The Vatican vetoed the appointment of a new dean at a seminary in Northern Italy, citing concerns over the appointee’s views on sexual morality diverging from the Church’s teachings.
Newsdesk (27/06/2023 12:35, Gaudium Press) The Vatican has vetoed the appointment of Father Martin M. Lintner as the dean of the Philosophical-Theological College in Bressanone (PTH Brixen), a seminary in Northern Italy. The decision was based on concerns over Lintner’s views on sexual morality, which diverge from the teachings of the Catholic Church.
Father Lintner, a professor of moral theology and spiritual theology at the seminary, has written on topics such as the spirituality of marriage, sexual ethics, and the ethics of relationships. His writings, including an article suggesting that homosexual relationships do not lose their dignity due to infertility and a chapter on theological-ethical reflections on a blessing ceremony for same-sex couples, have sparked controversy within Church circles.
The Vatican’s Dicastery for Culture and Education, responsible for such appointments, communicated to Bishop Ivo Muser of Bolzano/Bozen that it would not approve Lintner’s appointment as dean. In response, the college announced that it will proceed with the election of a new dean. However, Lintner’s ecclesiastical mandate to teach remains intact, and the Vatican’s decision does not affect his teaching duties or ecclesiastical authority.
In 2021, the Vatican’s doctrinal office clarified that the Catholic Church does not have the power to give liturgical blessings to homosexual unions. The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith stated that blessings are sacramentals and must be objectively and positively ordered to receive and express grace according to the designs of God.
Despite the Vatican’s decision regarding Lintner’s appointment as dean, the specific concerns raised pertain to that role and do not impact his ongoing teaching responsibilities.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from CNA
