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	Aquinas Seminary Is First for Scrutiny By Michele Munz Post-Dispatch [St. Louis MO] September 26, 2005 The 25 candidates studying to become priests at Aquinas Institute of Theology were described as "anxious" but not worried Monday as a Vatican team began evaluating how they are prepared intellectually, spiritually and sexually for priesthood. "Whenever you are under the spotlight, it's difficult," the seminary's president, the Rev. Charles Bouchard, said at a press conference Monday. The students themselves were off limits to reporters, so it was Bouchard who was left to describe their mood. The seminary on the campus of St. Louis University is in the spotlight because it's the first of 229 seminaries nationwide to be evaluated over the next nine months. The evaluations are in response to a sexual abuse scandal among clergy that began coming to light three years ago and revealed crimes and incidents that were covered up for decades. The five-member team visiting Aquinas includes a seminary professor, campus chaplain, parish pastor and director of religious studies. It is led by Bishop Michael Burbidge of Philadelphia. For four days, the team will meet with priesthood candidates, recently ordained graduates, faculty and staff. The team is armed with a questionnaire prepared by the Vatican. Part of the unease stems from one of the document's dozens of questions: "Is there evidence of homosexuality in the seminary?" Leaders of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, feel the probe is a simplistic and misguided effort that shifts blame for the abuse crisis to others. The support group feels the problem lies mainly with the church's response to the abuse allegations. "Seminarians, gay or straight, didn't repeatedly shun victims, transfer predators, or deceive prosecutors ... ," said SNAP's outreach director, Barbara Doris. "The responsibility for (the widespread sexual abuse) lies with the bishops themselves. It's shameful that they continue to blame others for their callousness." Bouchard said that that impression was understandable but seminaries had made several changes over the past 25 years that needed to be evaluated. Those changes include a rigorous psychological evaluation, year-long internship at a parish in another city for outside evaluation and regular assessments during study. "We're in a good position to demonstrate that our procedures are effective in preventing this abuse in the future," he said. Some critics of the church also say the investigations are an attempt to link the clergy sexual abuse scandal with homosexuality. Bouchard said that what Aquinas tried to determine about its applicants was whether they have the capability to live a celibate life. Whereas some Catholics believe that homosexuality should disqualify men from priesthood, Bouchard said, "We hope to provide evidence that that shouldn't be the case." When the Vatican receives a report on each seminary at the end of spring, it will issue a written evaluation to the bishop or major superior responsible for the school.
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