Homosexuality in the Roman Catholic priesthood
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Studies into the incidence of Homosexuality in the Roman Catholic priesthood are contested and controversial. Roman Catholic priests take a vow of Celibacy at their Ordination and as such are called to refrain from all sexual activity. Occurrences of sex abuse in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, however, has led some to conduct studies into the sexual inclinations of priests more generally. Due to the nature of the priestly vow of celibacy, the lack of a demonstrable link between Homosexuality and Pedophilia, and the small percentage of priests who have been charged with child abuse allegations, these studies remain highly controversial.
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[edit] Anonymous Studies
A number of anonymous studies have suggested a prevalence of Homosexual leanings in the Roman Catholic priesthood. Dr Elizabeth Stuart, a former convener of the Catholic Caucus of the Lesbian and Gay Christian movement claimed
- "It has been estimated that at least 33 per cent of all priests in the RC Church in the United States are homosexual." [1]
Regardless of the figure, it has been anonymously suggested that the incidence of homosexuality in the Roman Catholic priesthood is much higher than in the general population. [1]
[edit] Estimates on the number of Homosexual Priests
Alfred Kinsey in 1948 and 1953 controversially found that only 10-15% of the population could declare themselves as either exclusively hetero- or homo-sexual and that most people have had homosexual experiences. Measuring the prevalence of various sexual orientations (e.g. heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality, and asexuality) in a large population is a difficult task and different researchers have come up with different estimations as to the proportional distribution of these orientations throughout society. No study has been able to conclude beyond reasonable doubt that the level of homosexuality in the Catholic priesthood is higher than that of the general population.
In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the Church has been confronted with a series of sex abuse cases, mostly involving the abuse of boys by priests. These instances of males having sex with males has led some to think that these priests are homosexually inclined, especially in cases such as Paul Shanley and other priests who had openly promoted homosexuality and/or revealed their own inclinations.[2] Some sex experts, however, dispute these notions as they deem pedophilia to specifically be about attraction to boys.[citation needed]
Kate Saunders wrote in her book Catholics and Sex that "In other quarters, there are fears that the overtly homosexual atmosphere in many of the seminaries are attracting too many gay men, and putting off heterosexuals." In various forms anecdotal references to this effect has existed since the early Reformation, through the writings of Voltaire, especially in Candide.
The Catholic Church's teaches that "Although the particular inclination of the homosexual person is not a sin, it is a more or less strong tendency ordered toward an intrinsic moral evil; and thus the inclination itself must be seen as an objective disorder". Thus, it is difficult to draw conclusions from any research into the sexual orientation of priests, because of the Church's views on homosexual inclinations and the life of celibacy Latin Rite Catholic priests are compelled to follow.
[edit] The 2005 directive
Although a 1961 document stated that homosexual men should not be ordained, this was left to bishops to enforce, and most did not, holding homosexuals to the same standards of celibate chastity as heterosexual seminarians. However, in November 2005, the Vatican completed an "Instruction" on the admission of homosexually inclined men to the seminary. According to the new policy, men with "transitory" homosexual leanings may be ordained deacons following three years of prayer and chastity. However, men with "deeply rooted homosexual tendencies", who support gay culture, or who are sexually active, cannot be ordained.
In practice, several bishops have indicated that the directive will be interpreted in a variety of ways, much as its 1960s predecessor was.
[edit] References
- '^ Dr Elizabeth Stuart Roman Catholics and Homosexuality quoted by Kate Saunders in Catholics and Sex
- ^ Among other sources on Shanley's homosexual activism, see the Boston Globe article:
Sally Jacobs. 'If they knew the madness in me' A search for the real Rev. Paul Shanley suggests he was part hero, part horror Boston Globe, 7-10-2002. Online at: http://www.boston.com/globe/spotlight/abuse/stories2/071002_shanley.htm
- Roman Catholics and Homosexuality - Channel 4 Television (1990)
- Saunders, K. and Stanford, P., Catholics and Sex, Heinemann, London (1992) ISBN 0-434-67246-7 pp 74 - 84
- "'Nothing Extraordinary'?" in Inside the Vatican (ISSN 1068-8579), January 2006
