On November 29, as President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops [USCCB], Bishop Skylstad, Bishop of Spokane, WA, released a USCCB Press Statement regarding the Vatican's promulgation, on the same date, of a document entitled: "Instruction Concerning the Criteria for the discernment of vocations with Regard to Persons with Homosexual Tendencies in View of their Admission to the Seminary and to Holy Orders." After reading the Vatican document, Bishop Skylstad and others have still concluded that it is O.K. to ordain celibate homosexuals to the diaconate and the Priesthood (interview with the Washington Post on November 29, Bishop Skylstad). But is it?

This question must be answered clearly and absolutely by Catholic Bishops for the good of the Church in the United States. There are homosexual ears and heterosexual ears listening. No homosexual is going to enter a seminary if he knows for certain that he will be turned down in the end for ordination. Similarly, heterosexual healthy men will not enter a seminary if they know that people will judge them as being homosexual. It is difficult enough to convince people that a celibate priest is not homosexual when people think that homosexuals cannot be ordained. However, it is far more difficult to convince them if they think that bishops are ordaining chaste homosexuals. People then think that possibly this priest or seminarian is a homosexual. Moreover, given the sex saturated culture in the United States, this possibly becomes a probably in the mind of these people. The bishops must make it absolutely clear that they do not permit homosexuals to enter the seminary or be ordained to the diaconate or priesthood as a matter of justice to heterosexual priests, seminarians, and deacons!

The bishops of the United States are squirming to avoid mentioning or elaborating on the one phrase in the Vatican Instruction dealing with homosexuality and Holy Orders which absolutely closes the door to the Diaconate and the priesthood to anyone with homosexual tendencies. "When dealing, instead, with homosexual tendencies that might only be a manifestation of a transitory problem, as, for example, delayed adolescence, these must be clearly overcome at least three years before Diaconal Ordination."

The Vatican has been very clear. They have said that no person with the "tendency" [orientation, direction, inclination, whatever synonym you wish to use] to homosexuality, even if only temporary, can be admitted to the Diaconate or the Priesthood. This means that a person must be rid of any homosexual feelings or sexual attraction to males at least 3 years before he is to be ordained to the Diaconate or the Priesthood. The Church has officially taken an absolutely clear stand that they will not ordain to the Diaconate or the Priesthood anyone with homosexual tendencies of any kind, permanent or only temporary. However, bishops in the United States appear afraid to say so.

Many, many, heterosexual men with vocations to the Diaconate and the Priesthood are listening. They will not enter the seminaries if they think that the bishops are going to allow homosexual men into the seminary. How many authentic vocations were will be lost by the bishops in the United States because of their silence? They will only find this out in eternity.

The U.S. Bishops are so far from the mark that it makes one's head spin. All the Vatican documents dealing with the training of men for the priesthood call for an "affective maturity" of the seminarian. What do the bishops think this means? It does not mean that one has an attraction to men, nor does it mean that one is neutral with no sexual interest for women or men. Rather it means that one has a healthy and morally good attraction to women. Someone who is struggling with homosexual feelings is far from the "affective maturity." If he discovers that he has these homosexual feelings which persist during their seminary life, he should be kindly told to go home and visit with a spiritual director and a psychologist while going out on a date with some women. Hopefully, he will discover the beauty of the woman and then be able to realize the sacrifice that he is being asked to make when becoming a priest. He should never be allowed to continue to live in a seminary in close quarters with men. This will only fan the flames of an unnatural spark. These men desperately need to discover the beauty of the female! All of this is in perfect conformity with John Paul II's teaching on the Theology of the Body. Besides, the bishops must give an accounting to God and the Church on the use of Church funds. Therefore, why do the bishops want to waste $15,000 dollars a year training men who have a sexual disorder? Are these the best candidates we can find? Why are bishops afraid to say publicly that they will not accept homosexual men, or men with homosexual feelings, into the seminary? Why are they afraid to state publicly that they will not ordain anyone who has homosexual feelings or is sexually attracted to men? What is going on in the Catholic Church in the United States? Holy Father, in heaven and in Rome, help us!