I am not sure I agree. I know gay people that really struggle with their sexuality and wish to reach a state of chastity; some, at some point, have done so, and remained Catholic. There is a vast field between those who go to gay pride parades and those who take their problem very, very seriously. The desire to counsel the homosexual is not wrong; approaches often are.
I’m not sure I agree, either.
We do not know, actually, what this ridiculous term “a more pastoral approach” even means today, in terms of the impact on priests. The ruminating and naval gazing going, in Rome, on this pastoral approach business is coming from a tiny minority and it appears unnecessary on its face, since the duty of a priest IS and always has been definitively pastoral.
Priests are generally wonderful pastoral counselors on matters of faith and morals, and may enjoy the gift of counsel. Beyond his priestly duty to teach and to admonish, and to counsel on certain matters and up to a point, the priests generally can recommend a psychiatrist, or psychologist, or risk being sued for dabbling beyond his expertise with occasionally unstable individuals.
I would suggest when the priest’s “approach” is deemed “wrong”, it is likely because of just that— in above his head. It is rare indeed that a priest casts even a criticism, never mind an actual judgment on such a person.
Priests should not be shaped, manipulated, additionally obligated or expected to now be entirely charged to deal with a pathology, a mental/behavioral disorder.
IMHO, there is much that is urgent for Rome to contend with. This subject is not it. IMHO. Thx, Rita.
The question is not whether the RCC officially condones homosexual acts or any other sexual acts outside marriage. It doesn’t. But again, that’s not the question. The question is why the RCC is being destroyed by clerical sexual misconduct, most homosexual misconduct? Please, annalex, address this question directly: “Does the RCC rule mandating priestly celibacy contribute in any way to the very disproportionate number (compared to the population at large) of homosexual priests who are doing most of the misconduct?