Prima donna

There's currently a civil war in the Roman Magisterium regarding the admission of divorced and remarried Catholics to communion. I think both sides are wrong for different reasons.

But I'm also struck by the spectacle of the pope, cardinals, and bishops squabbling with each other. At best, the Catholic hierarchy is a prima donna club. They even dress like prima donnas–or drag queens. Old men in dresses. 

These are aging childless bachelors, so the only status they have is their position in the hierarchy. There's nothing else in their life. None one to come home to. 

That's at best. And of course, some Catholic prelates are closet homosexuals, so they act like bickering old queens–since that's what they are. Bitchy bishops. 

I sometimes refer to what I call aging atheist syndrome, but that has a counterpart in aging gay syndrome. The crotchety old queen. Although some young gay men may find the lifestyle exhilarating, homosexuals sour on life because it just isn't fun to be an aging homosexual. Sexual vitality declines, and prospects dwindle. Womanizers have a similar problem. 

Off the top of my head, examples include Truman Capote, Gore Vidal, Barney Frank, A. L. Rowse, and Dan Savage. I also remember a scene during the making of West Side Story in which Leonard Bernstein is taunting José Carreras. And I'm struck by how James Levine clung to his position at the Met despite his declining health. No doubt there are many other examples if I knew the terrain better. But as an outside observer, that's what comes to mind. 

I think this also contributes to the obsession with Mary's perpetual virginity. Catholic prelates who can't bring themselves to imagine Mary as a normal woman.