Gay men can become priests if they embrace ‘celibacy as a gift’, say Italian bishops

Pope Francis (Image: Alfredo Borba/Wikimedia Commons)

Gay men will be permitted to train as priests in Roman Catholic seminaries, Italian bishops have said – so long as they don’t have sex.

Seminaries are educational institutions usually associated with religious organisations.

The new guidelines, approved by the Vatican‘s clergy office, were shared at the Italian Bishops Conference [CIE] late last week.

The guidelines were reportedly adopted by the Italian Bishop’s Conference in November and are to be trialled for three years after going into effect last Thursday.

“Celibacy as a gift”

“In the formative process, when reference is made to homosexual tendencies, it is appropriate not to reduce discernment to this aspect alone,” the CIE said on Friday (10 January 2025).

“The objective of the training for priesthood in the emotional-sexual

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