CARL LINNÆI AND HOMOSEXUALITY

An exhibition of camellias will open in Brno, Czech Republic, in March to mark the 300th anniversary of the death of George Joseph Kamel, a Brno-born Jesuit priest and nature explorer after whom Swedish botanist Carl Linne named the camellia flower. UNESCO has entered Kamel's anniversary among the world's important anniversaries in 2006. Another exhibition will focus on the life of Kamel (1661- 1706), who as a missionary in the Philippines also devoted himself to exploring local nature and discovered a number of plants for Europe. He explored the local fauna and flora, kept observation results, and sent them to England, where his notes are still kept by the Royal Museum in London. An international conference in Brno plans to discuss Kamel's achievements as a botanist, and Public Czech Television is shooting a documentary film about hum. Some label Kamel the most significant pharmacist of the 17th century.

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The Vatican Congregation for Catholic Education's document published in November said that the Church "cannot admit to the seminary or to holy orders those who practice homosexuality, present deep-seated homosexual tendencies or support the so-called 'gay culture'"; Fr Gerard McGlone SJ, who has been doing psychological screening for seminaries for 15 years, said there is no standard profile for homosexuals or heterosexuals. "What you are looking for is stability in the person," said Fr McGlone, assistant professor of clinical psychology at Saint Joseph's University."Do they have the ability to be open, trustworthy, and self-assured? Do they make the grade? We know what makes a successful priest," he said. Another important question, said Fr McGlone, is how long has the candidate lived a celibate life before deciding to enter the seminary. "You don't decide you want to be a celibate overnight," he said.The Vatican document said that a person who overcomes "transitory" tendencies could become a priest.Fr McGlone said that he did not know what "deep-seated homosexual tendencies" meant."If a person cannot control his fantasies and attractions, then he is clearly unsuitable for the priesthood," he said. "But what happens if a person does not want to change his homosexual orientation but can control it," asked Fr McGlone.