Was there ever an openly gay pope?

Answer 1

A:

We can never really know how many popes have been actively homosexual, but at least some have been known to be, while some others have been suspected of being homosexual. Generally, the existence of an illegitimate child, or "nephew", can be taken as proof that a pope was not homosexual, although some popes have been bisexual. On the other hand, intense homophobia can sometimes be a sign of homosexual self-hatred. Another caveat is that so little is known about the popes of the first millennium, that we can not say who was gay and who was not.

Later popes who are thought may have been homosexual include: Benedict IX, Urban VI, Paul II, Julius II, Leo X, Paul VI, Benedict XVI.

Until recent times, it would have been unthinkable to enquire about the sexual orientation of a pope, but things began to change. A number of people have provided testimony that Pope Paul VI was actively homosexual, even that he has caught by police in the company of a man who made no secret of their intimate relationship. Richard Sipe says of Pope Benedict XVI, and indirectly of Pope Paul VI, "I have asked a number of Roman clerics and members of the Roman press corps if they think the pope is gay. None, of course, wish to be named for obvious reasons, but every one was convinced that Pope Benedict XVI is gay. I repeat what I said at the outset. This does not impute sin or the misbehavior that plagued Pope Paul VI, but it is a strong assertion about his orientation."

Answer 2

He as a catholic priest is celibate and sexual orientation has no real significance in relation to him. It is also heavily doubtful that has a homosexual orientation.

Answer

Richard Sipe says of Pope Benedict XVI (and indirectly of Pope Paul VI), "I have asked a number of Roman clerics and members of the Roman press corps if they think the pope is gay. None, of course, wish to be named for obvious reasons, but every one was convinced that Pope Benedict XVI is gay. I repeat what I said at the outset. This does not impute sin or the misbehavior that plagued Pope Paul VI, but it is a strong assertion about his orientation."

Answer 3

Another Answer:

Concurring with the above, but it could not be proven that they where not Gay either. If society judges people on there actions, then yes one can say that some Popes have been gay.

Answer 4

They are also human beings. I advice you to read "La Divina Commedia" by Bocaccio. Catholic Answer I believe you are asking if a pope might be homosexual. As all human beings have sexual feelings, which are just a part of being human, and the Pope, is, of course, human, then he would have had sexual feelings and some of those might be in a homosexual vein.

First of all, to be "gay" in modern parlance, means to be accepting of a homosexual lifestyle and to be living in sin. This is wrong on so many levels, but primarily as one is oriented in a way that is totally rejecting God's will. Anything is possible, but it is unthinkable that a man could live his whole live totally rejecting God's will and end up elected to the See of Peter.

The other distinction is closely related to the first. For the most part, popes are elected from cardinals, this has been true for nearly ten centuries. Cardinals are ordinarily chosen from Bishops, who were all priests first. The very basis of a priestly life is self-sacrifice and living God's will. Normally if you are serving God, and trying to be chaste, and as you get older, desires and feelings of your youth that are not in use would fall away, especially as you conform yourself more and more to the will of God. In this case, it would also be nearly unthinkable that someone could be a cardinal of the Church, and elected to the Papacy, who had not put God's will first in his life.

Answer 5

A:

The current teachings of the Catholic Church are that gay orientation is an objective disorder that should be treated with compassion, but opposes homosexual acts on the grounds they are against natural law. The new bishop in the diocese of Berkeley, California has just dismissed two openly gay priests because of their orientation, although there is no suggestion they had broken their vows of celibacy. Pope Francis is on record as stating in July 2013 that it was not for him to judge gays.

It is reported that Pope Francis, while archbishop of Buenos Aires, had spoken forcefully in private, in favour of civil unions for gays. In a newspaper interview in March 2014, Pope Francis made delphic comments that appeared to go further, saying that civil unions met an economic and social need for homosexual persons and suggesting that the Catholic Church could support civil unions at some time in the future. The Vatican and conservative bishops have been quick to correct the record, stating that what the pope said was probably not intended as a move towards acceptance of gay unions.

Answer 6

Like all Catholic clergy, popes are bound by a vow of celibacy, which theoretically tells us that no pope could ever be a sexually active homosexual, regardless of his innermost desires. In practice, several popes are known to have been sexually active homosexuals, just as other popes have been sexually active heterosexual - 'straight' - persons.

Answer 7

John XII, who was elected pope at the age of 18, was depicted as a coarse, immoral man in the writings which remain about his papacy. However, he apparently was not a homosexual.

Answer 8

There has never been a pope who was openly homosexual. However, there were a few popes in the 15th and 16th centuries who were alleged to have been practicing homosexuals.

Answer 9

In the Middle Ages there were a few popes who were openly gay or were accused of being practicing homosexuals. In most cases it could not be proven.