The NY Times has been frothing over the recent sexual scandal in the U.S. (and international) Roman Catholic Church, but an article today does appear to address and sort out the related but different and difficult issues of homosexuality, ephebophilia and pedophilia, and celibacy among the Catholic male clergy.
Rather than soundbites, this sort of discussion about sex and sexuality should be occurring much more frequently, and not just around Catholic priests. As the article notes, homosexuals are no more likely to be pedophiles than heterosexuals; and ephebophilia, while problematic, is not the same as pedophilia, though both characterize the orientation of some of the accused priests.
The recent proposals by Roger Cardinal Mahony concerning increased discussion, participation, and power for the laity, need to be taken serious--very seriously--by Rome.
Full Version: Homosexuality & the Catholic Clergy
Regarding the catholic church and pedophilia, I pulled an interesting quote about the big bust on that internet site
"Among the sickos currently in custody are police officers, athletic coaches, and sundry military, medical and clerical workers. Among the clerics, only the two Catholics have been meticulously identified by denomination in the American press, in keeping with America's rabid anti-Catholic inclinations. The others may be Jews or Buddhists or Muslims or lowbrow America-First Protestant proles, but this detail is not regarded as newsworthy by Reuters, Yahoo! News, NBC, or the Washington Post."
I thought that was an interesting point.
"Among the sickos currently in custody are police officers, athletic coaches, and sundry military, medical and clerical workers. Among the clerics, only the two Catholics have been meticulously identified by denomination in the American press, in keeping with America's rabid anti-Catholic inclinations. The others may be Jews or Buddhists or Muslims or lowbrow America-First Protestant proles, but this detail is not regarded as newsworthy by Reuters, Yahoo! News, NBC, or the Washington Post."
I thought that was an interesting point.
Maybe it's an interesting point, but it also misses the point.
The Church has allowed this to go on for years. These are not merely sick individuals. They are part of a hierarchical structure (perhaps the most powerful in the world) and have used that power over the people they are supposed to guide. Not only that, the hierarchy has protected their priests and hidden the fact over and over again rather than try and help the people they are supposed to guide and teach.
Is the media anti-Catholic? I dunno. Is it a sensational story that has captured people's attention. Yup.
It's not a story about religion as much as it's a story of breech of trust and power horrendously misued.
The Church has allowed this to go on for years. These are not merely sick individuals. They are part of a hierarchical structure (perhaps the most powerful in the world) and have used that power over the people they are supposed to guide. Not only that, the hierarchy has protected their priests and hidden the fact over and over again rather than try and help the people they are supposed to guide and teach.
Is the media anti-Catholic? I dunno. Is it a sensational story that has captured people's attention. Yup.
It's not a story about religion as much as it's a story of breech of trust and power horrendously misued.
Oh, so people are going to blame this one on the media as well? Please. The Catholic Church deserves all the criticism and outrage they receive over this matter. If you look at the world right now, there are many collective issues surrounding religion that are being exposed for what they are...the fanaticism, the hypocrisy, and the horrific abuse suffered at the hands of "those in charge." It all needs to come out...and the Catholic Church, and all other religious insitutions at fault, needs to deal with it directly and responsibly...
I'm not defending the catholic church. I'm commenting on the fact that we never seem to hear so much about it when in churches of other denominations. It's not like it doesn't happen in them. For example, in my home town, the choir master of the Anglican church was convicted of child molestation some years ago, but that never attracted the same kind of attention (granted he was not clergy, but he was a church employee). And just as has been the case in these catholic cases, it had been going on for years.
Well, that's not exactly true. It used to be that every once in a while a child molestation story would occur and become either a local or second page national news story. No matter what religion. Hell a few months ago I saw one for a not Catholic cleric.
But the RCC cases is like the floodgates bursting open. First of all, because it's such a huge and powerful (and rich) organization with an enormous following. Secondly, there's no evidence of such a massive cover-up in any other religion, and in truth, there can't be because no other religion has that kind of rigid structure. Third, this isn't just one sick person, this is an overwhelming number of people who have been given positions and then protected by the Church.
