Catholic Priests: Gay Men Can't Join Priesthood, Vatican Says Reaffirming 2005 Policy On Homosexuality

The Vatican reaffirmed its 2005 policy on gay men being priests Thursday saying people with “deep-seated homosexual tendencies” or who “support the so-called ‘gay culture’” cannot join priesthood.

This announcement stands in contrast to Pope Francis’ famous 2013 response, “Who am I to judge?” when he was asked if he was open to gay Catholic priests. His answer seemed to signal that the Vatican may just be more open to homosexuality under his papacy but a new official document titled “The Gift of the Priestly Vocation” suggests otherwise.

The document, published Thursday by the Vatican, said: “The Church, while profoundly respecting the persons in question, cannot admit to the seminary or to holy orders those who practice homosexuality, present deep-seated homosexual tendencies or support the so-called ‘gay culture.’ 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.”

James Martin, a Jesuit priest and the editor at large of America Magazine, said the new document doesn’t change the way seminaries operate.

“The people who were open to accepting healthy gay men into the seminaries will still do it. It does not negate the fact, nor could it, that there are thousands of healthy and hard-working and holy and celibate gay priests throughout the world,” he reportedly said.