By Stanislaus Alla
New Delhi, June 16, 2022: Among the Religious, elections or appointments of provincial superiors or even superiors general do not easily make global news but recently the election of a 51-year-old Franciscan priest as a provincial in Germany made headlines simply because he is a self-declared gay.
Sexuality is a hot topic among people, no less among the clergy and the Religious, and homosexuality continues to be an all-time contentious topic.
More than evaluating this particular case, I simply explain why this made news and what has been the Catholic Church’s understanding on gay priests (changed, changing and still ambiguous). Finally, I suggest that the Franciscan’s story serves as an example to illustrate how the open-minded Catholics, including the clergy and Religious, are able to overcome discriminatory thoughts and practices as well as prejudices against gay priests, and, this augurs well for further changes.
The Franciscans of a German province chose a gay priest, Father Markus Fuhrmann, as their provincial in their recent elections. Let me make some comments.
In the Catholic Church, gay priest is a priest, exactly like a straight priest, who is called for ordained ministry, who makes a promise to live a life of celibacy (religious take a vow of chastity and diocesan clergy make a promise of celibacy, which in actuality means the same) and immerses himself into pastoral ministry.
Globally, there have been many gay priests who live committed and dedicated and holy lives. In spite of this, there are many who have reservations and doubts about gay priests, about their identity and call and ministry, and wonder if they can enter a seminary, get ordained priests, and, worse still, if they can live faithful celibate lives at all!
All over the world in many cultures and religions homosexuals have been discriminated and persecuted, and only recently, several state laws, including those in India, have decriminalized consensual gay sex. Views of different religions vary on homosexual orientation and activity. Official teachings of the Catholic Church and informal opinions of several prelates and scholars on homosexual orientation and activity shifted from being judgmental and condemnatory to that of being compassionate, merciful and understanding. Similar changes are notable on gay priests -on their identification and ministry.
In spite of Pope Francis’ famous comment ‘Who I am to judge,’ confusion continues to remain on priesthood of gay persons, more so after Vatican’s Congregation for Clergy issued The Gift of the Priestly Vocation in 2016 which simply said that men “who practice homosexuality, present deep-seated homosexual tendencies or support the so-called ‘gay culture’” cannot become priests. According to Thomas Reese, it came to be interpreted in two ways: that “no homosexuals could be seminarians or priests” or “a homosexual incapable of living a celibate life could not be a priest.” Note that the first focuses on sexual orientation and the second one looks at one’s ability to be a celibate. Bishops, Religious superiors and formators have been asked to screen the candidates for their sexual orientations and tendencies and act accordingly.
Homophobia made many Catholics attack gay priests and make them scapegoats, some falsely naming them responsible for clerical sexual abuse. Studies have proved that there is no connection between the two. In the US John Jay report concluded that ‘sexual orientation is not connected to pedophilia or other sex crimes.’
In spite of several studies and reports, a strong prejudicial view prevails among many that homosexuals would have uncontrollable urge for sexual activity and that they are incapable of keeping chastity. No one seemed to ask the heterosexuals if they ‘practice heterosexuality’ and if they have ‘deep-seated heterosexual tendencies.’ Recent revelations, from India and from across the world, have underlined that heterosexual clergy, including bishops, are not immune from committing sexual crimes.
Pope Francis has been forthright with the clergy: be celibate or get out. It is important to note that the emphasis is not on sexual orientation but on one’s ability or inability to be a celibate. That it is easy for heterosexuals to be celibates and not for homosexuals is a wrong way of looking at it. God is free to call both heterosexuals and homosexuals for ordained service but it is the person, who, being open to the Spirit and letting the spiritual guide direct, has to discern and see if celibacy can be his way of life.
Not being clouded by prejudices and popular fears, the German Franciscans made a wonderful choice. Looking beyond a person’s sexual orientation, hopefully, they looked at the person, his leadership qualities, his integrity, his knowledge of Franciscan spiritual heritage and the ability to animate others in that path.
A person who took vows like anyone else will be equally blessed like anyone else. More than being simply sensational news, hopefully, the Franciscan choice will generate a public discourse on the prejudices people may have against gay priests and lead all to a path of conversion -to be just and faithful disciples, looking beyond one’s sexual orientation.
(Jesuit Father Stanislaus Alla teaches moral theology at Vidyajyoti College of Theology, Delhi.)