And then add in the RCC's refusal to deal with it, even after the story broke loose, and suddenly you have a crime ring.
Also, what was their first response? Blame the homosexuals and purge them out of the priesthood.
[ April 19, 2002: Message edited by: Lev Stone ]
But the RCC cases is like the floodgates bursting open. First of all, because it's such a huge and powerful (and rich) organization with an enormous following. Secondly, there's no evidence of such a massive cover-up in any other religion, and in truth, there can't be because no other religion has that kind of rigid structure. Third, this isn't just one sick person, this is an overwhelming number of people who have been given positions and then protected by the Church.
And then add in the RCC's refusal to deal with it, even after the story broke loose, and suddenly you have a crime ring.
Also, what was their first response? Blame the homosexuals and purge them out of the priesthood.
[ April 19, 2002: Message edited by: Lev Stone ]
Blame it on the homosexuals, take no responsiblity for the Church's actions--these people are begging for a new REFORMATION!!!...here we go again!
From the NY Daily News article:
St. Pat Msgr. Hits Gays On Scandal
Blames woes on 'disorder,' U.S. immorality
By NICOLE BODE and GREG GITTRICH
Daily News Staff Writers
Edward Cardinal Egan's stand-in at St. Patrick's Cathedral pointedly blamed the priest sex abuse scandal yesterday on homosexuality, a "sex-saturated" society and a constant assault on celibacy by liberals.
In a 15-minute homily from the most prominent Roman
Catholic pulpit in the city, Msgr. Eugene Clark labeled the United States "probably the most immoral country" in the Western hemisphere. He also called homosexuality "a disorder" and said gay men shouldn't be allowed to become priests.
Clark, 76, a longtime key player and conservative voice in the Archdiocese of New York, delivered his stinging homily as Egan and other U.S. cardinals left for Rome to meet with the Pope about priestly pedophilia.
After preaching about forgiveness, Clark detailed reasons he believes some priests victimized children. He appeared to place most of the blame on homosexuality, saying the theory that people are born gay "is not true."
"The tendency to homosexuality is a disorder, not a sin," he said. "But the practice of homosexuality is truly sinful."
Some parishioners in the packed pews shifted uneasily, others nodded in agreement and a few
walked out. But Clark continued, arguing that it
was a "grave mistake" to allow gays in the
priesthood. He blamed American society for
being "very protective" of homosexuality.
"Homosexuality became in the American exchange of views a protected area," he said "And unfortunately ... homosexual students were allowed to pass through seminaries. Grave mistake. Not because homosexuals in anyway tend to criminality, but because it is a disorder."
'The Most Immoral Country'
Clark also criticized what he called "the campaign of liberal America against celibacy."
He theorized that priests who have a tendency toward sexually abusing children — a group he pegged at 3% of the nation's clergy — were affected by a barrage of sinful images in society.
"Liberated sex is offered to people all day long, all evening long," he said. "There is nothing quite like it."
"We know — we won't mention it outside the cathedral — we are probably the most immoral country certainly in the Western hemisphere and maybe the larger circle because of the entertainment we suffer and what it's done to our [country's] morals ...," Clark said.
Christine Schubert of St. Paul dashed out of the cathedral midway through the homily. "I left because I realized I have no desire to be connected with the institution of the Catholic Church," said Schubert, 27. "I thought, wouldn't it be great if the entire church walked out?"
But few did. Most parishioners stayed, and many applauded Clark after his sermon.
Marianne Duddy, executive director of Dignity/USA, the nation's largest organization of gay Catholics, called Clark's comments linking the sex scandal with homosexuality "incredibly horrifying and irresponsible."
"This is a poor attempt to deflect attention away from the church's culpability for the sexual abuse of minors by priests and its attempt to cover it up for decades," she added.
