The Vatican announced new guidelines for gay men considering the priesthood on Friday, defining the most important goal for aspiring priests as an orientation towards celibate life.The guidelines announced by the Italian Bishops Conference (CIE) mark a change from views previously expressed by Pope Francis that gay men serving in the priesthood risked leading a double life. Related Vatican makes history by planning its first ever LGBTQ+ pilgrimage The event will occur during Jubilee, a Holy Year that occurs only once every 50 years. In the formative process, when reference is made to homosexual tendencies, it is appropriate not to reduce discernment to this aspect alone, the CIE said. The objective of the training for priesthood in the emotional-sexual sphere is the ability [to] welcome chastity in celibacy as a gift, to freely choose and to responsibly live it. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today While the Catholic church deeply respects the people in question, the guidance stated, sexually active gay men will continue to be denied admittance to seminaries or any other holy orders.The announcement follows controversy the pope inspired last May when he told a group of bishops that frociaggine or f**gotry, loosely translated was a problem in the Churchs seminaries. The comment elicited incredulous laughter from the bishops, according to two Italian newspapers. Francis later apologized for the poor word choice.The Pope never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, the Vatican said in a statement.Following that incident,Il Messaggeropublished a letter from a prospective seminarian who said he was denied admission because he was gay. The man, 22-year-old Lorenzo Michele No Caruso, described a culture of toxic and elective clericalism in the church. The pope reportedly responded, inviting the young man to go forward with his vocational research, The Guardian reported. While the slur was a rare blemish on Francis progressive reign, he has been a champion of respect for the LGBTQ+ community, spreading a message of tolerance during his time as leader of the Catholic Church.Francis famously asked, Who am I to judge? when asked about gay priests at the beginning of his papacy. Hes called anti-queer conservatism a suicidal attitude, denounced Ugandas draconian Kill the Gays law as unacceptable, and hosted transwomen for lunch at the Vatican.In 2023, Francis approved blessings for same-sex couples, while maintaining marriage remains an institution reserved for one man and one woman.In 2025, the Vatican is organizing an unprecedented pilgrimage for LGBTQ+ Christians, their relatives and allies during the holy Jubilee Year. The pilgrimage, called Church: Home for All, LGBT+ Christians and Other Existential Frontiers, takes place in September and includes a visit to the seat of the Catholic church at St. Peters Basilica in Rome.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.