German theologian says many priests are gay

German theologian David Berger in 'Der heilige Schein' (The Holy Illusion), which appears on bookshelves this week argues that widespread homophobia in the Catholic Church stems from a large number of closeted priests.

Berger is an expert on Thomas Aquinas and former publisher of a Catholic magazine.

"It must be acknowledged that a large number of Catholic clerics and men studying for priesthood in Europe and the United States are homosexually-inclined," Berger told 'Der Spiegel'.

"The worst homophobia in the Catholic Church comes from homophile priests, who are desperately fighting their sexuality," he says.

Berger's book looks like an important read.

'The Irish Times' quotes, "As a teenager, I found myself drawn into conservative Catholic circles that included German aristocrats and industrialists. I had to listen to despicable remarks, praising Hitler for having homosexuals imprisoned and murdered in concentration camps."

When someone says or writes something that substantiates or corroborates what a person suspects or believes it is natural that one is 'fortified' in their beliefs.

It seems what Berger is saying is accurate. I have not yet read the book so comment here is based on what has been written in 'Der Speigel' and 'The Irish Times'.

The link to Der Spiegel is http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/gesellschaft/0,1518,730287,00.html

Of course there is nothing wrong with being gay. But when homosexual men are forced to deny their sexual orientation surely there is a problem. And if there is a 'disproportion' of gay men who are priests, surely then too there is an issues that needs to be discussed.

For many years I have been struck with the link between gay priests who have an obsessive interest in ritual and all things conservative, gossip about clerical appointmentd, the nonsense of Vatican politics.

Chapter and verse to support that argument.