Consistency and Continuity

A couple of people have made reference to the consistency or continuity of Church teaching on homosexuality.  I think it important to keep in mind the time period we are talking about.    The teachings being referenced in this thread were all written within the last 30 years, which in the life of the Church is not very long.

In thinking about the period, it may be useful to remember that prior to the 1970s, homosexuality was viewed as an illness.  It was only in 1973 that the American Psychiatric Association took homosexuality off of its list of medical disorders and in 1974 (shortly before the first of the Vatican documents cited) that the American Psychological Association took it off of its list of mental disorders.

I've already expressed  my disappointment with the most recent document.  I agree with those who thinkg it treats homosexuals as inferior.  I'm also not convinced that the document's position that all those with deep seated homosexual tendencies are thereby completely unfit for the ministry of the priesthood, regardless of their ability to lead celibate lives and regardless of their commitment to the Church's sexual teachings, is consistent with the prior documents.