A possible solution to the church's sex scandals, and end poverty?

[Helen31]

I can almost guarentee that 99% of parish priests will NOT like this idea, but…Since I couldn’t sleep last night, I had a lightbulb moment. People always love bringing up the church’s sex scandals, you know with the men breaking their vows of celibacy and all. I’m not sure how exactly they’re penalized, but what if instead of leaving the church all together, why not just have them pick up a dead beat dad’s childsupport tab for a while? After all, women have the right to choose life or death in the USA for their child, but men do not have the right to choose to pay $ or not to pay. Granted, many women can get good jobs and support their families financially, but it takes away a lot of time for actually RAISING their children, many times it seems like the children are pawned off on school, day cares and babysitters, having someone else “mother” their children. On the other hand, the mother’s without childsupport who’d rather not have someone raise their child often live in poverty. Anyway it’s just a thought I was kicking around on how to curb the instances of scandels within the church, and how to really help someone else in need. Any ideas or thoughts on the matter?

 

[Arizona_Mike]

The rate of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church has fallen down to almost none, due to the protective measures enacted by the Pope. How would this help? How would it teach responsibility to deadbeat dads (and deadbeat moms)?

 

[TypesAndShadows]

I clicked on this thread expecting “A Modest Proposal”.

 

[twopekinguys]

I can almost guarentee that 99% of parish priests will NOT like this idea, but…Since I couldn’t sleep last night, I had a lightbulb moment. People always love bringing up the church’s sex scandals, you know with the men breaking their vows of celibacy and all. I’m not sure how exactly they’re penalized, but what if instead of leaving the church all together, why not just have them pick up a dead beat dad’s childsupport tab for a while? After all, women have the right to choose life or death in the USA for their child, but men do not have the right to choose to pay $ or not to pay. Granted, many women can get good jobs and support their families financially, but it takes away a lot of time for actually RAISING their children, many times it seems like the children are pawned off on school, day cares and babysitters, having someone else “mother” their children. On the other hand, the mother’s without childsupport who’d rather not have someone raise their child often live in poverty. Anyway it’s just a thought I was kicking around on how to curb the instances of scandels within the church, and how to really help someone else in need. Any ideas or thoughts on the matter?

First of all, you realize there are deadbeat moms too right? In fact their numbers are on the rise as many dads are now getting custody.

Also, your idea just shifts the burden from one group to another, and doesn’t allow the deadbeat parent to stand up to their responsibility.

The “pawning” of children to schools, daycares, etc. is quite common in two parent households too. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen parents sending their kid to school when it is obvious they are sick, fever and all.

How about the parents that sign their kid up for every possible activity under the sun so they don’t have to spend time with them?

I might be reading just a little more into this than you might have intended, but to me, it comes across like you have an issue with men in general.

If I were you, I would change your “light bulb”

 

[Semper_Zelare]

The rate of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church has fallen down to almost none, due to the protective measures enacted by the Pope. How would this help? How would it teach responsibility to deadbeat dads (and deadbeat moms)?

Yes, I forget, but in one of the most recent years it was reported (perhaps 2009), there were 6 reports of a priest involved in sex abuse, in the U.S. During the hayday of the sex abuse scandal there were over 400 reports a year. So, 6 accused priests is still 6 too many. But, it’s 6 priests out of about 44,000. Compare that to the rate of abuse in public education, or just by pedophiles in society as a whole.

Pope Benedict XVI wants to cleanse the Church of filth. Why make them learn their lesson by paying child support, when they can just as easily learn their lesson in a penitentiary?

If 99% of parish priests are guaranteed to not like an idea, then it is not a good idea.

God bless!
Restful Sabbath to you!

 

[Patrick1540]

I can almost guarentee that 99% of parish priests will NOT like this idea, but…Since I couldn’t sleep last night, I had a lightbulb moment. People always love bringing up the church’s sex scandals, you know with the men breaking their vows of celibacy and all. I’m not sure how exactly they’re penalized, but what if instead of leaving the church all together, why not just have them pick up a dead beat dad’s childsupport tab for a while? After all, women have the right to choose life or death in the USA for their child, but men do not have the right to choose to pay $ or not to pay. Granted, many women can get good jobs and support their families financially, but it takes away a lot of time for actually RAISING their children, many times it seems like the children are pawned off on school, day cares and babysitters, having someone else “mother” their children. On the other hand, the mother’s without childsupport who’d rather not have someone raise their child often live in poverty. Anyway it’s just a thought I was kicking around on how to curb the instances of scandels within the church, and how to really help someone else in need. Any ideas or thoughts on the matter?

This is an opinion and don’t know if it is a CC stance. A Priest takes a vow the be married to the Holy Mother Church. If he breaks that vow, of Holy Orders(Special grace), he should leave the Church, if it is going to cause a schism in the Church Community. This is way the Church is against divorce( only aloud in special circumstance). I fee,l if he has broke his vows, in a sense has divorced, his Orders.If that causes schism, he should bow out, and be married to the person he has been with, specially if there is children.So I would say no to this idea,I don’t think it is a good one. We need to keep our Priest in constant prayer like Marriage. God Bless

 

[Helen31]

I think the poster means priests who have sexual affairs with women (or grown men)…not priests who have been found to be sexually abusing children.
Is that right, OP?

       Yes thats correct Daddygirl. I don't have any issue with men at all. RC Priests have a tough job. They're the only men of God, aside from Orthodox monks that I can come up with that voluntarily gave up their God given right to have a wife and children, for the sake of their flock. Kudos to the RC priests!! I have nothing but respect for them, but I’m sure they’ve been tempted a time or two, some have more than likely crossed the line, and if it didn’t end in leaving the church and marrying the woman, I’m sure they feel really bad about it, or at least I hope they would. Especially if the woman got pregnant or could have gotten pregnant.
    Deadbeat parents come from all walks of life. For instance my friend’s X could barely read or write (too embarrassed and ashamed to admit it), he was doing good to have 1 job, but it was enough to make the financial aspect of their marriage work. He was known to be a hard, decent and reliable worker, and to be financially responsible. When the marriage broke down his child support order was too much for him to support himself and pay his child support. Given the area, there were no homeless shelters for him to go to within 100 mile radius. Under the threat of going to jail or having to live out of a tent, he chose to commit grand theft, and got busted. And so of course, he lost the only work he could find. I know there are deadbeat moms as well, I’ve never personally known any of them, so I couldn’t say what their deal is. 
 But think about it, hypothetically speaking, if an RC priest got a woman pregnant, and there was no happily ever after marriage, he’d be paying childsupport as well for the next 18 years. I’m not saying they should pick up someone else’s tab till the child is an adult, I’m just saying as an alternative to him leaving the priesthood, maybe he should try paying childsupport for bit. Maybe help a single custodial parent out for a bit, at the same time he might learn the importance of respecting the vows of celibacy.

Does that make better sense?

 

[Helen31]

I probabally should have come up with a different title for the thread, but couldn’t come up with something better.