CHICAGO — More than half of Catholic priests say a gay subculture exists in their dioceses or religious orders, according to a new study commissioned by the National Federation of Priests' Councils.
The survey of 1,200 priests found that 55 percent detected some element of a gay subculture, with younger priests finding it more pronounced than older priests.
More than one-quarter said they didn’t know if a subculture existed.
In seminaries, where critics say gays are so dominant that it is uncomfortable for heterosexuals, 19 percent said there is “clearly” a gay subculture, and 26 percent said it “probably” exists.
The survey was conducted by sociologists Dean Hoge and Jacqueline Wenger of Catholic University.
It was presented Aug. 16 to a Chicago meeting of the Association for the Sociology of Religion.
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