Be celibate or leave the priesthood, pope tells gay priests

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

WORLD NEWS DECEMBER 2, 2018 / 10:11 AM / UPDATED 2 HOURS AGO

Be celibate or leave the priesthood, pope tells gay priests

Philip Pullella
4 MIN READ

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Men with deep-rooted homosexual tendencies should not be admitted to the Catholic clergy, and it would be better for priests who are actively gay to leave rather than lead a double life, Pope Francis says in a new book.

While he has previously spoken of the need for better screening of candidates for the religious life, his comments suggesting that priests who cannot keep their vows of celibacy should leave are some of his clearest to date.

Francis made the comments in a book-length interview with Spanish priest Fernando Prado called “The Strength of Vocation”, in which he discusses the challenges of being a priest or nun today.

-snip-

Francis said there was “no room for this” in the lives of priests and nuns, adding that the Church had to be “demanding” in choosing candidates for what is known as the consecrated life.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pope-homosexuals-book/be-celibate-or-leave-the-priesthood-pope-tells-gay-priests-idUSKBN1O10K7

[Me.]

1. Why Just Gay Priests?

[dflprincess]

2. If the church is going to keep the celibacy rule

It would be best for those who are actively heterosexual to also leave the priesthood.

[Sherman A1]

6. Agreed

I wouldn't think that one's orientation would be an issue if the celibacy rule is observed, of course there is that whole being a human being thing with which to contend, but that may perhaps be another discussion.

[vlyons]

3. or he could say ---

1. Let's have an order for married male priests

2. Let's ordain women, an order for celebate female priests, and an order for married female priests

But that won't happen, I know

[marylandblue]

4. He is steering the church into a dead end

They don't have enough priests as it is, now he is going to make it even harder. Celibacy has to go.

[fierywoman]

5. This is the real answer.

[YessirAtsaFact]

7. Attempts to lead an abnormal, celibate life leads to sexual abuse of children

People aren’t built to live that way. Sexual urges are universal.

If people aren’t allowed to act them out in adult sexual relationships, these urges will be acted upon in inappropriate ways.

[Mariana]

10. I don't think that's true.

I suspect that men who were already sexually attracted to children were more likely to become priests.

[YessirAtsaFact]

11. That's my brother's theory as well

Could it be both?

[Mariana]

13. I don't think so.

It's easy enough for a priest to have sex with a consenting adult, if a consenting adult is what turns him on. Plenty of priests have affairs, heterosexual and homosexual alike.

[Major Nikon]

18. It could be all sorts of things

Nobody knows for sure what causes pedophilia, but trying to remain celibate isn't on the suspect list. The vast majority of child rapists also have sexual relationships with adults.

[marylandblue]

12. That's what I think too.

I think men with that kind of urge thought the celibate life would save them. Instead they found a network of similar men and easy access to children.

[Major Nikon]

19. Not only that they found a network of apologists who excuse their behavior

...effectively enabling it.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

16. That's absolutely not true. No psychology supports that.

People that are sexual predators of children go into positions where they have access and power over children. Teachers, coaches, priests.

[YessirAtsaFact]

17. Makes sense

[Doreen]

8. Most of these men molesting the boys are actually not homosexual.

Sexual abuse has absolutely nothing to do with being homosexual, bisexual, or heterosexual. It has to do with power and intimidation.

This is just another way that the Catholics and any other religion use to strengthen their false claims that homosexuality is wrong.

[kimbutgar]

9. They should just let priests marry

It would revive the Catholic Church. The church is out of touch with its followers.

After I divorced my first husband who abused me, I went to my priest and told him what happened. He said I must beg my ex husband forgiveness and go back to him because I could not be a catholic and divorced. Stopped going to church and am a catholic in name only. When I remarried I had a non religious wedding. I’ll be going on 30 years in 2019 with my current husband.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

14. Why the discrimination against gay priests? Shame on the Pope and the Catholic Church!

Just another reason it should lose its tax exempt status.

[shanny]

15. "Be celibate or leave the priesthood"

should apply to all equally...but would cost the church about half of its clergy.

Which is why it is a stupid rule in the first place.

Hmmm. Silver linings would include no more priests molesting children and even an outdated authoritarian misogynistic edifice crumbling into dust.