(29 Nov 2005 RV) The Vatican issued its long awaited document on vocations with
regards to persons of homosexual tendencies Tuesday. Published by the Congregation
for Catholic Education, the text is called an "Instruction concerning the criteria
for the discernment of vocations with regards to persons with homosexual tendencies
in view of their admission to the seminary and to Holy Orders." INTRODUCTION In
continuity with the teaching of the Second Vatican Council and, in particular, with
the Decree Optatam totius (1)on priestly formation, the Congregation for Catholic
Education has published various documents with the aim of promoting a suitable, integral
formation of future priests, by offering guidelines and precise norms regarding its
diverse aspects(2) In the meantime, the 1990 Synod of Bishops also reflected on the
formation of priests in the circumstances of the present day, with the intention of
bringing to completion the doctrine of the Council on this theme and making it more
explicit and effective in today's world. Following this Synod, Pope John Paul II published
the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Pastores dabo vobis.3 In light of this abundant
teaching, the present Instruction does not intend to dwell on all questions in the
area of affectivity and sexuality that require an attentive discernment during the
entire period of for¬mation. Rather, it contains norms concerning a specific question,
made more urgent by the current situation, and that is: whether to admit to the seminary
and to holy orders candidates who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies. 1. Affective
Maturity and Spiritual Fatherhood
According to the constant Tradition of the
Church, only a baptized person of the male sex validly receives sacred ordination.
(4) By means of the sacrament of orders, the Holy Spirit configures the candidate
to Jesus Christ in a new and specific way: the priest, in fact, sacramentally represents
Christ, the head, shepherd and spouse of the Church. (5.Be¬cause of this configuration
to Christ, the entire life of the sacred min¬ister must be animated by the gift of
his whole person to the Church and by an authentic pastoral charity. (6) The candidate
to the ordained ministry, therefore, must reach affec¬tive maturity. Such maturity
will allow him to relate correctly to both men and women, developing in him a true
sense of spiritual fatherhood towards the Church community that will be
entrusted to him.(7)
2. Homosexuality
and the Ordained Ministry From the time of the Second Vatican Council until today,
various documents of the Magisterium, and especially the Catechism of the Catholic
Church, have confirmed the teaching of the Church on homosexuality. The Catechism
distinguishes between homosexual acts and homosexual tendencies. Regarding acts,
it teaches that Sacred Scripture presents them as grave sins. The Tradition has constantly
considered them as intrinsically immoral and contrary to the natural law. Consequently,
under no cir¬cumstance can they be approved. Deep-seated homosexual tendencies,
which are found in a number of men and women, are also objectively disordered and,
for those same people, often constitute a trial. Such persons must be accepted with
respect and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should
be avoided. They are called to fulfil God's will in their lives and to unite to the
sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter. (8) In the light
of such teaching, this dicastery, in accord with the Congregation for Divine Worship
and the Discipline of the Sacra¬ments, believes it necessary to state clearly that
the Church, while profoundly respecting the persons in question,(9) cannot admit to
the seminary or to holy orders those who practise homosexuality, pre¬ sent deep-seated
homosexual tendencies or support the so-called "gay culture".(10) Such persons,
in fact, find themselves in a situation that gravely hinders them from relating correctly
to men and women. One must in no way overlook the negative consequences that can derive
from the ordination of persons with deep-seated homosexual tendencies. Different,
however, would be the case in which one were dealing with homosexual tendencies that
were only the expression of a transi¬tory problem - for example, that of an adolescence
not yet superseded. Nevertheless, such tendencies must be clearly overcome at least
three years before ordination to the diaconate.
3. Discernment by the Church
Concerning the Suitability of Candidates There are two inseparable elements in
every priestly vocation: the free gift of God and the responsible freedom of the man.
A vocation is a gift of divine grace, received through the Church, in the Church and
for the service of the Church. In responding to the call of God, the man offers himself
freely to him in love.(11)The desire alone to become a priest is not sufficient, and
there does not exist a right to receive sacred ordination. It belongs to the Church
- in her responsibility to define the necessary requirements for receiving the sacraments
instituted by Christ - to discern the suitability of him who desires to enter the
seminary,(12)to accompany him during his years of formation, and to call him to holy
orders if he is judged to possess the necessary qualities.(13)
The formation
of the future priest must distinctly articulate, in an essentially complementary manner,
the four dimensions of formation: human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral.(14)
In this context, it is neces¬sary to highlight the particular importance of human
formation, as the necessary foundation of all formation.(15) In order to admit a candidate
to ordination to the diaconate, the Church must verify, among other things, that the
candidate has reached affective maturity.(16) The call to orders is the personal
responsibility of the bishop(17) or the major superior. Bearing in mind the opinion
of those to whom he has entrusted the responsibility of formation, the bishop or major
superior, before admitting the candidate to ordination, must arrive at a morally certain
judgement on his qualities. In the case of a serious doubt in this regard, he must
not admit him to ordination(18) The discernment of a vocation and of the maturity
of the candidate is also a serious duty of the rector and of the other persons entrusted
with the work of formation in the seminary. Before every ordination, the rector must
express his own judgement on whether the qualities required by the Church are present
in the candidate .(19) In the discernment concerning the suitability for ordination,
the spiritual director has an important task. Although he is bound to se¬crecy, he
represents the Church in the internal forum. In his discussions with the candidate,
the spiritual director must especially point out the demands of the Church concerning
priestly chastity and the affective maturity that is characteristic of the priest,
as well as help him to discern whether he has the necessary qualities.(20)The spiritual
director has the obligation to evaluate all the qualities of the candidate's personality
and to make sure that he does not present disturbances of a sexual nature, which are
incompatible with the priesthood. If a candidate practises homosexuality or presents
deep-seated homosexual tendencies, his spiritual director, as well as his confessor,
have the duty to dissuade him in conscience from proceeding towards ordination. It
goes without saying that the candidate himself has the primary responsibility for
his own formation." He must offer himself trustingly to the discernment of the Church,
of the bishop who calls him to orders, of the rector of the seminary, of his spiritual
director and of the other seminary educators to whom the bishop or major superior
has entrusted the task of forming future priests. It would be gravely dis¬honest for
a candidate to hide his own homosexuality in order to proceed, despite everything,
towards ordination. Such a deceitful atti¬tude does not correspond to the spirit of
truth, loyalty and openness that must characterize the personality of him who believes
he is called to serve Christ and his Church in the ministerial priesthood.
