The Vatican passed a new ruling allowing priesthood applicants in Italy to be gay—as long as they remain celibate. The New York Times reports that the guidelines do not change the Catholic Church’s teaching that “homosexual tendencies” are “intrinsically disordered” or that men with “deep-seated” gay tendencies shouldn’t become priests.

New guidelines for the Catholic Church in Italy have been approved by the Vatican that oppose the rejection of a seminary candidate because he is gay, provided the applicant stays celibate. The policy doesn't change the church's stance on homosexuality but says it's just one aspect that should be taken into consideration for admission,

The Vatican has approved new guidelines in Italy permitting gay men to apply for seminary, provided they remain celibate.

Candidates for the seminary should not be disqualified based on sexual orientation, according to new church guidelines in Italy.

While the requirement for celibacy remains for all priests, the newly approved guidelines encourage churches to view 'homosexual tendencies' as one part of the overall picture.

The Vatican has approved new guidelines that allow gay men to become priests as long as they abstain from sex...

A new document by the Italian bishops’ conference states that being openly gay no longer bars candidates from discerning the priesthood.

The Vatican has approved new guidelines saying gay men to train as priests in Italy, provided they do not 'flaunt' their homosexuality. The guidelines emphasise celibacy and the need for candidates to lead a chaste life.

Gay men can now become Catholic priests – but only if they don’t have sex, a new Vatican guideline suggests. In a surprise U-turn, the Vatican has signalled that openly gay men can now train to become priests.