Pope Francis acknowledges clergy sexually abused nuns

[Peebo]

I don’t see how allowing priests to marry is going to solve the problem of sexual abuse…it doesn’t take much reading on the world wide web to see the number of sexual abuses/assaults…divorces…infidelities…family breakups among Protestant ministers to see that it’s not all roses…most Protestant churches are autonomous from one another…are Catholics going to be willing to dig deeper into their pockets to support a priest and his family…what if the parish has more than one priest…they’ll need separate housing…who will pay for that…the priest?..well then you’ll have to start paying a decent wage that reflects his worth…don’t forget the upkeep of the church…the bills…the charities local churches now support or donate to…we’re gonna have to dig even deeper into our pockets for the collection plate…not something Catholics are noted for…I know as a former Pentecostal some pastors were making darn good money…wayyyyy more than a Catholic priest could dream of…are Catholics prepared to pay that extra…does that mean the many roles a priest performs will have to be relegated to the laity because there won’t be enough hours in a day for a priest to do all they do now…and ensure he has time for his family as well…there’s probably a hundred reasons it’s not a cure all…or even a stop gap measure…and how many priests are pedofiles…sexual abusers…only about 2%…what about fathers who abuse their kids…their wives…or other family members who do…uncles…brothers…or teachers…scout leaders…etc…etc…there are circumstances now where married clergy from the Anglican church have become Catholic priests…I’m sure their married life is well scrutinized before they are ordained as Catholic priests…the church may have to decide to allow married deacons to take over some roles that only a priest can now perform…but would they have the time to do extra as well as keep a job and family life…but allowing that wouldn’t go over well with many Catholics neither…what it needs is more Godly men who actually feel a genuine calling from God to serve his people…not just see it as a maybe a good way to help people…I once heard 3 seminarians being interviewed about their desire to become priests…they certainly had noble reasons…but not one of them said it was because they felt God calling them to the priesthood…didn’t even mention God.

 

[Joe_5859]

If married priests is the solution to this problem, the implication is horrifying… single men who aren’t getting regular relations are prone to become evil monsters who enslave and serial rape women??

Indeed. I don’t think many who advocate for married priests as a solution to sexual abuse fully think through this implication.

 

[angel12]

Indeed. I don’t think many who advocate for married priests as a solution to sexual abuse fully think through this implication.

I guess to some, married priests seems like an easy solution. But it’s no such thing, if you actually think it through.
Maybe someday married priests will be more common; but the abuse crisis would be a ridiculous reason to do it.

 

[Feanor2]

Acts of sexual depravity such as rape are not related to whether a man is married or not.

Rape is a crime of power and dominance, not of a desire to have sexual relations.

 

[pepipop]

Yes, IMO, it seems fortuitous timing after the many articles that could statistically link a high percentage of the church child abuse scandals as pederasty, and hence committed by homosexual priests. Hence now get out stories about heterosexual priests abusing adult nuns, and making them sex slaves - all lin keeping with the ‘MeToo’ agenda.

Another story recently, in the press, is from an ex-nun accusing a priest of abusing her in confession, however the priest maintains his innocence but has since resigned, in the interim.

I have read elsewhere, that the ex-nun has since married, I believe, an ex-priest, and had also accused another priest of rape.

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Whilst, yes, this sort of abuse has no doubt occurred, in certain countries, on occasion, I would sincerely doubt it’s a wide spread problem, by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[ATraveller]

1 Cor 7 : 9 “But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry,…” IMHO, this is not garbage.

What I wrote wasn’t a dismissal of 1 Cor 7:9.
Paul wasn’t talking about violence or abuse that are of a sexual nature. He also had in mind just because one desires marriage doesn’t mean he or she will be married. That’s why “should” is used rather than “must”. It’s also unwise to rush into a marriage either or enter one because one wants to have sex as @Mary888 mentioned. There’s a danger in isolating verses from other relevant ones.
Read further to 1 Cor 10:13 and consider it along with 1 Cor 7:9:

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Abuse doesn’t stem from desire for marriage that can’t be fulfilled or lust. Abuse comes from abusive mindsets.

 

[AlNg]

Abuse doesn’t stem from desire for marriage that can’t be fulfilled or lust.

Is this based on your sayso or do you have proof that what you say is always true. The Bible passage 1 Cor 7 : 9 “But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry,…” seems to me to indicate that if a man cannot control his lustful urges, then it would not be a bad idea for him to consider marriage.
Why do you disagree with this verse found in Holy Scripture?

 

[vz71]

The Bible passage 1 Cor 7 : 9 “But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry,…” seems to me to indicate that if a man cannot control his lustful urges, then it would not be a bad idea for him to consider marriage.
Why do you disagree with this verse found in Holy Scripture?

I have always taught that this verse was talking about a couple that could not control themselves. Not just one man.

 

[twf]

Why would marriage, which is hard work and demands much sacrifice, as well as periods of sexual abstinence (after children are born, or if practicing natural family planning, etc), satisfy a man who lusts for depravity: rape, violence, abuse??
St Paul is speaking of an ordered desire for consensual relations.

 

[DeniseNY]

I have always taught that this verse was talking about a couple that could not control themselves. Not just one man

Same here. It has nothing to do with someone who has urges to rape or molest. Marriage would not magically make those tendencies go away.

 

[pnewton]

I am wondering how many of the first posters read past the headline. The story is that Pope Benedict disbanded the Community of St. Jean in France because of the abuse of the sisters. Also, there was a bishop accused of rape, and other cases of sex with nuns. All Pope Francis was saying is that there are some bad people in the Church and he does not want such actions tolerated.

So, are about 400,000+ priests worldwide. This would be about the same number of adult males in Dallas, which has about 1000 sexual assault cases annually.

Pope Francis will never be able to do anything that satisfies some anti-Catholic types. He comes out to fight sexual abuse, he is accused of lacking moral authority. He does not come out to fight sexual abuse, he is accused of lacking moral authority.