They are really working on, what seems to me, a Don't Ask policy. Priests can be celibately gay but only if they're not all that gay. If "gay" is how they primarily identify themselves, they are becoming pretty unwelcome.

the church will not admit to a seminary nor ordain "those who practice homosexuality, present deep-seated homosexual tendencies or support the so-called 'gay culture.' "

This directive is actually less restrictive than what was expected.

---

Does discussing HoYay online count as "supporting the so-called 'gay culture'"?

I'd think not, 'cuz usually the characters being HoYayified are not part of the so-called 'gay culture'....

---

Although I suppose I'm also excluded by the "no atheists" clause

They are getting strict on this one too. Apparently they only want priests who are "Catholic." Whatever.

---

They are really working on, what seems to me, a Don't Ask policy. Priests can be celibately gay but only if they're not all that gay

But if a priest goes into confession and confesses to lustful homosexual thoughts, can't that get him pretty much expelled from the priesthood? Even if he doesn't act on them?

This would exclude even celibate gay men from the clergy.

---

I guess they'd have to ignore the pedophiles molesting young girls for starters. But then, that doesn't seem to make the papers as much as boys getting molested, even though I understand it to be considerably more common.

Last evening's BBC news did a report on two women who'd traveled to the Vatican to present a petition related to their abuse (when children) by a priest.

---

celibately gay

OK, I don't understand the problem in this. I mean, if you have lusts and desires, and your religion forbids you to follow them, and you try to follow this religion by fighting them and trying to avoid them and it's a very difficult daily struggle which you face every day - what's not religious about that? There are plenty of lusts and forbidden-by-religion desires that I have to fight every day. That's part of being religious, in my eyes, having that inner conflict.

There are several rules in the bible (and therefore in Judaism, which are the only ones I'm familiar with) that have to do with what's inside a person's soul. Most of the rules are about what a person does, how he chooses to face those inner struggles. At least, that's how I understand it.

---

I took today off yesterday because I felt like crap, and I suppose it was a good thing, because according to my work e-mail, there was a severe attack of stupid yesterday.

Today I'm finding e-mails from people who are screaming because I haven't sent them the files they requested. Via e-mail. Which they aren't supposed to do. And since I have ten million requests pouring into my inbox from all over the world every day, is it unreasonable for me to want people to use the website (which they are supposed to do) for requests, or to contact one of our account executives (which they also should do), instead of trying to get stuff from me and bypassing all of the very necessary red tape?

Ooh. I'm feeling lightheaded. I need a new job.

---

But if a priest goes into confession and confesses to lustful homosexual thoughts, can't that get him pretty much expelled from the priesthood?

Confessions are confidential. A friend was telling us at dinner the other night about a young boy who told him, during confession, that another priest had acused him and the poor kid wouldn't let him go to any authorities about it. He was still upset about it. Forty years later.

Even if he doesn't act on them?

The theory is that if you don't act gay or shag gay (which goes against that whole celibate commitment too), you can still be ordained.

---

OK, I don't understand the problem in this. I mean, if you have lusts and desires, and your religion forbids you to follow them, and you try to follow this religion by fighting them and trying to avoid them and it's a very difficult daily struggle which you face every day - what's not religious about that? There are plenty of lusts and forbidden-by-religion desires that I have to fight every day. That's part of being religious, in my eyes, having that inner conflict.

Insightful as ever, Nilly.

---

Confessions are confidential. A friend was telling us at dinner the other night about a young boy who told him, during confession, that another priest had acused him and the poor kid wouldn't let him go to any authorities about it. He was still upset about it. Forty years later

I was under the impression that this is how they planned to smoke out closeted gays in the seminary. I may have been misinformed.

---