The majority of priests live celibate lives, and the majority of married people live their vows faithfully. The priests told Gill they were scared to talk about their sexual inclinations while in the seminary. Conn. For Gill, a Jesuit priest and psychiatrist, that raised a question. In 1994, Gill started The Christian Institute for the Study of Human Sexuality. Gill and his 10-member faculty train those who teach prospective priests.
Students participate in role-playing to gain experience in counseling priests about sexual issues.
Gill said the reality of priests contracting AIDS illustrates how difficult celibacy can be. You have to know how to talk to people about their motivation, help them be honest about their temptations, be honest about accepting their own gender and help them learn how to live with what their sexual orientation is. To date, about 400 have been through Gill's program. What baffles him is that more haven't attended. Walsh said the Bishops' Committee on Priestly Formation urges seminaries to promote a healthy sexual development of all seminarians.