The much-bally-hooed official document has been pushed back again, according to National Catholic Reporter’s John Allen. (I should point out that some have tried to argue that earlier alarms about the policy were based entirely on reporting in the New York Times. Not true. They reports came from conservative Catholic sources and John Allen, one of the most clued-in Vatican journalists, and were confirmed by extreme statements – subsequently largely walked back – by Archbishop O’Brien). Money quote from Allen:
The official, who is familiar with the content of the document, told NCR its central message is that “homosexuals are not welcome in the priesthood.” The official said it also sets out guidelines, however, such as the capacity for celibacy, avoidance of the “gay lifestyle,” and the absence of an “overwhelming, permanent” orientation, which could make application less absolute than some of the document’s hard-line language may suggest.
This official said that the key to understanding the document is grasping its genre.
“This is not a matter of sacramental theology,” he said. “It’s not saying that homosexuals are intrinsically unworthy of being priests. It’s a matter of prudential judgment, that this is not a good idea.”
I’m going to wait for the actual document before commenting further. But there are both ominous and not-so-ominous signals coming from the Vatican.
The Dish 