A new commentary by Jesuit Father James Martin has reignited discussion over the Catholic Church’s longstanding teaching regarding the admission of men with deep-seated homosexual tendencies to the priesthood.
Writing for Outreach, a ministry he founded that describes itself as serving LGBTQ Catholics, Father Martin argued that men who experience same-sex attraction should not be automatically excluded from priestly formation if they believe they have a vocation.
Regarding “gay men who feel called to priesthood,” Martin wrote, “my answer … is yes,” according to his commentary published by Outreach and reported by LifeSiteNews.
Martin also argued that current policies may discourage men from pursuing a vocation openly.
“Saying that gay men cannot be ordained as priests means that gay men interested in the priesthood will either be driven away from their vocations, or driven underground in seminaries,” he wrote.
The Catholic Church, however, has consistently taught that while every person must be treated with dignity and respect, men with deep-seated homosexual tendencies are not to be admitted to seminary formation or Holy Orders.
The 2005 Vatican instruction states that the Church “cannot admit to the seminary or to holy orders those who practice homosexuality, present deep-seated homosexual tendencies or support the so-called ‘gay culture.'” That norm has been reaffirmed in subsequent Vatican guidance.
In his article, Martin reflected on his own experience as a Jesuit, writing, “In my almost 40 years as a Jesuit, I’ve known dozens of celibate gay priests who have led what Pope Francis called ‘good, holy and celibate’ lives, modeling Jesus’s message of love and mercy. They have been for me, and for many of my friends, spiritual directors, pastors, professors and mentors.”
Martin also expressed concern that many priests and seminarians feel unable to speak openly about experiencing same-sex attraction. He suggested that several factors contribute to what he described as silence on the subject, including embarrassment among some clergy, fear of the priesthood being perceived as a “gay profession,” confusion between homosexuality and pedophilia, and concern over negative treatment of priests who publicly identify themselves as gay.
According to Outreach, Martin recounted a conversation with a seminarian studying in Rome who estimated that “Half of them” were gay when asked about his fellow seminarians. When Martin asked how many were open about their sexuality with seminary formators, the seminarian reportedly replied, “Are you kidding?… None of them,” adding that disclosure “would mean expulsion.”
LifeSiteNews noted that Martin’s article also discussed a 2024 study commissioned by the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame and conducted with the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA). According to the study, 22 percent of surveyed bishops said they either agreed or strongly agreed that they would be comfortable ordaining a man with deep-seated same-sex attraction if he remained firmly committed to celibacy.
Martin criticized portions of the study’s recommendations, particularly language referring to “overcoming” homosexuality.
“It is one thing to overcome temptation or lust; it is another to overcome one’s overall sexuality,” Martin wrote. He added that such language “could easily be misinterpreted as overcoming one’s sexuality overall, a dangerous proposal.”
The study’s authors, Rev. Thomas V. Berg and Professor Timothy G. Lock, emphasized the significant challenges faced by men experiencing same-sex attraction while living a celibate priestly vocation. According to LifeSiteNews, they wrote, “Most of us, even as we know brother priests with SSA, often also know just how painful and problematic their road in life has been, attempting to wed that attraction with a celibate lifestyle.”
The discussion highlights an ongoing debate within the Church over pastoral care, seminary formation, and fidelity to the Church’s established teaching on the qualifications for Holy Orders. While Father Martin argues for a broader approach to vocational discernment, current Vatican norms continue to state that men with deep-seated homosexual tendencies are not to be admitted to seminaries or ordained to the priesthood.
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