Instruction about Seminarians

The long-discussed Instruction from the Vatican regarding homosexuality and seminarians was released early today.

A pdf copy is available on the U.S. Bishops' website.

The President of the U.S. Bishops' Conference, Bishop William S. Skylstad of Spokane, has also released a statement. This is an excerpt:

"In this instruction, the Congregation for Catholic Education is exercising a Christian realism about what is expected in candidates for the priesthood. This realism understands the challenges of our time. It expresses the valid concern that all candidates must display an 'affective maturity' which enables them to relate properly to others as chaste, celibate priests who can faithfully represent the teaching of the Church about sexuality, including the immorality of homosexual genital activity. This realism also makes it clear that it is certainly not acceptable if a candidate practices homosexuality or, whether active or not, if he identifies himself principally by a homosexual inclination or orientation. It is also not acceptable for a candidate to support the 'gay culture' and to be so concerned with homosexual issues that he cannot sincerely represent the Church’s teaching on sexuality."