discernment-homosexual_tendencies-en


discernment-homosexual_tendencies-en

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CONGREGATION FOR CATHOLIC EDUCATION
Instruction
Concerning the Criteria for the Discernment of Vocations
with regard 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
formation. 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 [4]
validly receives sacred Ordination. 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] . Because of this configuration to Christ,
the entire life of the sacred minister 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 affective 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 circumstance can they be approved.

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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 Sacraments, 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, present 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 transitory 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 necessary 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
judgment 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

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rector and of the other persons entrusted with the work of formation in the seminary. Before every
ordination, the rector must express his own judgment 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 secrecy, 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 [21] . 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 dishonest for a candidate to hide his own homosexuality in order to
proceed, despite everything, towards ordination. Such a deceitful attitude 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 concerning 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, Memorial of St Charles Borromeo, Patron of Seminaries
Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski
Prefect
J. Michael Miller, C.S.B.
Tit. Archbp. of Vertara
Secretary

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NOTES
[1] Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on priestly formation Optatam Totius (28 October
1965): AAS 58 (1966), 713-727.
[2] Cf. Congregation for Catholic Education, Ratio fundamentalis institutionis 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); Epistula circularis de formatione vocationum adultarum (14 July 1976);
Instruction on Liturgical Formation in Seminaries (3 June 1979); Circular Letter Concerning Some
of the More Urgent Aspects of Spiritual Formation in Seminaries (6 January 1980); Educational
Guidance in Human 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 II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Pastores Dabo Vobis (25 March 1992):
AAS 84 (1992), 657-864.
[4] Cf. CIC, can. 1024 and CCEO, 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: AAS 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. Presbyterorum 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.

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[8] Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church (editio typica, 1997), nn. 2357-2358. Cf. also the various
Documents of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith: Declaration Persona Humana on
certain questions concerning sexual ethics (29 December 1975); Letter Homosexualitatis Problema
to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the pastoral care of homosexual persons (1 October 1986);
Some Considerations Concerning the Response to Legislative Proposals on Non-discrimination of
Homosexual Persons (23 July 1992); Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give Legal
Recognition to Unions Between Homosexual Persons (3 June 2003). With regard to homosexual
inclinations, the Letter Homosexualitatis 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 typica, 1997), n. 2358; cf. also CIC, can. 208 and
CCEO, 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. CIC, 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. CCEO, can. 342 1.
[13] Cf. Optatam Totius, n. 6: AAS 58 (1966), 717. Cf. also CIC, can. 1029: "Only those are to be
promoted to orders who, in the prudent judgment 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.
CCEO, 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

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Concerning: Scrutinies regarding the Suitability of Candidates for Orders (10 November 1997):
Notitiae 33 (1997), 507-518, particularly Enclosure V.
[17] Cf. Congregation for Bishops, Directory for the Pastoral Ministry of Bishops Apostolorum
Successores (22 February 2004), n. 88.
[18] Cf. CIC, 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 CCEO, can. 770.
[19] Cf. CIC, 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
fundamentalis institutionis sacerdotalis, n. 48.
[21] Cf. Pastores Dabo Vobis, n. 69: AAS 84 (1992), 778.