Candidates for the seminary should not be disqualified based on sexual orientation, according to new church guidelines in Italy.

The Vatican passed a new ruling allowing priesthood applicants in Italy to be gay—as long as they remain celibate. The New York Times reports that the guidelines do not change the Catholic Church’s teaching that “homosexual tendencies” are “intrinsically disordered” or that men with “deep-seated” gay tendencies shouldn’t become priests.

A new document by the Italian bishops’ conference states that being openly gay no longer bars candidates from discerning the priesthood.

New guidelines for the Catholic Church in Italy have been approved by the Vatican that oppose the rejection of a seminary candidate because he is gay, provided the applicant stays celibate. The policy doesn't change the church's stance on homosexuality but says it's just one aspect that should be taken into consideration for admission,

Gay men can now become Catholic priests – but only if they don’t have sex, a new Vatican guideline suggests. In a surprise U-turn, the Vatican has signalled that openly gay men can now train to become priests.

The Vatican has approved new guidelines for Italian bishops, allowing homosexual individuals to enter the seminary on the condition that they refrain from sexual relations. The document was posted on the website of the Italian episcopate.