Vatican Approves Guidelines Allowing Gay Men to Train as Priests if Celibate

New Italian guidelines state that sexual orientation alone will not disqualify candidates, but celibacy and alignment with Church teachings remain mandatory.

The Italian Bishops' Conference has issued Vatican-approved guidelines permitting gay men to train for the priesthood, provided they remain celibate.
These guidelines emphasize evaluating a candidate's sexual orientation as part of their overall personality rather than as a sole determinant for eligibility.
The guidelines maintain that individuals who are sexually active, have deep-seated homosexual tendencies, or promote 'gay culture' cannot be admitted to seminaries.
Pope Francis, while generally advocating for inclusivity, has faced criticism for past use of an offensive slur when discussing gay seminarians, for which he later apologized.
The decision marks a shift in tone but does not alter the Church's stance that same-sex acts are 'intrinsically disordered,' sparking mixed reactions within the Catholic community.

Metro

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