Catholic seminary applicant questions designed to keep out gays?
“We have no gay men in our seminary at this time. I’m pretty sure of it…. I’m just reporting what is…. Whether he is celibate or not, the person who views himself as a ‘homosexual person,’ rather than as a person called to be a spiritual father — that person should not be a priest.”
Robert Palumbo, a psychologist chosen by the Catholic Church to screen applicants. It is reported by the NT Times that potential priests are being screened for psychological problems like pedophilia, a criminal activity that has destroyed the Catholic Church’s credibility. But the screening also appears to be directed at keeping out any gay men as well. Pope John Paul II made many unkind statements against gays during his years as head of the Church. And the current Pope (Ratzinger) Benedict, appears to be building on top of his predecesors homophobic declarations, as part of a misguided method of communicating to parishoners that the leaders are addressing the Church’s widespread crimes of pedophilia in some aggresive way. (NY Times)
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