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Catholic church to set 'gay test' for new priests
Saturday, 8 November 2008
enlargeThe Catholic Church is to vet all candidates for the priesthood to weed out anyone suspected of “deeply seated” homosexuality.
After being hit by a series of sex scandals, the Vatican has given the seal of approval to the psychological screening to test for evidence of personality disorders or serious doubts about aptitude for the priesthood.
Controversially, the head of the Vatican committee that made the recommendations has made it clear they should be used to screen out homosexuals, even if they are celibate, because homosexuality is "a type of deviation" that disqualifies a priest from exercising "spiritual paternity".
But Ben Summerskill, chief executive of the gay equality group Stonewall, warned: "It's a tragedy at a time when the Roman Catholic Church is desperately short of people seeking a vocation in the Church ... What will they do with someone they deemed to be innately homosexual because of his strange gait or rather odd look and who turned out to be heterosexual? The Pope wears Prada shoes, which might end regrettably with some ridiculous cardinal making unfair suggestions about him. Exercises like these always end in tears."
The "Guidelines for the Use of Psychology in the Admission and Formation of Candidates for the Priesthood" were drawn up by the Congregation for Catholic Education in the Vatican. Speaking at a press conference earlier this week, the prefect of the Congregation, Cardinal Grocholewski, explained why a seminarian should be excluded from the priesthood even if he is celibate if it appeared that he was homosexual. His remarks, delivered in Italian, were overlooked in Britain until they appeared in translation in yesterday's Catholic Herald.
"The candidate does not necessarily have to practise homosexuality. He can even be without sin," the Cardinal said. "But if he has this deep-seated tendency, he cannot be admitted to priestly ministry precisely because of the nature of the priesthood, in which a spiritual paternity is carried out. Here we are not talking about whether he commits sins, but whether this deeply rooted tendency remains."
He added: "In a certain sense, when we ask why Christ reserved the priesthood to men, we speak of this spiritual paternity, and maintain that homosexuality is a type of deviation, a type of irregularity. Therefore it is a type of wound in the exercise of the priesthood, in forming relations with others. And precisely for this reason we say that something isn't right in the psyche of such a man. We don't simply talk about the ability to abstain from these kinds of relations."
The Congregation issued a similar warning in 2005, but this week's document – which is not available in English – appears to go further.
It says that if seminary students show signs of grave immaturity, then "the path of formation will have to be interrupted". Symptoms of "immaturity" would include unclear sexual identity, difficulty with the celibate life, excessive rigidity of character and lack of freedom in relations.
When it comes to assessing a candidate's ability to be celibate, the document suggests that "it is not enough to be sure that he is capable of abstaining from genital activity" but that it is also necessary "to evaluate his sexual orientation".
It recommends psychological tests, provided that the candidate gives his consent and that those conducting the tests do not use techniques outside their area of knowledge. Psychological testing is already used by the Catholic Church in Britain, although screening varies between dioceses.
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In am so pleased I am an Atheist! There is no conceivable way you could test someone for "sexuality". Sexuality is not a clear gay/straight case.
Homosexuality does not equate paedaphillia. Hetrosexuals are just as likely to act in such a way. There is no evidence that gay men are more prone to abusing children.
As for the "jump into bed with your neighbour" comment below, do you read the bible literally. If so, do you think it is appropriate to stone "naughty" children to death at the city gates, because the Bible suggests that is fine as well. What about Lot's daughters sleeping with him, do you advocate Incest!
Posted by Atheist | 10.05.09, 18:25 GMT
Why does the Catholic Church not develop tests to see whether candidates have deep-seated tendencies to become a heterosexual rapist, like we have seen so many times now. I think they outnumber any kind of homosexuals (without sins).
How scientific are these tests anyway?
This reminds me of practices of the Holy Inquisition. People were put to the test in those days because they were jewish.
And that reminds me of .........................
Posted by Hans Gijsen | 02.12.08, 12:17 GMT
No you won't regret renouncing your vows, Kerwood. I left the Catholic church nearly 40 years ago after they excommunicated my mother for divorcing a man who had beaten and raped me for years and a priest had told me *I* would go to hell if I ever told anyone what he did.
I have never for a moment regretted it.
Posted by Gwenny | 25.11.08, 16:27 GMT
What a messed up religion.
Posted by mickey | 10.11.08, 09:32 GMT
Kerwood,
Please reconsider. Someday you'll regret renouncing your wows.
