Vatican Backs Psychological Screening of Seminarians

"Guidelines for the Use of Psychology in the Admission and Formation of Candidates for the Priesthood" calls for tests to root out men with "deep-seated homosexual tendencies."

ROME (The Catholic Herald) - The Vatican has approved the psychological screening of seminarians in the wake of damaging clerical abuse scandals.In a long-awaited document the Congregation for Catholic Education said seminary candidates should undergo psychological evaluations whenever there is a suspicion of personality disturbances or serious doubts about their ability to live a celibate life.

The document, entitled Guidelines for the Use of Psychology in the Admission and Formation of Candidates for the Priesthood, also controversially endorsed tests to root out men with "deep-seated homosexual tendencies" from seminaries. The statement echoed the language of a 2005 document which said candidates with deep-seated homosexual tendencies could not become seminarians.

The new document covered the use of psychology as a tool for vocational discernment as well as the Church's responsibility to ensure that candidates are suitable for the priesthood. The document also touched on the role of formators and bishops in identifying and orienting candidates toward a solid psychological and spiritual maturity.

The document, which is not yet available in English, said: "Any man who feels a vocation to the priesthood must not only have moral and theological virtues but should also have a solid human and psychic balance, particularly in the affective realm, such that permits the subject to be adequately predisposed to a truly free gift of himself in relationships with the faithful, according to the celibate life."

Candidates also must have "a positive and stable sense of their own masculine identity and a capacity to form mature relationships with other people or groups of people; a solid sense of belonging, base of the future communion with the presbyterate and of a responsible collaboration with the bishop's ministry".

The document recommended the use of psychological tests as long as the candidate gives his consent and with the proviso that those responsible for formation do not use techniques outside their area of knowledge. Psychologists who give such support should have "solid human and spiritual maturity", and a "Christian concept of the human person, sexuality, the priestly vocation and celibacy".

Candidates for the priesthood in England and Wales have undergone psychological tests for years, though screening differs from diocese to diocese.Fr Gerard Byrne, who runs St Luke's Centre in Manchester, which has screened and tested some 250 candidates for the priesthood, religious life and the permanent diaconate since its foundation in 2005, welcomed the document.

He said: "As far as I've seen it reported the new document looks like it is consolidating all the things we already do and we see it as quite positive that everything the bishops are doing in terms of the vetting, screening and testing of candidates is in line with the Vatican's thinking on this."

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St Luke's uses a team of psychologists and spiritual directors. Candidates take part in face-to-face interviews, psychometric tests and background testing based on questionnaires. This gives those responsible for the formation an overall psychological portrait and helps them to identify any major psychological and behavioural problems.

Fr Byrne said: "We give robust broad-based assessments and also give advice on what to recommend in terms of human development as priests, permanent deacons or religious."
He added: "From the anonymous assessment forms that are filled out by the candidates we know the general response to our testing. The candidates recognise the need and like the Catholic but professional manner in which we do it at St Luke's Centre."

The use of psychological screening is controversial in the Church. Critics argue that the use of psychology can undermine Church teaching and injure the candidate's religious life. Another disputed question is whether the document permits celibate men with homosexual tendencies from entering the priesthood.

Cardinal Grocholewski, prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, said "The candidate does not necessarily have to practice homosexuality. He can even be without sin. But if he has this deeply seated tendency, he cannot be admitted to priestly ministry precisely because of the nature of the priesthood, in which a spiritual paternity is carried out. Here we are not talking about whether he commits sins, but whether this deeply rooted tendency remains."

He added: "It's not simply a question of observing celibacy as such. In this case, it would be a heterosexual tendency, a normal tendency.In a certain sense, when we ask why Christ reserved the priesthood to men, we speak of this spiritual paternity, and maintain that homosexuality is a type of deviation, a type of irregularity, as explained in two documents of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

"Therefore it is a type of wound in the exercise of the priesthood, in forming relations with others. And precisely for this reason we say that something isn't right in the psyche of such a man. We don't simply talk about the ability to abstain from these kinds of relations."