I agree with you it is disgusting.
I don’t recall anyone saying it was excusable. But I would like to hear your definition of “rampant.” A rather minuscule percentage of priests have ever been accused. Or are you just reacting to the media’s planned presentation of the information in such a manner as to make it seem “ongoing” when in fact, it comes up with “new” allegations when in reality, the accusations happened decades ago.
2. One problem has been that Bishops and others have shown too much confidence in therapy, that therapy would cure predatory priests. It sometimes does, but often doesn't.
3. Part of the problem is priestly celibacy. I know that the church officialdom doesn't want to hear this but it's true. Normal men need a healthy sexual outlet, which marriage provides. Otherwise as humans they can be overcome - in weak moments - by lust that may overwhelm their reason and lead to disaster.
4. Another part of the problem is the large number of gays who are attracted to the priesthood. Why? (1) They don't have to explain why they're not married. (2) The all-male fraternity attracts them. (3) They may hope that being a priest will save them from sexual temptation and involvement. (4) The ornate liturgies, vestments, theatre, etc. of the church can have a special appeal to many gays.
5. Even more of a problem than predatory priests is the idea that their superiors assigned them to new parishes and/or 'bought off' or in other ways sought to silence victims. Some of these priests should have gone to jail, as laymen would have, certainly when they preyed on children and youth.
6. Protestantism has erring clergy, also. The major differences are that most denominations are more democratic, the laity have a much greater voice, and a predatory minister would be out in a minute and no longer invited to serve as pastor elsewhere. He wouldn't have a hierarchy to protect him. In addition, of course, the vast majority of ministers marry and live normal family lives. There also is no idea that 'once a minister always a minister'. I've read that as many as 50% of Protestant seminarians end up in some other line of work. That still leaves about 300,000 in the USA, probably more than 20,000 of them women now.
7. Sexual problems among ministers most often involve adults - infidelity. It can be especially tempting since women often come alone for marriage counseling, intimate conversation may result, the women may be vulnerable, etc. No excuses, but not illegal. When uncovered, the minister almost always has to leave immediately, and usually his credentials are taken away by his denomination.
8. It does not surprise me that the sexual scandal has emerged in Europe. Why would Europeans differ that much from Americans? I recall that somewhere in Africa priests were even abusing nuns. People are people, sex is sex, and sin is sin.
Let's pray for victims, but also for those priests who have been predators. They are ill, certainly spiritually. But they deserve to receive the same punishment that others in society would receive.Why did you just start now? We’ve had plenty of time to lose respect for ourselves. We had a massive issue with Pope Alexander VI, who did things that made the current scandals look like child’s play.
It is natural for us to have a sexual appetite. After all, God created us with the ability to procreate and populate the Earth many times over so that all can experience his love.
I will continue to defend the discipline of celibacy in the RCC. It is NOT the reason for the issues in our church.
1. I didn't suggest that married priests is a-solve-all solution to the problem. But it does provide a healthy, holy, loving outlet for God-given sexual needs. Marriage can also provide an intimacy apart from sex that people need. I feel that many priests lead lonely lives. Sorry, but that's my impression. Certainly, many priests left the active priesthood to marry. God bless them all - and I hope they and their spouses have been/are happy.
2. Yes, there is infidelity among a small number of ministers, to be condemned, though the vast majority (like priests) keep their vows. Still, infidelity is not comparable to predatory exploitation of teenagers, nor is it breaking the law of the land. Infidelity does not send people to jail while sex with underage teens should.
3. Personally, I honor a devoted family man as much as any clergyman, whether that clergyman is married or unmarried. Family men assume major responsibilities that priests do not undertake. I know, as I am a family man.
4. Mary may or may not have been a perpetual virgin. Read Matt, 1:25. I know that this is an important teaching of the church, but what would be wrong if Mary and Joseph, a married couple, had sexual relations? That is a beautiful part of any good marriage. A court today would promptly grant an annulment or divorce if either partner in a marriage refused to engage in sexual union. Mary and Joseph could be a wonderful example in this respect. There still seems to be a bit of a bias within Catholicism in favor of virginity, while my own view is that sex within a holy union adds joy and wonder and affection and longevity to the lives of most married folks. What a gift from God! My view: clergy should be able to choose - marry or remain single. The Eastern Orthodox seem to have a more reasonable way of dealing with this.
