VATICAN CITY, September 9, 2002(LSN.ca) – The Pope’s address to a group of Brazilian Bishops from the Rio de Janeiro area on Sept. 5 is being widely reported because of John Paul II’s unusually frank words on the importance of choosing suitable candidates for the priesthood. The Pope’s comments were obviously in response to the clergy sex abuse scandals in the West and the dissent from Catholic teaching, especially on moral issues, that the Pope believes is at the root of the scandals.
Although he did not directly refer to homosexuality, the Pope clearly implied it, along with other sexual aberrations, as something that should not be present in those accepted into seminaries. The Church teaches that homosexuality is an “intrinsically disordered” condition.
Different news services have given slightly different translations of the Pope’s words in his speech which is not yet available in English on the Vatican web site.
Zenit News reported that “John Paul II pointedly instructed bishops to be extremely careful in their selection of candidates for the priesthood, in order to avoid a repetition of the scandals linked to emotional disorders.” Zenit continued that the Pope said “it would be lamentable that..youths with obvious signs of emotional disorders, be admitted to ordination” and that mistakes in choosing such candidates for the priesthood “can cause grave scandal in the consciences of the faithful and obvious harm for the whole Church.” Catholic World News also used the term “emotional disorders”.
CNN reported “Pope John Paul II says that to preserve itself, the Roman Catholic Church has to be much more careful not to let men with “deviations in their affections” enter the priesthood.” ABC News also used the term “deviations in their affections”.
The Pope was also blunt about the obvious problem of many Western seminaries having instructors that are dissenters from Church teaching. He said he was moved to “sorrow and concern” by the realization that some Brazilian seminaries are “living in dissent from the Church.” As well, the Pope expressed frustration that bishops have not been implementing reforms to seminaries repeatedly recommended after visits by delegations appointed by the Vatican.
Addressing the serious accountability of bishops, the Pope emphasized that “No bishop can excuse himself from this responsibility, for which he must give an account before God”.
See: https://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=29282 https://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/09/05/pope.priests/index.html https://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/reuters20020905_339.html
Also past LifeSite reports: POPE’S SPOKESMAN SAYS HOMOSEXUALS “JUST CANNOT BE ORDAINED” PRIESTS https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2002/mar/02030402.html VATICAN TO ENFORCE 1961 DOCUMENT BANNING HOMOSEXUAL PRIESTS AND RELIGIOUS https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2002/mar/02032701.html
See LifeSite Church Scandals pages https://www.lifesitenews.com/features/churchscandals/