Pope in new book says gay people should not join Catholic clergy

Pope Francis wrote in his new book that gay people should not join the Catholic clergy, saying “there’s no room for that kind of affection” in priestly life.

“The issue of homosexuality is a very serious issue that must be adequately discerned from the beginning with the candidates,” Francis wrote regarding potential priests, The Guardian reports.

“In our societies it even seems that homosexuality is fashionable and that mentality, in some way, also influences the life of the church,” he wrote in his book, “The Strength of a Vocation,” which was released in Italy on Saturday.

“This is something I am concerned about, because perhaps at one time it did not receive much attention.”

{mosads}The Guardian reports that homosexuality was only formally barred from the Catholic clergy in 2005, though the church has long held that homosexuality is sinful.

“It can happen that at the time perhaps they didn’t exhibit [that tendency], but later on it comes out,” Francis wrote in his book.

“In consecrated and priestly life, there’s no room for that kind of affection,” he continued. “Therefore, the church recommends that people with that kind of ingrained tendency should not be accepted into the ministry or consecrated life.”

The Catholic Church along with the pope are under scrutiny for their response to sexual abuse within the Catholic church. Last month, U.S. bishops delayed a vote at Francis’s request on measures to ensure accountability and prevent future sexual abuse by clergy.