Yes he did.
.
So like, everyone, just keep freaking out about whether or not the Pope approved condoms all you want - the bigger news is that the Holy Father also reiterated the perennial teaching of the Church that homosexual inclination/acts remain intrinsically disordered and most definitely incompatible with the priesthood.
.
One of the miseries of the church.
.
"The interviewer, German journalist Peter Seewald, asked the pope whether the church's teaching that homosexuals deserve respect isn't contradicted by its position that homosexual acts are "intrinsically disordered."
.
The pope answered: "No. It is one thing to say that they are human beings with their problems and their joys, that as human beings they deserve respect, even though they have this inclination, and must not be discriminated against because of it."
.
"At the same time, though, sexuality has an intrinsic meaning and direction, which is not homosexual," he said. "The meaning and direction of sexuality is to bring about the union of man and woman and, in this way, to give humanity posterity, children, a future."
.
The pope said the church needs to hold firm on this point, "even if it is not pleasing to our age."
.
He said it was still an open question whether homosexual inclinations are innate or arise early in life. In any case, he said, if these are strong inclinations, it represents "a great trial" for the homosexual.
.
"But this does not mean that homosexuality thereby becomes morally right. Rather, it remains contrary to the essence of what God originally willed," he said.
.
When Seewald said that homosexuality exists in monasteries and among the clergy, even if not acted out, the pope responded: "Well, that is just one of the miseries of the church. And the persons who are affected must at least try not to express this inclination actively."
.
"Homosexuality is incompatible with the priestly vocation. Otherwise, celibacy itself would lose its meaning as a renunciation. It would be extremely dangerous if celibacy became a sort of pretext for bringing people into the priesthood who don't want to get married anyway," the pope said.
.
The pope cited a 2005 Vatican document that drew a sharp line against priestly ordination of homosexuals. He said the document emphasized that homosexual candidates cannot become priests because their sexual orientation interferes with "the proper sense of paternity" that belongs to the priesthood.
.
The pope said it was important to select priestly candidates very carefully, "to head off a situation where the celibacy of priests would practically end up being identified with the tendency to homosexuality." - CNS
.
Another misery...
.
The Holy Father said, "to head off a situation where the celibacy of priests would practically end up being identified with the tendency to homosexuality."
.
That's pretty much what people think already - and I suspect many cardinals and bishops know it too.
Just like, within the last 500 years, Popes said that homosexual priests should be executed, this theological opinion, too, will change, although hopefully before most people abandon the Church and our saviour entirely.
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving.
Lots of slow readers out there. The media have had copies of the book for a week or better and they just discover these paragraphs now?
ReplyDeleteIf this had been published last Saturday by L'Osservatore Romano, a lot of electrons wouldn't have to have been wasted.
Interesting that "L O" didn't find this significant enough to also justify breaking the news embargo.
Happy Thanksgiving,Terry
Ray
Can someone please explain to me is it JUST the priesthood or all the three Holy Orders which are of concern. If it is just the priesthood, is the Vatican saying it is alright to have deep-seated homosexually inclined deacons?
ReplyDeleteI think that for the first time now, I understand what the Pope is saying. Given that what has happened, it makes sense at a pastoral level to ensure that homosexuals who have not sufficiently dealt with their trial are not ordained monks or priests.
ReplyDeleteBut I do think that there are homosexuals who have done so and can do so and who can make great priests.
A caveat... I am Orthodox, and the Orthodox understanding of celibacy, monasticism, and priesthood differs slightly of course.
Seminaries have been instructed not to admit men with homosexual inclinations. So all ordained orders would be included.
ReplyDeleteI think only priests and deacons receive ordination after Vatican II.
I don't think his comments change anything. The Church still allows men who don't have a "deep-seated" homosexuality to serve in the Church. Most interpret the 2005 document to mean a man who has been chaste for around five years. "If a candidate practises homosexuality or presents deep-seated homosexual tendencies, his spiritual director as well as his confessor have the duty to dissuade him in conscience from proceeding towards ordination."
ReplyDeleteI love this quote from Salt of the Earth. It gives a sense of the real sensibility of Pope Benedict. "The ages of life change a man; he shouldn't try to be a seventeen-year-old when he is seventy, and vice versa. I want to be true to what I have recognized as essential and also to remain open to seeing what should change. And what surrounds a man also changes his position. He suddenly finds himself in a different network of coordinates. The framework of discussion in the Church today is completely different from what it was thirty years ago. In this sense, the circumstances give one's words and actions another value. I don't deny that there has been development and change in my life, but I hold firmly that it is a development and change within a fundamental identity and that I, precisely in changing, have tried to remain faithful to what I have always had at heart. Here I agree with Cardinal Newman, who says that to live is to change and that the one who was capable of changing has lived much. " p.116
Michael - wonderful, beautiful quote - thank you.
ReplyDeleteRay:
ReplyDelete"So all ordained orders would be included. I think only priests and deacons receive ordination after Vatican II."
I see your point. You are saying all the minor orders would be included too. Fair enough. But my point is precisely this: If no deep-seated homosexual ordained minsters are wanted, then please say so. Not JUST deep-seated homosexual priests, but deacons, subdeacons, acolytes, lectors, exorcists and porters too.
I am not against the 2005 document at all. I only have a problem with singling out the priests when what the document could have talked about all ordained ministers.
Besides, there are nuns, monks (and even friars!) who are not ordained (because we don't ordain women) but are serving the church and who could be deep-seated homosexuals....(Scary thought!)
Says the Pope: "...must not be discriminated against because of it."
ReplyDeleteVery interesting. Would that non-discrimination attitude include, say, boy scout leaders, seminarians, food service workers, judges, TSA employees, etc.? Dear Holy Father: of course they have to be discriminated against - especially in those cases I've listed - because their disordered sexuality will have dire consequences on the people and institutions they come into contact with. Do you really want a homosexual or lesbian judge ruling on sensitive family cases? Do you want a poof in the TSA groping you at the airport? Do I need to go on?
When the Pope makes comments like this I want to just sit dow, put my head in my hands and cry.
I rather doubt that the Holy Father would call anyone a "poof."
ReplyDeleteWhen the love that dares not speak its name never shuts up it ends up being a misery for everyone.
ReplyDeleteI guess I must be delusional to honestly think that all these years I felt called to the priesthood/religious life.
ReplyDelete