Pope Francis Says Gays Not Welcome in Catholic Clergy

In an interview published as a book on Saturday, Pope Francis has made it very clear that he believes there is no place for gays in the Catholic priesthood.

“The issue of homosexuality is a very serious issue that must be adequately discerned from the beginning with the candidates, if that is the case,” he said. “In our societies it even seems that homosexuality is fashionable and that mentality, in some way, also influences the life of the Church.”

In the excerpt from the book, The Strength of a Vocation, he also recalled hearing from a religious leader in the Church who thought perhaps it wasn’t “that serious, it’s just an expression of an affection.”

Francis disagreed.

“It’s not just an expression of an affection. In consecrated and priestly life, there’s no room for that kind of affection,” he said. “Therefore, the Church recommends that people with that kind of ingrained tendency should not be accepted into the ministry or consecrated life. The ministry or the consecrated life is not his place.”

Pope Francis was once thought to have a more open view on homosexuality than his predecessors. In 2013, he was quoted as asking “If someone is gay and is searching for the Lord and has good will, then who am I to judge him?” It’s no enthusiastic welcome, but considering the long-standing chasm between Catholicism and the LGBTQ community, it gave many hope.

That has slowly been eradicated over the years, with Francis recently saying that gay children should be taken to a psychiatrist.

Now, there are no doubts left on where he stands.

“I say to the priests, gay religious men and women, we must urge you to live fully celibate and, above all, to be exquisitely responsible, trying not to scandalize your communities or the holy faithful people of God by living a double life,” Francis said. "It is better that you leave the ministry or consecrated life rather than live a double life.”