New York Times and other media reported Italian bishops have received Vatican approval to allow gay men to become priests if they remain celibate.

Vatican allows gay men in Italy to train to become priests if they remain celibate. Seminary candidates should not be disqualified based on their sexual orientation, according to new guidelines from the Italian church. https://t.co/bViTuc0sAI

— Alain Servais (@aservais1) January 13, 2025

Verdict: Misleading

“When referring to homosexual tendencies, it is also appropriate not to limit discernment to this aspect of their formation,” the document states, adding that Italian bishops have decided that homosexual men should It does not say that he authorized it to become so. The Italian Bishops’ Conference also denied such reports.

Fact check:

The New York Times and other news organizations Reuters And the Guardian reported that recent guidelines released by the Italian Bishops’ Conference allow gay men to become priests as long as they remain celibate. (Related: Pope Francis said Jesus was born during a census by King David?)

A headline in the New York Times reads: “Vatican allows gay men in Italy to train to become priests if they remain celibate.” The group bases its claim on a passage in its recently published guidelines, which state that “when referring to homosexual tendencies in the formative process, do not limit your insight to this aspect only; Similarly, it is appropriate to understand its meaning. In the overall picture of the character of young people. ”

This claim is misleading. The Italian Bishops’ Conference rejected media coverage. in a statement published “The rules regarding the inadmissibility of homosexuals to the priesthood remain unchanged,” the church said in a newspaper statement.

Furthermore, “this new intervention became necessary after some media outlets partially and out of context read paragraph 44 of the document, which deals precisely with the issue of homosexuality in the process of establishing seminaries.” said.

Bishop Stefano Manetti, president of the Anglican Commission for the Clergy and Consecrated Life, said in the article:[t]Indeed, the real novelty of this document is that the new norm focuses on “discernment”, especially in the first three years of its formation process. ”

“[I]It means centering the person beyond their immediate categorization and allowing us to accompany them in revealing the truth about their sexual orientation,” Manetti further said. (Related: Does this photo show Pope Francis wearing an oversized white puffer coat?)

The document also restates what two Vatican documents released in 2005 and 2016 had said about accepting men with “deep-seated homosexual tendencies.” pillar.

“The Italian document explains that the founders will not admit anyone who practices homosexuality, displays deep-seated homosexual tendencies, or supports so-called “gay culture” into seminaries or holy orders.” “We are repeating the guidance from the two Vatican bishoprics,” the Pillar reported. .

The full guidelines read: catholic culture:

44. “With regard to persons with homosexual tendencies who seek admission to seminaries, or who discover such a situation during their formation, the Church, with deep respect for such persons, does not recommend them to seminaries or sacred schools. “We cannot admit anyone who practices homosexuality, shows deep-rooted homosexual tendencies, or supports so-called “gay culture.” In fact, such people find themselves in situations that seriously prevent them from properly relating to men and women. ”In the formation process, when referring to homosexual tendencies, do not limit discernment only to that aspect, but understand its meaning within the overall framework of the young person’s personality, as in all candidates That is appropriate. By knowing himself and uniting the ends appropriate to the human and priestly vocations, he reaches total harmony. The aim of the formation of priestly candidates in the emotional and sexual sphere is the ability to accept it as a gift, to make a free choice, to be celibate and responsibly chaste. In fact, it is “not just a sign of affection, but a total of attitudes that are the opposite of possessiveness. Chastity is freedom from possessiveness in all areas of life. Only if love is chaste is it True love becomes dangerous in the end. God himself loved humanity with a chaste love, and he gave us the freedom to go astray and oppose him. Freedom, joy, gratuity, and humility should be understood as gifts that are recognized and verified before being allowed to stand or participate in a first profession.” This doesn’t just mean controlling your sexual urges, but also overcoming forms of possessiveness, not allowing yourself to get caught up in competition and comparison with others, and respecting and defending your boundaries. Knowing how to improve the quality of evangelical relationships means. Intimacy between oneself and others. Recognizing this is fundamental and essential to the realization of one’s priestly vocation and vocation, but one who is celibate and lives a passion for the kingdom must renounce it and seek emotional and sexual gratification. You should be able to deal with frustrations, including lack. ”

J.D. Flynn, editor-in-chief of Pillar, said: I wrote On January 14, “The misunderstood text in question was a word salad, the kind of speech given at an Episcopal conference that was difficult to parse or find meaning in the first place; The intention to deviate from the Church’s policy on homosexuality and the reports contrary to it were, in a word, fake news. ”

Traditionalist Catholic Website Rorate Caeli said He said the seemingly new instructions from the Italian bishops’ document are “not very different from the general tone of the following paragraphs of the 2005 instructions” (e.g., the long section on “discernment” in Chapter 3 of the 2005 document). (see words) leaves much to the interpretation of local clergy and seminary administrators).

2005 document also state that “[d]But it is passionate when it deals with homosexual tendencies that are only the expression of temporary problems, for example, problems of adolescence that have not yet been replaced. Nevertheless, such tendencies must clearly be overcome at least three years before ordination to the Diaconte. ”

new guidelines appear Being taken offline. Can be viewed here.

Check Your Fact has contacted the New York Times and the Holy See Press Office for comment.