By
Associated Press, 11/18/2002
MANCHESTER,
N.H. - Bishop
John McCormack says men who
are
gay should not necessarily be precluded from
becoming
priests.
He told The Union Leader in a story
published
yesterday
that what is most important is that a priest
commit
himself to a life of celibacy and follow church
doctrine.
At the same time, he conceded that
there are
obstacles
for gay men who want to join the priesthood.
McCormack
said he does not think the Roman Catholic
Church
has ever accepted a man who it knew was living
openly
gay.
McCormack said the church is looking
for priests who
are
mature and of high integrity.
[ Read John Paul II’s
comments on deviants in priesthood]
The comments come as the church
reevaluates its
policies
for handling sexual abuse allegations against
priests.
''In terms of orientation or same-sex
attraction, I
think
it would really depend on how the person has
controlled
this or lived this in their life,''
McCormack
said.
McCormack said he does not believe the
sexual
orientation
of priests accused of abuse is necessarily
to
blame for their alleged actions. He said the issue
is
more complicated.
''I think pedophilia is one issue,''
McCormack said.
''I
think men who abused postpubescent boys is another
issue.
And I think living one's life with integrity, be
you
heterosexual or homosexual, is another issue.''
While some observers have said that the
Roman
Catholic
Church has not done a good job of addressing
issues
of sexuality, McCormack said clergy are making
great
strides in that area.
''In the seminary, at one time it was
assumed
everybody
was heterosexual,'' he said. ''And now they
say,
`Wait a second, we really have to address the man
who
has concerns about same-sex attraction.'''
This
story ran on page B3 of the Boston Globe on
11/18/2002.