These two stories are particularly interesting when taken together. In the first, dated May 17, here Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, reaffirms the church’s ban on ordaining gay men, whether in the diocesan world or in religious orders. The Vatican was responding to questions that had arisen since the publication of its 2005 document on the matter. In the second, dated May 21, here Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, the archbishop of Manila (created a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006, and pictured above) said that gay priests are not “too bad” as long as they do not “act out,” that is, as long as they are celibate. Cardinal Rosales was speaking in an interview with Veritas, a church-sponsored radio station in Manila. James Martin, SJ

The Rev. James Martin, S.J., is a Jesuit priest, author, editor at large at America and founder of Outreach.