The Italian Bishop Conference (CIE) has made an important decision that allows homosexual men to study in Roman Catholic seminars and become priests subject to celibacy. This decision became controversial because it contradictions with the previously expressed position of Pope Francis, who warned against the admission of gays to spiritual educational institutions, fearing the risk of double life.
An important detail of the new solution is that Cie emphasizes that the main criterion for admission to the seminary is readiness for life in chastity, not the sexual orientation of the candidate. According to representatives of the conference, the purpose of preparing for the priesthood is the ability to freely choose celibacy and live it responsibly. This decision was the result of numerous scandals and cases where the candidates for the priesthood were deducted from the seminary because of their homosexuality. One of these cases occurred with Lorenzo Michele Noa Karuso, who at the age of 22 years of age accused the church of "toxic clericalism" after he was deducted from sexual orientation. Despite the fact that the Vatican never forbade gays to become priests, a document was published in 2018 that forbade the reception of candidates with "deeply rooted homosexual inclinations". However, the new decision of the Italian bishopric conference has become a significant departure from this position, which adds new difficulties to disputes within the Catholic Church.
This solution is also part of the gradual change of Pope Francis's position on LGBTK+ community. In recent years, the Pontiff has sought to mitigate the church's attitude towards the representatives of this community. In 2023, Pope Francis approved the possibility of blessing of same -sex couples, which caused disputes among the more conservative representatives of the church.
The new decision of the Italian bishopric conference opens a new page in the development of the Catholic Church's attitude to homosexuality and LGBTK+ community, which will probably remain the subject of discussions and disputes among believers and church leaders for a long time.