God bless people of all faiths who love the Lord and their fellow human beings and seek to live worthy lives. That's the real core of Christianity and all the rest is secondary addenda. Didn't Christ say that? I think so.I wonder if this is going to be yet another issue that happened 30 years or so ago, too, like the one from Germany. And the media will jump all over it and act like it was yesterday.
I think you’re missing the point. It isn’t whether it’s right or wrong. It’s clearly wrong if the priest is, indeed, guilty. It’s a matter of perspective. Was it wrong for bishops to send these priests to counselling and therapy as the psychiatrists of the day suggested? Hindsight is 20/20, of course. Psychiatry has changed now and they’re saying the problem is incurable. This wasn’t known then. The bishops sent them to the psychiatrists, who “treated” them, and claimed them “cured” and “ready for duty.” The bishops usually aren’t trained, professional psychiatrists, so they have to trust those folks who are.
Yes, Psychiatrists were proclaiming them cured.
It is the INSTITUTION that is kept from error. I hope you understand the difference between speaking “ex cathedra” and personal sin. The Pope sins and goes to confession. He is a human being.
I understand your point.
You are right. I believe Satan is working very hard to bring down the Catholic Church and her priests.
In addition, what scares me is how this affects good and faithful priests. They must be scared out of their wits someone will make a false accusation. I’ve seen it happen.
I hate to keep this conversation up, but there is something missing here. The Roman Catholic church is always quick to point out that there are others abusing children, not just its priests. This has been the dirty secret that the hierarchy has been avoiding for decades. It doesn’t matter that others are doing it. Actually, it does matter if all the media points out is the Catholic Church doing it, because people then get the false impression that this is the only organization where the problem exists. In effect, it ends up ignoring 99% of the problem and ends up as a sort of lie! IF the problem is that serious, then the media should report on ALL the problems. Unless, of course, there is an anti-Catholic agenda. Then, it’s clear why they’re singling out the Catholic Church.
This is the church that tells people like me that this is the only church that Christ established, that it is guided by the Holy Spirit, that it is the most reliable path to salvation. Yet when confronted with these issues, the church says it is no different from any other institution. You can’t have it both ways. I’m sorry. Actually, we can have it both ways. When the Church tells people that it’s the only Church founded by Christ and it’s guided by the Holy Spirit, it’s correct. The guidance of the Holy Spirit has to do with teaching Christ’s truths, not a guarantee that the heirarchy will be impeccable (sinless). And I know I am conflating two separate issues and that apologists will patiently explain that the church founded by Christ is nonetheless full of sinful and shortsighted people, and that sin of believers does not nullify the divine charter given the church in gospels. It just doesn’t wash in the mind of sympathetic outsiders, however. There will always be detractors and attackers of the Church, until the end of time. That’s not a problem. Those who want to understand, and seek truth, will realize that the Church is flawless in its teachings, not its administration or personal behavior. Each individual still has to walk out his faith in this life…or not…regardless of his/her position in the Church or in life. But the deposit of faith handed down by Christ to the Apostles and their successors is without blemish or fault. THIS is what the Catholic Church alone teaches. All others who vary from that initial deposit of faith err. And they all do, or they would believe what we believe. Historically, there was only the Catholic Church until 1054 A.D., when the Orthodox split off. Protestantism didn’t split off till 1517 A.D., and has been splintering ever since into literally thousands of man-made, doctrinally disunified, disagreeing denominations. Certainly that cannot be Jesus’ desire. The truth cannot contradict itself.
Why should I join this church? I have seriously considered doing so, and I may well come aboard at some point. But the damage done to the church by its own invincible indolence is really appalling. By the yardstick you’re using to judge the Church you shouldn’t be Christian at all. Why? Because of the first 12 Christians (Catholics) were Judas Iscariot (who betrayed Christ), Peter (the one He chose to first lead His earthly Church, but who denied Him three times), and the rest, who except for St. John, deserted Him in his hour of need like cowards. These were men that Jesus hand-picked. And you want to follow a Church with folks like THAT in it? See what I mean?
And I really like Benedict. He is a great man. But when will we see a break with the past? We can never have a break with the past because the past connects us to Christ, Who said He would remain with us till the end of the world. I belive Him. If we marry the present age, we will be widows/widowers in the next. The truths of Christ are timeless. They don’t change with the current cultural fad.