A number of anonymous studies have suggested that the prevalence of homosexuality among Roman Catholic priests is anywhere from 15% to 50%. Regardless of the figure, it has been anonymously suggested that the incidence of homosexuality in the Roman Catholic priesthood is much higher than in the general population.

However, Alfred Kinsey in 1948 and 1953 found that only 10-15% of the population could declare themselves as either exclusively hetero- or homo-sexual and that most people have had homosexual experiences. For more details on Kinsey's work, see homosexuality. Measuring the prevalence of various sexual orientations (e.g. heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality, and asexuality) in a large population can be a surprisingly difficult task and many different researchers have suggested different estimates of the percentage. No specific studies have been able to

Nonetheless, the church has been rocked by several child abuse scandals, mostly involving abuse of boys by priests. As these events are males abusing male this makes them, in that sense, homosexual. In other denominations, like the Jehovah's Witnesses, reports of sex abuse has been more often males abusing females. Hence this gives a notion in the populace that priests are more homosexual. Although many sex experts dispute such populist notions as they deem pedophilia to specifically be about attraction to children. Because altar servers in the Catholic Church tend to be male, and priests run boys organizations more than girl organization, those of pedophilic tendencies may merely find boys more available.

Still popular culture does have an impression of Catholic priests as disproportionately homosexual. In various forms this allegations exists since in least the early Reformation and was mentioned in Candide. A possible originator

It is difficult to draw conclusions from any research into the sexual orientation of priests, not least because they are unlikely to be able to freely express their emotions, due to the Catholic Church's teaching that homosexual orientation is "objectively disordered."

It has been suggested that as Latin Rite Catholic priests must promise sexual abstinence, some devout homosexuals have found this to be an acceptable way to live free of suspicion from others about their marital status; and as a way to avoid dealing with homosexual temptations. In spite of this, Roman Catholic priests that engage in sex are condemned by the Vatican and the Church as a whole.

Although a 1961 document stated that gay men should not be ordained, this was left to bishops to enforce, and most did not, holding homosexuals to the same standards of celibate chastity as heterosxual seminarians. However, in November 2005, the Vatican completed an "Instruction" on the admission of gay men to the seminary. According to the new policy, men with "transitory" homosexual leanings may be ordained deacons three years after the elimination of their homosexual phase. However, men with "deeply rooted homosexual tendencies", who support gay culture, or of course, who are sexually active, cannot be ordained. There is some question as to whether this bars all men with a fixed homosexual orientation from Holy Orders, or simply those whose sexuality is obsessive or neurotic.

Related links

• Father James Haley -- silenced American priest
• Homosexuality
• Sexual orientation
• Homosexuality and Christianity
• James Alison
• Instruction Concerning the Criteria for the Discernment of Vocations with regard to Persons with Homosexual Tendencies in view of their Admission to the Seminary and to Holy Orders