assurances

By Diogenes ( articles ) | Sep 25, 2005

The New York Times delivers another catechetical instruction on the formation of the gay sub-culture in the priesthood:

Homosexual men are socialized differently," he (a seminarian) said . "We have spent our whole lives living and working with other men. We've been on the same school teams, shared the same locker rooms, been in the same fraternities...

Rest assured that the homosexual priest has learned to finesse the labyrinths of life, but acknowledge the unstated premise that the way in which the homosexual priest views the world of human relations and friendship is fundamentally different from the heterosexual priest. Also acknowledge that his history of socialization impinges not at all upon his capacity to inspire others to live a life of Catholic virtue and chastity.

So the priest's homosexual socialization makes all the difference to his self-identification, but it should make no difference to his fellow heterosexual seminarians, priests and the laity.

...and we are accustomed to being around people to whom we are attracted.

Change attracted to tempted, and we get a spiritual snapshot of the perpetual sexual struggles of the homosexual priest.

Where can such a man find refuge? What becomes of spiritual friendship when many of his closest associates (be they homosexual or heterosexual) view his gaze as the amorous retreat to the vicissitudes of the high school throb?

To suggest that because one has a homosexual orientation one is unable to control one's sexual impulses is, frankly, insulting.

Alas, feeling insulted does not a refutation make .