008
Question: Brother Ignatius, thank You for your response. I feel that I am willing and able to be a priest, The whole situation is extremely discouraging. Are there any rules excluding homosexuals from religious life? Thanks, Mike
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Mike: You must remember that no one has a "right" to be a priest. To get to be a priest requires emotional, psychiatric, and physical fitness. Then it requires the aptitude, training, and formation. Then it requires that one's personal sense of calling be confirmed by the Church. If the priesthood is not available to you for whatever reasons God will lead you into another direction. As for religious life you will have to ask the Orders you are interested in, but it is unlikely to be accepted. To live in religious life in community requires living closely with other men. Having strong homosexual tendencies is an obvious problem in that regard. You can, if you wish, live a hermit's life on your own. You would do some sort of work to support yourself and then when off work live as a hermit. The religious life is in the life, not the canonical status. Thus, this direction of hermitage would certainly be possible. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Homosexuality

Mike

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Question:

Brother Ignatius,

thank You for your response. I feel that I am willing and able to be a priest, The whole situation is extremely discouraging.

Are there any rules excluding homosexuals from religious life?

Thanks,
Mike

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Mike:

You must remember that no one has a "right" to be a priest. To get to be a priest requires emotional, psychiatric, and physical fitness. Then it requires the aptitude, training, and formation. Then it requires that one's personal sense of calling be confirmed by the Church.

If the priesthood is not available to you for whatever reasons God will lead you into another direction.

As for religious life you will have to ask the Orders you are interested in, but it is unlikely to be accepted. To live in religious life in community requires living closely with other men. Having strong homosexual tendencies is an obvious problem in that regard.

You can, if you wish, live a hermit's life on your own. You would do some sort of work to support yourself and then when off work live as a hermit. The religious life is in the life, not the canonical status. Thus, this direction of hermitage would certainly be possible.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum