Vatican-Approved Guidelines Allow Gay Men in Italian Seminaries, Require Chastity

Jan 10, 2025, 05:30 PM

The Italian Bishops Conference (CEI) has issued new guidelines for seminary admission, approved by the Vatican, which allow gay men to enter seminaries and pursue priesthood, provided they practice chastity. The guidelines emphasize that the Church respects individuals but cannot admit those who engage in homosexual activity to seminaries or holy orders. The objective of the training for priesthood candidates in the affective-sexual sphere is to embrace, freely choose, and responsibly live chastity in celibacy. The new directives also highlight the importance of ensuring that candidates have never been involved in abuse cases.