ROME, Sept. 21 - Homosexuals, even those who are celibate, will be barred from becoming Roman Catholic priests, a church official said Wednesday, under stricter rules soon to be released on one of the most sensitive issues facing the church.
The official, said the question was not "if it will be published, but when," referring to the new ruling about homosexuality in Catholic seminaries, a topic that has stirred much recent rumor and worry in the church. The official, who has authoritative knowledge of the new rules, spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the church's policy of not commenting on unpublished reports.
Read the whole thing here. I think this is terrible. I think this is a scapegoating overreaction, and I pray it doesn't come to pass as they are saying it will.
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WB,
I may be wrong about this but, I am inclined to think that if Paul is right that "in Christ there is neither male nor female, Jew nor Greek, slave nor free", then ascribing gender, racial/ethnic background, socio-economic station and, I would argue, 'sexual-orientation' ontological status is theologically wrong-headed. The nature of those signifiers needs rethinking in a specifically Christian way. But, I think, they ought not be confused as somehow setting 'normative' policies for the life of Christ's body. One ought not be kept from God's grace (whether it be in the sacraments, the exercize of one's charisms, or other modes of fellowship in Christ's Church) based on their ethnicity, etc. If 'sexuality' is not an ontological question, or differently, if one's being is transformed all the way down the line when incorporated into Christ's body, then it cannot serve as one of the criteria for filling the Church office one is called to. When the Church makes that move, it abandons the good news it is called to preach - that in Christ's sacrifice one is made perfect. The orientation of one's sexual desire notwithstanding (barring sinful expression), when God calls a life to His service the Church ought to be careful to not get in the way. I have often thought Rome had things more-or-less right on this issue. Why change now?
~BFC-tron
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