Human Rights Campaign Protests Vatican Effort to Address Sexual Misconduct

The US Catholic Church has initiated a quiet campaign to address sexual misconduct within the church. One measure will be to remove homosexual students from seminaries. According to Catholic teaching, "Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that 'homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.' They are contrary to the natural law... Under no circumstances can they be approved. " The church will also begin visitations to US seminaries and colleges to insure celibacy rules are followed.

Francis Maniscalco, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops communications secretary, stated the seminary visits will be to interview students and priests. "So, anything that affects that [celibacy] commitment, whether it relates to heterosexual behavior or homosexual behavior I think, is appropriate to ask."

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC) has labeled this a "witch hunt" against homosexuals. "This is contrary to Christ's admonition to love our neighbors with the same care we give ourselves," according to Harry Knox, director of the HRC Religion and Faith Program.

Vatican's effort to winnow out gays irks US community