The Vatican has given the inexperienced mild for homosexual males to change into monks – so long as they continue to be celibate.
In an surprising adjustment to follow within the Catholic Church, the brand new pointers from Italian bishops will permit homosexual males to enter seminaries.
Though the Vatican had not explicitly prohibited homosexual males from coming into the priesthood prior to now, an instruction from 2016 barred males who’ve “deep-seated gay tendencies”.
The brand new pointers, permitted by Italian bishops, say seminary administrators ought to take into account a priestly candidate’s sexual preferences, however solely as one facet of their persona.
“When referring to gay tendencies within the formation course of, it’s also applicable to not scale back the discernment to this facet alone, however … to grasp its that means inside the entire framework of the younger individual’s persona,” the rules say.
It isn’t clear if the brand new pointers shall be mirrored in different nations.
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Pope Francis, who has been pontiff since 2013, has been seen by some as having taken a extra welcoming method in the direction of the LGBTQ+ group.
This has included permitting monks to bless same-sex {couples} on a case-by-case foundation – however the admittance of homosexual males into the priesthood has remained a taboo topic.
Pope Francis beforehand referred to as for cautious screening of seminarian candidates, and has prior to now sharply warned monks who pursue sexual relationships to go away the priesthood.
