There is bustle in the Vatican right now, and the effects of an impending papal document will be far-reaching.
According to Catholic World News, there is a document -- a reaffirmation of the prohibition of homosexual men from the priesthood -- sitting on the desk of Pope Benedict XVI, awaiting his approval.
Homosexuals already ordained will be advised to recommit themselves to chastity, while homosexuals seeking ordination will be barred from seminaries in an effort to "purify" the priesthood.
The new pope is now contending with the document, originally requested by former Pope John Paul II in 1994. The text, soon to be published, states, "...that homosexual men should not be admitted to seminaries even if they are celibate, because their condition suggests a serious personality disorder which detracts from their ability to serve as ministers."
Perhaps one reason for this document would be the child sex abuse scandal that rocked the Roman Catholic Church in the United States a couple of years ago. The majority of the victims were adolescent males.
The results were devastating, touching parishes even in the Diocese of Phoenix, and a series of lawsuits bankrupted the Diocese of Tucson on the same token. The effects of the scandal are still being felt throughout the church.
This new prohibition may be an attempt to prevent future scandals and higher the standard of the priesthood, yet the root of the problem has been shifted. Rather than viewing it as a problem with pedophilia, or a problem with priests keeping their vows of celibacy, it would seem the problem now lies with homosexuals in general.
Even chaste seminarians are to be weeded out, no matter if they are following their vows the same as their heterosexual counterparts.
The situation is, at best, disheartening, if not potentially disastrous. Even if the document takes effect, it very likely will not be effective. It may only discourage homosexual men from being honest about their sexuality.
The system can be bucked, and in addition to that, it will simply prevent important dialogue. So it is a possibility that the document will be useless and alienate many of the faithful.
Another important consideration is the current priest shortage. If efforts are successfully taken to bar even good men on the basis of sexuality, the shortage may become a deficit.
It has been suggested that a fair number of priests are homosexual while living chaste lives. The percentages are uncertain. But if numbers decrease accordingly, the document is far more likely to harm the church than be beneficial.
Somehow, the text even seems contradictory to Catholic belief. While some Roman Catholic leaders discourage the ordination of homosexuals, the catechism of the Roman Catholic Church, while denouncing homosexual acts, demands respect for the homosexual person and promotes the dignity and ability to live a holy life.
So if homosexuals can lead holy lives, serve God and follow their vows as any heterosexual can, why discriminate?
Fortunately, not all Roman Catholics share the same sentiments that are expressed in the document. Last spring, the L.A. Congress (a Catholic conference in Anaheim, Calif.) included a workshop regarding homosexuality and celibacy in the priesthood. It simply said there are homosexual priests that serve the church faithfully and follow their vows as any other.
In the end, this document is counterproductive, may have limited effectiveness and harm the church more than help it.
It is not getting at the real root of the scandal, just picking a scapegoat.
Rick Beitman is a political science and French junior. He can be reached at richard.beitman@asu.edu.