Diocese of Bridgeport

BRIDGEPORT, Tuesday, November 29, 2005 - Despite the attention it has received in the media, a new Vatican document which bars men with deeply-rooted homosexual tendencies from admission to seminaries and the priesthood is essentially a restatement and reinforcement of existing Church teaching which has been in effect in the Diocese of Bridgeport.

"In expressing the importance of maturity in candidates for the priesthood and how they relate appropriately to both men and women, this document underscores a key component of the screening process," says Father Kevin T. Royal, rector of the Saint John Fisher Seminary Residence in Stamford. "Any man aspiring to the priesthood is expected to be living a chaste, celibate, virtuous life now, in full accordance with the teachings of the Church, in order to discern his vocation and to prepare for a future ministry of charity and self-sacrifice."

Five Years in Preparation

The document, entitled "Instruction on the Criteria for Vocational Discernment with Regard to Persons with Homosexual Tendencies in View of Their Admission to the Seminary and to Holy Orders," is signed by Zenon Cardinal Grocholewski, prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, and was issued today.

"The instruction has been almost five years in preparation," notes Bishop William E. Lori. "It is not, as some have concluded, a response to the sexual abuse crisis in the United States and other parts of the world. Rather, it is a useful refresher for both clergy and laity on important and timely elements of Church teaching."

The instruction reminds the reader that the priest "sacramentally represents Christ, the head, shepherd, and spouse of the Church." As such, "the entire life of the sacred minister must be animated by the gift of his whole person to the Church and by an authentic personal charity."

Church's Responsibility

The determination of fitness for ordination, moreover, belongs to the Church alone.

"The desire to become a priest is not sufficient, and there does not exist a right to receive sacred ordination," the instruction states. "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, to accompany him during his years of formation, and to call him to Holy Orders if he is judged to possess the necessary qualities."

Affective Maturity

Primary among these is human formation, and the achievement of an "affective" maturity: "Such maturity will allow [the candidate] to relate correctly to both men and women, developing in him a true sense of spiritual fatherhood toward the Church community that will be entrusted to him."

Acceptance of a homosexual lifestyle, the document states, would hinder this formation. Citing references, since the Second Vatican Council, from the Magisterium and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the instruction reminds the reader that, while the Church insists that homosexuals be treated with respect, compassion, and dignity, it does not condone homosexual acts, which represent grave sin and are intrinsically immoral. Therefore, the Church "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.'"

"Related to this is a key aspect that cannot be overlooked," Father Royal observes. "A candidate must understand the goodness and beauty of marriage. And he must know that it is a good he willingly gives up, with the Lord's help, in order to be a committed 'husband' and 'father' to those entrusted to his care."

The document does acknowledge, however, that homosexual tendencies in a man may be transitory, especially in younger candidates. If a man can show that he has overcome such tendencies for at least three years, he may be allowed to remain on the path to ordination.

Longstanding Church Teaching

"This is not new teaching," notes Father Peter J. Lynch, director of vocations for the Diocese of Bridgeport. "Sexual maturity and chaste celibacy have always been very important in the discernment process, for all candidates. At Saint John Fisher, we are very selective, and need to be. We cannot send a man off to seminary who has grave deficiencies in human, spiritual, pastoral, or intellectual formation."

Most candidates for the priesthood in the Diocese of Bridgeport are required to spend two to four years in residence at Saint John Fisher. The screening process begins immediately, and continues after Saint John Fisher through the four years of seminary, right up to the point of ordination. The initial process includes multiple interviews with several priests and, at times, even Bishop Lori; letters of recommendation; academic transcripts; and an intense, five-hour psychological examination by a board-certified psychologist.

The process from acceptance into Saint John Fisher to graduation from seminary normally takes six to eight years. The final decision to ordain a man to the sacramental priesthood rests with the bishop.

Examination of Candidates

"In examining a candidate, we take to heart Pope John Paul II's advice in his 1992 Apostolic Exhortation Pastores dabo vobis ('I will give you shepherds')," explains Father Royal. "The Holy Father describes the four areas of priestly formation: human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral. We ask ourselves, 'Are we seeing maturity in terms of emotions and relationships?' 'Are they men of prayer?' 'Is that spirituality lived out in their actions and charity towards others?' 'Are they showing an intellectual capability and development to be able to teach the Faith?' 'Are they capable of the pastoral development needed to image Jesus Christ as a father figure for all people?'

"All of these are important to the whole," Father Royal concludes. "It is never easy to dismiss a young man from the program. It is never a reflection on his goodness or on his relationship with the Lord. It simply says that, given the nature of the priesthood and the requirements of the Church, he is asked to answer the call to holiness in another way. Our best hope is in God's will, the wisdom of His holy Church, and the prayers of the faithful in Fairfield County to raise up good, holy men to be priests."

(For more information on the vocations program of the Diocese of Bridgeport, visit www.saintjohnfisher.org.)

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