Posted by TD | 09.11.08, 21:04 GMT
James McKenna, yeah the bible says love thy neighbour, but not jump into bed with him, especially if his parents are away for the weekend and left young Johnny home alone. Catch a grip of yourself.
Posted by phil c | 09.11.08, 20:39 GMT
Some suggestions for questions for this test -
1. Do you currently enjoy or have you ever enjoyed musical theatre?
2. Do you regularly visit coffee shops?
3. Do you eat brunch?
4. Can you name the 4 main characters in 'Sex and the City'?
5. Have you ever described anything as fabulous?
...As ridiculous as the ridiculous prejudice against homosexuals encouraged by this sort of medieval witch hunt.
Posted by Fi | 09.11.08, 17:30 GMT
I'd be more concerned getting your house in order regarding child abuse than homosexuals.
Posted by soarer | 09.11.08, 11:27 GMT
Dom: Not "really that determined to destroy themselves" rather really determined to purify themselves. The sex scandal that rocked the Church due to homosexual priests and pedophile priests had condemnation from the world.
Now the Church addresses the protection of children partly by not allowing homosexual priests, yet you condem the Church again.
Do you not think this will serve as a means to protect young boys from predator homosexual priests?
Posted by Colin | 09.11.08, 03:07 GMT
I hereby renounce to my belonging to the Catholic Church.
I denounce my baptism, all sacraments and wows.
Posted by Kerwood | 09.11.08, 00:10 GMT
One doesn't have to be a homosexual to molest children; as a lot of these priests have been found out to have done.
Posted by B.Kerr | 08.11.08, 23:02 GMT
the bible says love my neighbour,dont judge others. the catholic church has a tendency to contradict itself. Humanity evolved and unless it wants to continue exsisting, instead of stabbing themselves with a cross in the foot , they must evolve too.
Homosexuality is not an illness, neithers a priest whos disabled. Younger People Finding Their Sexual Identity Is Cofusing enough, Denying A Person The Right To Priesthood simply because of sexuality or gender because it has been like that since priesthood began, is like saying women should be refused rights as thats the way it had always been
Posted by James McKenna | 08.11.08, 22:14 GMT
What about all the heterosexual priests that may also be unable to enter a "spiritual bond" with God? Some break the vow of celibacy and end up committing adultery with married women
The Catholic Church needs to change with the 21st Century!
Posted by Peter | 08.11.08, 22:10 GMT
This Article Got Me Genuinly Upset. Homosexuality Should Not Be Condemned In This Way, The Church Has Taken This Step And Cannot Complain About It Because They fear change.
If God had made people their own unique way it implies their biological tendencies to express themselves in a more femine way etc, its not an "irregularity" its nature, and if he made them gay clearly that should be enough.
Posted by James McKenna | 08.11.08, 22:07 GMT
Homosexuality is one thing -- paedophilia is another. Screening for people who are gay won't find the child molesters who plague the Catholic church. Perhaps if the Catholic church wanted to enter the 21st century and reclaim all its lost parishioners -- including me -- they could do a number of things i.e. restore the right of the clergy to marry, thus ending the unnatural and unheathy concept of celibacy and/or they could allow women -- one half of God's people and it would seem the majority of church-goers -- to become priests.
Posted by Eoin Kenny | 08.11.08, 18:50 GMT
When I first saw this headline I thought the test was that you HAD to be gay to get in!!
Posted by Brian | 08.11.08, 17:32 GMT
Let them be gay if they want, but weed out the child abusers
Posted by Paulo | 08.11.08, 17:08 GMT
Why would any catholic want to remain a member of a chuch whose leaders are so deeply homophobic? I invite the church to ex-communicate me as I do not feel that I as a gay man, out and proud ,baptised a catholic, but no longer practising, want to remain part of that backward organisation.
Posted by Bernard McEldowney | 08.11.08, 17:01 GMT
Perhaps the Vatican should look into the history of prospective priests as well. Anybody with, oh I don't know, lets say a history of membership in the Hitler youth should be excluded without a second thought!
Just when you thought the catholic church couldn't get any more bigoted they pull a stunt like this! Are they really that determined to destroy themselves?
Posted by Dom Wirdnam | 08.11.08, 12:26 GMT
So people who do not even engage in homosexual behaviour are to be condemned by our ever-so progressive church?
Do the words "thought crime" ring a bell?
I used to think the church was stuck in the 19th Century. How refreshing to find they've move along to the 20th Century - 1984 to be exact!
Posted by Eamon | 08.11.08, 04:52 GMT