All articles tagged with #seminary
Pope Francis encouraged a 22-year-old gay man, Lorenzo Michele Noè Caruso, to continue pursuing his vocation to the priesthood after being rejected from a seminary due to his sexual identity. The pope's handwritten note condemned clericalism and emphasized that the Church should be open to everyone. Caruso had written to the pope about his struggles and the Church's prohibition on admitting homosexuals to seminaries.
After using a controversial gay slur, Pope Francis is attempting to mend fences by offering reassurances to a homosexual man rejected from seminary and writing the preface to a book by LGBTQ+ activist priest James Martin. The pope's actions come amid backlash and a mild apology from the Vatican, emphasizing that the Church has space for everyone.
Bishop Francesco Savino clarified that Pope Francis' remarks about gay seminarians were taken out of context and misused to create division. The Pope's comments, made during a private meeting with Italian bishops, emphasized the importance of candidates for the priesthood, whether homosexual or heterosexual, being able to live their vows of obedience, poverty, and chastity. The Vatican stated that Pope Francis did not intend to offend and apologized to those who felt hurt by the language used. The Pope's stance has always been one of inclusion and respect towards LGBTQ individuals.