This article aims at examining the Catholic Church’s indefensible and ambivalent position on homosexuality vis-à-vis the Catholic priesthood. I conclude that while its teaching is clear, in my view erroneous, its practice is ambivalent due to the many gay priests among its ranks, even some would say, up to the highest level of cardinals as the recent McCarrick Report (2020) by the Vatican Secretariat of State revealed.
On one level, the answer to the question whether gay men, and by extension gay women, should be admitted to the Catholic priesthood or not is a straightforward affirmative. They should. This is probably a left of centre position. It is my position. Carlo Maria Viganò calls it “an anti-Church of heretics, corrupt men and fornicators” who include “the Vatican Sanhedrin” or what he calls “the deep Church” as I have mentioned below. It would argue with evidence in bucket loads that there are already gay clerics — both high and low — in the Catholic priesthood but only men, I hasten to add. I know a handful. In my erstwhile career as a Catholic seminary lecturer, I personally knew a gay priest colleague, an amiable fellow if ever there was one. There was queer talk about him wherever he had been posted but nothing concrete until at his last post he was reported to the Zambian police for sexual abuse of two teenage boys. May be if it had not been for the age of his victims, he might still be in the gay closet.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- A Change of Register on Homosexuality
- Stating my Position
- My First Encounter with a Gay Catholic Priest
- My Argument
- When a Heterosexual Priest met a Self-Identified Homosexual Priest
- What the Bible says About Homosexuality
- Homosexuality and the First Testament
- Noah and Ham
- Sodom and Gomorrah
- Levitical Laws condemning Same-Sex Relationships
- Homosexuality and the Second Testament
- Two Second Testament Vice Lists
- Homosexuality in Paul’s Letter to the Romans
- Nature vs. Nurture: The Biology of Homosexuality
- Homosexuality and the Priesthood: The Magisterial Position
- What the Lavender Mafia has to do with Homosexuality and Ordination
- Clarifying My Personal Position
- Markers of Human Maturation and the Formation of Catholic Priests
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This article aims to critically examine the Catholic Church's stance on homosexuality in relation to the priesthood, arguing that being gay should not be a barrier to serving as a Catholic priest. The main arguments presented focus on the interpretation of biblical texts commonly used to condemn homosexuality, the biological and psychological aspects of sexual orientation, the Church's official teachings on homosexuality and the priesthood, and the impact of the so-called "Lavender Mafia" on this debate.
- The Interpretation of Biblical Texts on Homosexuality
- The Biological and Psychological Aspects of Sexual Orientation
- The Catholic Church's Official Teachings on Homosexuality and the Priesthood
- The Influence of the "Lavender Mafia" on the Church
- The Importance of Human Maturation in Priest Formation
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: The author presents the core question of whether gay individuals should be admitted to the Catholic priesthood and states his affirmative position. He acknowledges the historical presence of gay priests in the Church, but highlights the hypocrisy of official teachings given the numerous examples of gay priests, including some at the highest levels of the Church.
- A Change of Register on Homosexuality: The author discusses the shifting tone and approach to homosexuality by recent popes, contrasting Pope Benedict XVI's seemingly anti-homosexual stance with Pope Francis's more pastoral and compassionate approach. However, he notes that Pope Francis has not yet explicitly ruled on the ordination of gay people.
- Stating my Position: The author reaffirms his support for the ordination of gay people, arguing that it is a matter of human rights and theological understanding. He shares his personal experience as a former celibate Catholic priest who later married and fathered a child.
- My First Encounter with a Gay Catholic Priest: The author recounts his experience encountering a gay Catholic priest in his early ministry, emphasizing that the presence of gay priests is a growing concern, even in African dioceses and seminaries. He suggests that the introduction of American Sulpicians into Zambian seminaries may have contributed to this phenomenon.
- My Argument: This chapter outlines the author's main arguments. He criticizes the Church's hypocrisy on the issue of homosexuality and priesthood, arguing that being gay does not preclude one from being a good Catholic priest. He emphasizes that the requirements for the priesthood are relatively low, focusing on baptism and male gender, rather than sexual orientation.
- When a Heterosexual Priest met a Self-Identified Homosexual Priest: The author shares a poignant anecdote about his encounter with a gay Catholic priest, Bernard Lynch, whom he knew as a young missionary in Zambia. The encounter highlights the complex realities of gay priests within the Church and the challenges they face in coming out and living authentically.
- What the Bible says About Homosexuality: This chapter examines the biblical texts often cited to condemn homosexuality, arguing that they are misapplied to the contemporary context. The author analyzes each text in detail, highlighting the historical, cultural, and literary contexts to demonstrate that they do not address homosexual relationships between two consenting adults.
- Nature vs. Nurture: The Biology of Homosexuality: The author discusses the ongoing debate about the causes of homosexuality, exploring scientific research that points to a biological basis for sexual orientation. He criticizes the Catholic Church's continued insistence on environmental factors as the primary cause of homosexuality.
- Homosexuality and the Priesthood: The Magisterial Position: This chapter explores the official teachings of the Catholic Church on homosexuality and the priesthood, highlighting the Church's history of silence and condemnation. The author analyzes various Church documents, including the 1975 "Persona Humana" and the 2005 "Instruction Concerning the Criteria for the Discernment of Vocations," arguing that the Church's stance is based on outdated ideas and inadequate understanding of homosexuality.
- What the Lavender Mafia has to do with Homosexuality and Ordination: This chapter delves into the controversial "Lavender Mafia," a term used to describe a network of gay and gay-friendly clerics within the Catholic Church. The author examines the arguments made by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, a vocal critic of Pope Francis, who alleges the existence of a powerful "deep Church" that supports the Lavender Mafia. While acknowledging the existence of a gay lobby in the Vatican, the author warns against Viganò's conspiracy theories.
- Clarifying My Personal Position: The author reiterates his position in favor of the ordination of gay priests, arguing that it should be a matter of personal choice and individual vocation, not based on sexual orientation. He further advocates for the ordination of women and the acceptance of married priests.
- Markers of Human Maturation and the Formation of Catholic Priests: This chapter explores the importance of human maturation in the formation of priests, arguing that readiness for ordination should be determined by a set of criteria proposed by Sister Maryasia Weber, rather than by sexual orientation or gender. The author emphasizes the importance of self-knowledge and self-reflection as crucial components of this maturation process.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Key terms and concepts explored in this work include homosexuality, Catholic priesthood, biblical interpretation, sexual orientation, magisterial teachings, Lavender Mafia, human maturation, and priest formation.
- Quote paper
- Dr Tarcisius Mukuka (Author), 2021, Gay is Gay and Priesthood is Priesthood. Should Gay People be admitted to the Catholic Priesthood?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/989621
