INSTRUCTION
CONCERNING THE CRITERIA
OF VOCATION DISCERNMENT
REGARDING PERSONS
WITH HOMOSEXUAL TENDENCIES
IN VIEW OF THEIR ADMISSION
TO THE SEMINARY AND TO HOLY ORDERS

ROME 2005

INTRODUCTION

In continuity with the teaching of Vatican Council II and, in particular, with the decree Optatam totius (1) on priestly formation, the Congregation for Catholic Education has published various documents to promote a suitable integral formation of future priests, offering orientations and precise norms on its diverse aspects. (2) In the meantime, the 1990 Synod of Bishops also reflected on priestly formation in current circumstances, with the intention of bringing to fulfillment the conciliar doctrine on this matter and of making it more explicit and incisive in the contemporary world. Following this synod, John Paul II published the Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation Pastores dabo vobis (3)

In the light of this rich teaching, this current Instruction does not intend to deal with all questions of an affective or sexual nature that call for an attentive discernment during the entire period of formation. It contains norms concerning one particular question, which has been made more urgent by the current situation, and that is, the admission or not to the seminary and to Holy Orders of candidates who have deeply rooted homosexual tendencies.

According to the constant Tradition of the Church, only a baptized male may validly receive holy Ordination. (4) By means of the Sacrament of Orders, the Holy Spirit configures the candidate, in a new and specific title, to Jesus Christ: The priest, in fact, sacramentally represents Christ, Head, Pastor and Spouse of the Church. (5) Because of this configuration to Christ, the entire life of the holy minister must be animated by the giving of his entire person to the Church and by an authentic pastoral charity (6)

The candidate to the ordained ministry, therefore, must reach affective maturity. Such maturity enables him to place himself in a correct relationship with men and women, developing in himself a true sense of spiritual paternity with regards to the ecclesial community entrusted to him. (7)

From Vatican Council II to today, various documents of the Magisterium – 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, in Sacred Scripture, these are presented as serious sins. Tradition has constantly considered them as intrinsically immoral and contrary to the natural law. Consequently, they can never be approved in any case whatsoever.

For that which concerns deeply rooted homosexual tendencies, as can be seen in a certain number of men and women, these too are objectively disordered and often are a trial for these persons. Such persons must be welcomed with respect and delicacy: every indication of unjust discrimination in their regards must be avoided. They are called to realize the will of God in their lives and to unite the difficulties they might encounter to the Lord’s sacrifice of the Cross. (8)

In the light of this teaching, this dicastery, in accord with the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, believes it necessary to clearly reaffirm that the Church, while deeply respecting the persons in question, (9) cannot admit to the Seminary or to Holy Orders those who practice homosexuality, who present deeply rooted homosexual tendencies or who support the so-called ‘gay culture.

The above-mentioned persons are, in fact, in a situation that seriously hinders a correct relationship with men and women. Nor can the negative tendencies that can derive from the ordination of such persons with deeply rooted homosexual tendencies be overlooked.

If, on the other had, it is a question of homosexual tendencies that were only an expression of a passing problem such as, for example, that of an adolescence not yet  completed, these must in any case be clearly overcome at least three years before ordination to the diaconate.

There are two aspects to every priestly vocation that cannot be separated: the free gift of God and the responsible freedom of man. Vocation is a gift of divine grace, received through the Church, in the Church and for serving the Church. Answering God’s call, a man offers himself freely to Him in love. (11) The desire alone to become a priest is not sufficient, and there is no right to receive Holy Orders.  It is up to the Church – in her responsibility to define the necessary requisites for reception of the Sacraments instituted by Christ – to discern the suitability of one who wishes to enter the Seminary, (12) accompanying him during the formation years and calling him to Holy Orders, if he possesses the requisite qualities. (13)

The formation of the future priest must articulate, in an essential complementarity, the four dimensions of formation: human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral. (14) In this context, what must be underscored is the particular relevance of human formation, the necessary foundation of all formation. (15) To admit a candidate to ordination to the diaconate, the Church must verify, among other things, that the affective maturity of the candidate to the priesthood has been reached. (16)

The call to Orders is the personal responsibility of the Bishop (17) or of the Major Superior. Taking into account the opinion of those to whom the formation has been entrusted, the Bishop or the Major Superior, before admitting a candidate to ordination, must reach a morally certain judgment about his qualities. In the event of a serious doubt in this regard, they must not admit him to ordination. (18)

Discernment about the vocation and the maturity of the candidate is also a serious duty of the rector and other formators in the seminary. Prior to every ordination, the rector must express his judgment on the qualities of the candidate that are requested by the Church. (19)

In discerning the suitability to ordination, the spiritual director has a very important duty. Even though bound by secrecy, he represents the Church in the internal forum. In his talks with a candidate, the spiritual director must especially remind him of the Church’s demands concerning priestly chastity and the specific affective maturity of the priest, as well as to help him to discern if he has the necessary qualities. (20) He has an obligation to evaluate all qualities of the (candidate’s) personality and to make sure that the  candidate does not give evidence of sexual disturbances incompatible with the priesthood. If a candidate practices homosexuality or presents deeply rooted homosexual tendencies, his spiritual director, as well as his confessor, have the duty to dissuade him, in conscience, from proceeding to Ordination.

It is understood that the candidate himself is the primary person responsible for his own formation. (21)  He must offer himself with trust to the discernment of the Church, of the Bishop who calls to Orders, of the rector of the seminary, of the spiritual director and of the other educators in the Seminary to whom the Bishop or Major Superior has entrusted the duty of forming future priests. It would be gravely dishonest if a candidate should hide his homosexuality in order to attain, notwithstanding everything, Ordination. Such an inauthentic behavior does not correspond to the spirit of truth, loyalty and availability that must mark the personality of one who believes he is called to serve Christ and His Church in the priestly ministry.

CONCLUSION

This Congregation reiterates the need for Bishops, Major Superiors and all interested parties who have responsibility to undertake an attentive discernment with regards to the suitability of candidates to Holy Orders, from admission to the Seminary up to Ordination. This discernment must be done in the light of a conception of ministerial priesthood in harmony with the teaching of the Church.

Bishops, Episcopal Conferences and Major Superiors should be vigilant so that the norms of this Instruction will be faithfully observed for the good of the candidates themselves and to thus always guarantee the Church suitable priests, true pastors according to the heart of Christ.

The Supreme Pontiff, Benedict XVI, on August 31, 2005, approved this present Instruction and ordered its publication.

Rome, November 4, 2005, Memory of St. Charles Borromeo, patron of Seminaries.

Zenon Card. Grocholewski,

Prefetto

J. Michael Miller, C.S.B.

Titular Arch. of Vertara

Secretary