CONCLUSION
This
Congregation reaffirms the need for bishops, major superiors and all relevant authorities
to carry out an attentive discernment con¬cerning the suitability of candidates for
holy orders, from the time of admission to the seminary until ordination. This discernment
must be done in light of a conception of the ministerial priesthood that is in accordance
with the teaching of the Church. Let bishops, episcopal conferences and major superiors
look to see that the constant norms of this Instruction be faithfully observed for
the good of the candidates themselves, and to guarantee that the Church always has
suitable priests who are true shepherds according to the heart of Christ. The Supreme
Pontiff Benedict XVI, on 31 August 2005, approved this present Instruction and ordered
its publication. Rome, 4 November 2005, Memoria of Saint Charles Borromeo, Patron
of Seminaries. ZENON Card. GROCHOLEWSKI Prefect J. MICHAEL MILLER, C.S.B. Tit.
Archbp. of Vertara . Secretary
(1)SECOND VATICAN ECUMENICAL COUNCIL,
Decree on priestly formation Optatam totius (28 October 1965): AA, S'58 (1966), 713-727. (2)
Cf. CONGREGATION FOR CATHOLIC EDUCATION, Ratio fundamentaic institution's sacerdotalis (6
January 1970; second edition 19 March 1985); The Study of Philosophy in Seminaries
(20 January 1972); A Guide to Formation in Priestly Celibacy (11 April 1974); On the
Teaching of Canon Law to Those Preparing to be Priests (2 April 1975); The Theological
Formation of Future Priests (22 February 1976); F.pistula circularis de formation
vocationum adultarum (14 July 1976); Instruction on Liturgical Formation in Seminaries
(3 June 1979); Circular Letter Con¬cerning Some of the More Urgent Aspects of Spiritual
Formation in Seminaries (6 January 1980); Educational Guidance in Iluman Love: Outlines
for Sex Education (1 November 1983); Pastoral Care of People on the Move in the Formation
of Future Priests (25 January 1986); Guide to the Training of Future Priests Concerning
the Instruments of Social Communication (19 March 1986); Circular Letter Concerning
Studies of the Oriental Churches (6 January 1987); The Virgin Mary in Intellectual
and Spiritual Formation (25 March 1988); Guidelines for the Study and Teaching of
the Church's Social Doctrine in the Formation of Priests (30 December 1988); Instruction
on the Study of the Fathers of the Church in the Formation of Priests (10 November
1989); Directives Concerning the Preparation of Seminary Educators (4 November 1993);
Directives on the Formation of Seminarians Concerning Problems Related to Marriage
and the Family (19 March 1995); Instruction to the Episcopal Conferences on the Admission
to Seminary of Candidates Coming from Other Seminaries or Religious Families (9 October
1986 and 8 March 1996); The Propaedeutic Period (1 May 1998); Circular Letters Concerning
the Canonical Norms relating to Irregularities and Impediments both ad Ordines recipiendos
and ad Ordines exercendos (27 July 1992 and 2 February 1999). (3) POPE JOHN PAUL
11, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Pastores dabo vobis (25 March 1992): AA)
'84 (1992), 657-864. (4)Cf. C.I.C., can. 1024 and C.C.E.O., can. 754; POPE JOHN
PAUL II, Apostolic Letter Ordinatio sacerdotalis on reserving priestly ordination
to men alone (22 May 1994): AAS 86 (1994), 545-548 (5)Cf. SECOND VATICAN
ECUMENICAL COUNCIL, Decree on the ministry and life of priests Presbyterorum ordinis
(7 December 1965), n. 2: AAS 58 (1966), 991-993; Pastores dabo vobis, n. 16: ,44S'84
(1992), 681-682. With regard to the priest's configuration to Christ, bridegroom of
the Church, Pastores dabo vobis states that "The priest is called to be the living
image of Jesus Christ, the spouse of the Church. [...] In his spiritual life, therefore,
he is called to live out Christ's spousal love toward the Church, his bride. Therefore,
the priest's life ought to radiate this spousal character, which demands that he be
a witness to Christ's spousal love" (n. 22): AAS 84 (1992), 691. (6) Cf. Presbjterorum
ordinis, n. 14: AAS 58 (1966), 1013-1014; Pastores dabo vobis, n. 23: AAS 84 (1992),
691-694. (7)Cf. CONGREGATION FOR THE CLERGY, Directory on the Ministry and Life
of Priests (31 March 1994), n. 58. (8) Cf. CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH (editio
