Gay men in Italy can now become priests, but there's a catch

Gay men can pursue priesthood in Italy, but must not endorse or engage in “gay culture,” said the Vatican in its newly issued guidelines.

The guidelines were issued by the Italian Bishops' Conference and have been sanctioned by the Vatican.

Practising Homosexuality not allowed 

The document, published online on Thursday (Jan 9), said the Catholic Church respects those who practice homosexuality but cannot admit such people to the seminary and Holy Orders.

“The Church, while profoundly respecting the persons in question, cannot admit to the seminary and to Holy Orders those who practise homosexuality, present deeply rooted homosexual tendencies or support the so-called gay culture,” it read.

About would-be priests with “homosexual tendencies,” the 68-page document encourages a more nuanced assessment, suggesting that seminaries should “grasp its significance in the global picture of the young person's personality” to ensure “overall harmony.”  

The goal of training priests is “the ability to accept as a gift, to freely choose and live chastity in celibacy”, it adds.

Church and inclusivity

Pope Francis, 88, has often advocated for a more inclusive Church even as the church's official doctrine still considers same-sex acts as “intrinsically disordered”.

In 2013, just after taking office, he said: “If someone is gay and is searching for the Lord and has good will, then who am I to judge him?”

This was a significant tone shift in Vatican official discourse.  

However, his recent comments reportedly contradicted that inclusive tone. 

As per reports, in June, during a private meeting with Italian bishops, the pontiff allegedly used a derogatory slur to express concerns over the presence of gay men in seminaries, suggesting there was already too much “frociaggine” — an offensive Roman term translating to “faggotry.”  

Despite this controversy, some advocates see the new guidelines as progress. 

Praise for the move

Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry, a US-based Catholic LGBTQ outreach group, described the guidelines as a “big step forward,” noting they clarify previously ambiguous policies that fostered fear and discrimination. 

“It clarifies previous ambiguous statements about gay seminary candidates, which viewed them with suspicion. This ambiguity caused lots of fear and discrimination in the church,” said DeBernardo.

Father James Martin, a US Jesuit priest and vocal LGBTQ advocate, highlighted that this is the first Vatican-approved document to acknowledge that a candidate's suitability for priesthood “cannot simply come down to whether or not he is gay”.

“If a gay man is able to lead a healthy, chaste and celibate life he may be considered,” Martin told AFP news agency.  

(With inputs from agencies)