Pope Francis says gay men can train for priesthood

The Vatican announced new guidelines for gay men considering the priesthood on Friday, defining the most important goal for aspiring priests as “an orientation towards celibate life.”

The guidelines announced by the Italian Bishops Conference (CIE) mark a change from views previously expressed by Pope Francis that gay men serving in the priesthood risked leading a double life.

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“In the formative process, when reference is made to homosexual tendencies, it is appropriate not to reduce discernment to this aspect alone,” the CIE said. “The objective of the training for priesthood in the emotional-sexual sphere is the ability [to] welcome chastity in celibacy as a gift, to freely choose and to responsibly live it.”

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While the Catholic church “deeply respects the people in question,” the guidance stated, sexually active gay men will continue to be denied admittance to seminaries or any other holy orders.

The announcement follows controversy the pope inspired last May when he told a group of bishops that “frociaggine” — or “f**gotry”, loosely translated — was a problem in the Church’s seminaries. The comment elicited “incredulous laughter” from the bishops, according to two Italian newspapers. Francis later apologized for the poor word choice.

“The Pope never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms,” the Vatican said in a statement.

Following that incident, Il Messaggero published a letter from a prospective seminarian who said he was denied admission because he was gay. The man, 22-year-old Lorenzo Michele Noè Caruso, described a culture of “toxic and elective clericalism” in the church. The pope reportedly responded, inviting the young man to “go forward” with his vocational research, The Guardian reported.

While the slur was a rare blemish on Francis’ progressive reign, he has been a champion of respect for the LGBTQ+ community, spreading a message of tolerance during his time as leader of the Catholic Church.

Francis famously asked, “Who am I to judge?” when asked about gay priests at the beginning of his papacy. He’s called anti-queer conservatism “a suicidal attitude,” denounced Uganda’s draconian Kill the Gays law as “unacceptable”, and hosted transwomen for lunch at the Vatican.

In 2023, Francis approved “blessings” for same-sex couples, while maintaining marriage remains an institution reserved for one man and one woman.

In 2025, the Vatican is organizing an unprecedented pilgrimage for LGBTQ+ Christians, their relatives and allies during the holy Jubilee Year. The pilgrimage, called “Church: Home for All, LGBT+ Christians and Other Existential Frontiers,” takes place in September and includes a visit to the seat of the Catholic church at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

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