We speak often of being "called" to the priesthood, and that a vocation is a matter of discernment; but vocational discernment is bilateral. A man doesn't discern marriage in a vacuum, he discerns marrying a particular girl, and he's in conversation with her, and she's discerning marrying him. Same for the priesthood or religious life, f…
We speak often of being "called" to the priesthood, and that a vocation is a matter of discernment; but vocational discernment is bilateral. A man doesn't discern marriage in a vacuum, he discerns marrying a particular girl, and he's in conversation with her, and she's discerning marrying him. Same for the priesthood or religious life, formation is also discerning if this candidate is right for orders/vows.
Are men with SSA being called to the priesthood? Perhaps. And it's for the bishop, vocation director, and seminary formation to discern on behalf of the Church. I don't see why a man living an integral life of virtue would not be a suitable candidate for orders, nor that he might not be called due to his particular temptations.
The real problem I see is if a seminary has an outright gay subculture, as the Holy Father has so eloquently put it, then it would be the worst place for such a man to be. That's gotta go first.
We speak often of being "called" to the priesthood, and that a vocation is a matter of discernment; but vocational discernment is bilateral. A man doesn't discern marriage in a vacuum, he discerns marrying a particular girl, and he's in conversation with her, and she's discerning marrying him. Same for the priesthood or religious life, formation is also discerning if this candidate is right for orders/vows.
Are men with SSA being called to the priesthood? Perhaps. And it's for the bishop, vocation director, and seminary formation to discern on behalf of the Church. I don't see why a man living an integral life of virtue would not be a suitable candidate for orders, nor that he might not be called due to his particular temptations.
The real problem I see is if a seminary has an outright gay subculture, as the Holy Father has so eloquently put it, then it would be the worst place for such a man to be. That's gotta go first.