banning gays from the priesthood

[dairygirl4u2c]

So I read an article that said that the Vatican was thinking about banning homosexuals from the priesthood, all homosexuals, not just those who act on it. My question is, if they did this, would that be infallible? Would it be unclear if it was since it may or may not be part of the ordinary magisterium which is often unclear by definition?

On a related but separte question, I've heard some say that for instance no married priests is now set in stone and cannot be changed, ie infallibly declared that way. If this is infallible, why isn't it and not only custom which can be changed, such as what they wear etc? How do you tell the difference between the infallible and the custom thing?

[dairygirl4u2c]

[url="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=JVU3J45JGXXGFQFIQMFCFFOAVCBQYIV0?xml=/news/2005/09/23/wgay23.xml"]http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml...9/23/wgay23.xml[/url]

[dandy777]

I am not an expert in the area so please take my post as a personal opinion and not as the Church's stand.

I think the Church declares itself infallible with regards to doctrine and dogmas and not to custom or traditions that can be changed.

[Cam42]

[quote name='dairygirl4u2c' date='Jan 19 2006, 12:16 AM']So I read an article that said that the Vatican was thinking about banning homosexuals from the priesthood, all homosexuals, not just those who act on it. My question is, if they did this, would that be infallible? Would it be unclear if it was since it may or may not be part of the ordinary magisterium which is often unclear by definition?

On a related but separte question, I've heard some say that for instance no married priests is now set in stone and cannot be changed, ie infallibly declared that way. If this is infallible, why isn't it and not only custom which can be changed, such as what they wear etc? How do you tell the difference between the infallible and the custom thing?
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Here is a copy of the document released by the Vatican. It is called [url="http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=40891"]Instruction.[/url] While it is not infallible, it is to be faithfully followed. In other words, it isn't dogma or doctrine, but we should show deference to it when understanding the reasoning for the exclusion of homosexuals from the priesthood, at this time.

There is nothing that officially states that married priests will never enter into the picture again, however, it is understood that a celibate priesthood is the current and accepted manner in which the priesthood will be carried out. [url="http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_25031992_pastores-dabo-vobis_en.html"]Pastores Dabo Vobis[/url] is a fantastic resource on this; as is [url="http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_22051994_ordinatio-sacerdotalis_en.html"]Ordinatio Sacerdotalis[/url].

There are several ways that the Church defines something in an infallible manner. However, all of them are closely related to the Papacy and all of them include the Holy Father. They are Ecumenical Councils under the headship of a pope, The Pope himself, and the bishops of the world dispersed, but in union with the Holy See. The first two are considered to be magisterium solemne (undeniably definitive authority) and the last is considered ordinarium magisterium (the common or everyday teaching authority of the Church).

Understand, though, that the ordinarium magisterium is not independent of the pope. In other words, it is only bishops who are in corporate union with the pope, the Divinely constituted head and center of Christ's mystical body, the one true Church, who have any claim to share in the charisma by which the infallibility of their morally unanimous teaching is divinely guaranteed according to the terms of Christ's promises.