Dear Robert:

For many years homosexuals have been allowed in the Priesthood though documents at least as far back as 1961 stated:

"Those affected by the perverse inclination to homosexuality or pederasty should be excluded from religious vows and ordination," because priestly ministry would place such persons in "grave danger".

One argument is that if any man, homosexual or heterosexual, is willing to commit to celibacy and perpetual chastity in perfect continence that it did not matter.

Another argument is that a homosexual is not qualified for the Priesthood because he has a disorder that is potentially problematic. Candidates are routinely denied the Priesthood for many other psychological disorders because of the potential problems those other disorders may cause. Homosexuality is a disorder that should also disqualify a man.

The definitive argument is the official Church ruling. In May 2002, the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, responding to an question from a bishop, said that men who are homosexuals, or have homosexual tendencies, should not be ordained priests. Here is a copy of the letter which has been published in the Congregation's bulletin in December 2002:

Prot. n. 886/02/0
Vatican City, May 16, 2002

Most Reverend Excellency:

The Congregation for Clergy has sent this Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments your Excellency's letter, asking us to clarify the possibility that men with homosexual tendencies be able to receive priestly ordination.

This Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, conscious of the experience resulting from many instructed causes for the purpose of obtaining dispensation from the obligations that derive from Holy Ordination, and after due consultation with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, expresses its judgment as follows:

Ordination to the diaconate and the priesthood of homosexual men or men with homosexual tendencies is absolutely inadvisable and imprudent and, from the pastoral point of view, very risky. A homosexual person, or one with a homosexual tendency is not, therefore, fit to receive the sacrament of Holy Orders.

I take the opportunity to send you my most cordial greetings.

Yours sincerely in Domino Your Most Reverend Excellency,
Jorge A. Cardinal Medina Estévez, Prefect

Reports indicate that Vatican officials will be "inspecting" American seminaries in the Fall of 2005 in an effort to clean-up the mess of unorthodox and homosexual presence in those seminaries. It is expected that a new Vatican document on Homosexuality and the Priesthood will be issued shortly before this inspection.

For those homosexuals who feel called to religious or priestly life, they will need to find another of the many ways in which they may serve the Church. It is possible, however, that those homosexuals who are healed of their homosexuality and therefore no longer have any homosexual tendencies may be allowed religious or priestly vocation, but we will have to see what the new Vatican document says later this year.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary