"Does Celibacy Contribute to Clerical Sex Abuse?" (Catholic Culture)

[Michael_Forrest]

I’m not sure if this is the best place to post this or not, perhaps it would be better in “Catholic News”, but here it is:

catholicculture.org/commentary/articles.cfm?id=442

 

[lizaanne]

“Does Celibacy Contribute to Clerical Sex Abuse?”

NO.

These men are criminals. Not having sex does not make someone a criminal.

~Liza

 

[Jermosh]

I think there is a part of it that can cause it. If you surround yourself with only boys and men and have little to no influence with woman. It could change your sexuality quite differently if you are in this environment during puberty timeline.

This is more of an issue of cloistering young boys then a celibacy issue though.

 

[Michael_Forrest]

You might both want to actually read the article. It appears that you’ve both simply posted a comment without doing so.

The point is, what statistical evidence there is available to us does not seem to support the notion that celibacy contributes to clerical sex abuse.

Many have offered reasons to support their theories, one way or the other, but this is a look at more concrete information.

 

[Jermosh]

Social Statistics are weird and not generally reliable. Why were only Christian based celibates tested, where they compared to similar groupings with the same background, culture, and education? Did they have woman figureheads in their lives? Etc Etc.

In the end, there is no direct evidence that celibacy has anything to do with sexual abusers. Now I do know that it can effect the victims sexuality that could lead to celibacy, how common that is or if its the norm, I am not sure.

 

[JRKH]

I have not read the article - I will answer the title question.

“Does Celibacy Contribute to Clerical Sex Abuse?”

Yes and No.

Yes -
If priests were allowed to marry there could/would be a somewhat larger pool of men who could be priests. In this sense, the larger pool, would ahve allowe dthe church more leeway in dealing with the abuses. As it was, with declining numbers of priests, it was difficult to both remove the priests completely and also provide sufficient priests for parish ministerial needs.
So my yes speaks to only one, relatively small, facet within the overall matter at hand.

No -
In every other way the answer is - NO!! Those involved committed immoral and illegal acts. In the secular world, men (and women), married and unmarried, churched and unchurched, right across the economic and social spectrum have committed this crime.
How many times are Children removed by “child services” because of sexual abuse by a parent, or step parent?
So being married does not guarentee that abuse will not occur.

The issues in the matter are large and will need to be addressed. If the Church, in Her wisdom decides to allow for marrid Priests, then so be it. If she does not, then we will learn that God will still provide priests and protect His Church.

Peace
James

 

[Lycorth]

There might be a point to it if married men didn’t commit sexual abuse.

Since this is by no means a problem limited to Catholic clergymen, there is no way any evidence could ever be found to suggest such a thing. Much more sexual abuse happens amongst secular individuals and in the various protestant churches than in the Catholic Church.

 

[otjm]

I think there is a part of it that can cause it. If you surround yourself with only boys and men and have little to no influence with woman. It could change your sexuality quite differently if you are in this environment during puberty timeline.

This is more of an issue of cloistering young boys then a celibacy issue though.

The why isn’t everyone in the military gay? That is just silliness. One’s sexual identity is most generally set by the time one reaches adulthood. Priests - or any other men - wh seek out teenage boys for sexual activity are not doing so “because they are surrounded my other men”.

And if you are suggesting that a high school seminary - which traditionally isolated them for the school year with a short vacation at Christmas - was the cause of some of them becoming homosexual in their orientation, you are going to have to back it up with some really serious research. No one else seems to be making suc a finding.