At best, it's a distraction at worst, it's damaging. It will feed the mistaken notion that the abuse scandal is about the behavior of priests and not the behavior of bishops. Gay seminarians didn't hire and transfer and cover for child-molesting priests. It was bishops who did that.
Quotes about seminarians (4 Quotes)
Gay, committed, celibate priests and seminarians, and bishops, too, that happen to be gay, are going to find this instruction a source of spiritual pain,
While the intention of the Vatican is noble, to make sure our seminaries are not contributing to the clergy abuse scandals, the means is doomed to failure, ... It is already being perceived as a witch hunt by some. Moreover, it is unfair, if not unjust, to committed, faithful, celibate gay priests and seminarians. And it will most likely drive gay seminarians and clergy even deeper into their closets.
Unless you get a critical mass of bishops and religious superiors who say, Now we can't admit any gay men, I don't think it's going to have any discernible effect, ... There are lots of excellent gay priests and seminarians, and we have a priest shortage. We're not exactly in a buyer's market here. If you're not going to ordain gay men, and not going to ordain married men, and not going to ordain women, well then who's left It's not exactly a big pool.