lypica, 1997), nn. 2357-2358. Cf. also the various documents of the CONGREGATION FOR
THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH: Declaration Persona human on certain questions concerning
sexual ethics (29 December 1975); Letter Flomosexualitatis problema to the bishops
of the Catholic Church on the pastoral care of homo¬sexual persons (1 October 1986);
Some Considerations Concerning the Response to Legislative Proposals on Non-discrimination
of Homosexual Persons (23 July 1992); Considerations Re¬garding Proposals to Give
Legal Recognition to Unions Between Homosexual Persons (3 June 2003). With regard
to homosexual inclinations, the Letter Flomosexualitatis problema states 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" (n. 3). (9) Cf. CATECHISM OF THE
CATHOLIC CHURCH (editio topica, 1997), n. 2358; cf also C.I.C., can. 208 and C.C.E.O.,
can. 11. (10) Cf. CONGREGATION FOR CATHOLIC EDUCATION, A memorandum to bishops
seeking advice in matters concerning homosexuality and candidates for admission
to Seminary (9 July 1985); CONGREGATION FOR DIVINE WORSHIP AND THE DISCIPLINE OF
THE SACRAMENTS, Letter (16 May 2002): Notitiae 38 (2002), 586. (11) Cf. Pastores
dabo vobis, nn. 35-36: AAS 84 (1992), 714-718. (12)Cf. C.I.C., can. 241, § 1: "A
diocesan bishop is to admit to a major seminary only those who are judged qualified
to dedicate themselves permanently to the sacred ministries; he is to consider their
human, moral, spiritual, and intellectual qualities, their physical and psychic health,
and their correct intention"; cf. C.C.E.O., can. 342, § 1. (13) Cf. Optatam totius,
n. 6: AAS 58 (1966), 717. Cf. also C.I.C., can. 1029: "Only those are to be promoted
to orders who, in the prudent judgement of their own bishop or of the competent major
superior, all things considered, have integral faith, are moved by the right intention,
have the requisite knowledge, possess a good reputation, and are endowed with integral
morals and proven virtues and the other physical and psychic qualities in keeping
with the order to be received"; cf. C.C.E.O., can. 758. Not to call to orders those
who do not have the necessary qualities is not an unjust discrimination: cf. CONGREGATION
FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH, Some Considerations Concerning the Response to Legislative
Proposals on Non¬discrimination of Homosexual Persons. (14) Cf. Pastores dabo
Vobis, nn. 43-59: AAS 84 (1992), 731-762. (15) Cf. ibid., n. 43: "The priest, who
is called to be a `living image' of Jesus Christ, head and shepherd of the Church,
should seek to reflect in himself, as far as possible, the human perfection which
shines forth in the incarnate Son of God and which is reflected with particular liveliness
in his attitudes toward others": AAS 84 (1992), 732. (16), Cf. ibid., nn. 44 and
50: AAS 84 (1992), 733-736 and 746-748. Cf. also: CONGREGATION FOR DIVINE WORSHIP
AND THE DISCIPLINE OF THE SACRAMENTS, Circular Letter to the Most Reverend Diocesan
Bishops and Other Ordinaries with Canonical Faculties to Admit to Sacred Orders Concerning:
Scrutinies regarding the Suitability of Candidates for Orders (10 November 1997):
lVotitiae 33 (1997), 507-518, particularly Enclosure V. (17) Cf. CONGREGATION
FOR BISHOPS, Directory for the Pastoral Ministry of Bishops Apos¬tolorum Successores
(22 February 2004), n. 88. (18) Cf. C.I.C., can. 1052, § 3: "If [...] the bishop
doubts for specific reasons whether a candidate is suitable to receive orders, he
is not to promote him." Cf. also C.C.E.O., can. 770. (19) Cf. C.I.C., can. 1051:
"The following prescripts regarding the investigation about the qualities required
in the one to be ordained are to be observed: [...] there is to be a testimonial of the
rector of the seminary or house of formation about the qualities required to receive
the order, that is, about the sound doctrine of the candidate, his genuine piety,
good morals, and aptitude to exercise the ministry, as well as, after a properly executed
inquiry, about his state of physical and psychic health. (20) Cf. Pastores dabo
vobis, nn. 50 and 66: AAS 84 (1992), 746-748 and 772-774. Cf. also Ratio fündamentalis
institutions sacerdotalis, n. 48. (21) Cf. Pastores dabo vobis, n. 69: AAS 84 (1992),
778.