New guidelines suggest gay men can become priests

The Vatican has approved the ordination of gay men as priests, provided they remain celibate.

In a surprising shift within the Catholic Church, Italian bishops have issued new guidelines permitting gay men to enter seminaries. Although the Vatican hadn’t explicitly banned gay men from the priesthood before, a 2016 instruction did bar those with “deep-seated homosexual tendencies.”

The newly approved guidelines by Italian bishops advise that seminary directors evaluate a candidate’s sexual orientation as just one facet of their personality.

“When it comes to homosexual tendencies in the formation process, it's important not to focus solely on this aspect. Instead, it should be understood as part of the person's overall personality,” state the guidelines.

It remains uncertain whether these guidelines will be adopted in other countries, ‘Sky News’ reports.

Pope Francis, who has served as pontiff since 2013, is often seen as having a more inclusive stance towards the LGBTQ+ community.

He has permitted priests to bless same-sex couples on an individual basis, but the topic of admitting gay men into the priesthood continues to be sensitive.

Pope Francis has also emphasised the need for rigorous evaluation of candidates for seminary and has previously strongly advised priests who engage in sexual relationships to leave the priesthood.