But Catholic League President William Donohue praised Clark. "He makes a great deal of sense and to have this said so articulately by one of the brighter priests in the New York area is very encouraging," Donohue said.
"The internal problem in the church is a lack of governance and due to diligence," he added. "But there is no question about it — this is a societywide problem that goes way beyond the Catholic Church."
With Gretchen E. Weber Original Publication Date: 4/22/02
From the NY Daily News article:
St. Pat Msgr. Hits Gays On Scandal
Blames woes on 'disorder,' U.S. immorality
By NICOLE BODE and GREG GITTRICH
Daily News Staff Writers
Edward Cardinal Egan's stand-in at St. Patrick's Cathedral pointedly blamed the priest sex abuse scandal yesterday on homosexuality, a "sex-saturated" society and a constant assault on celibacy by liberals.
In a 15-minute homily from the most prominent Roman
Catholic pulpit in the city, Msgr. Eugene Clark labeled the United States "probably the most immoral country" in the Western hemisphere. He also called homosexuality "a disorder" and said gay men shouldn't be allowed to become priests.
Clark, 76, a longtime key player and conservative voice in the Archdiocese of New York, delivered his stinging homily as Egan and other U.S. cardinals left for Rome to meet with the Pope about priestly pedophilia.
After preaching about forgiveness, Clark detailed reasons he believes some priests victimized children. He appeared to place most of the blame on homosexuality, saying the theory that people are born gay "is not true."
"The tendency to homosexuality is a disorder, not a sin," he said. "But the practice of homosexuality is truly sinful."
Some parishioners in the packed pews shifted uneasily, others nodded in agreement and a few
walked out. But Clark continued, arguing that it
was a "grave mistake" to allow gays in the
priesthood. He blamed American society for
being "very protective" of homosexuality.
"Homosexuality became in the American exchange of views a protected area," he said "And unfortunately ... homosexual students were allowed to pass through seminaries. Grave mistake. Not because homosexuals in anyway tend to criminality, but because it is a disorder."
'The Most Immoral Country'
Clark also criticized what he called "the campaign of liberal America against celibacy."
He theorized that priests who have a tendency toward sexually abusing children — a group he pegged at 3% of the nation's clergy — were affected by a barrage of sinful images in society.
"Liberated sex is offered to people all day long, all evening long," he said. "There is nothing quite like it."
"We know — we won't mention it outside the cathedral — we are probably the most immoral country certainly in the Western hemisphere and maybe the larger circle because of the entertainment we suffer and what it's done to our [country's] morals ...," Clark said.
Christine Schubert of St. Paul dashed out of the cathedral midway through the homily. "I left because I realized I have no desire to be connected with the institution of the Catholic Church," said Schubert, 27. "I thought, wouldn't it be great if the entire church walked out?"
But few did. Most parishioners stayed, and many applauded Clark after his sermon.
Marianne Duddy, executive director of Dignity/USA, the nation's largest organization of gay Catholics, called Clark's comments linking the sex scandal with homosexuality "incredibly horrifying and irresponsible."
"This is a poor attempt to deflect attention away from the church's culpability for the sexual abuse of minors by priests and its attempt to cover it up for decades," she added.
But Catholic League President William Donohue praised Clark. "He makes a great deal of sense and to have this said so articulately by one of the brighter priests in the New York area is very encouraging," Donohue said.
"The internal problem in the church is a lack of governance and due to diligence," he added. "But there is no question about it — this is a societywide problem that goes way beyond the Catholic Church."
With Gretchen E. Weber Original Publication Date: 4/22/02
Raise your hands, who's suprised?
Anyone? No? Me neither.
Anyone? No? Me neither.
"The Power of Christ COMPELS You (to take your clothes off)"
Then there's this one, from the land of the Trees:
Are the two vowels in the Bishop's name pronounced with a long \"E\"
[ April 23, 2002: Message edited by: Wurm ]
Stories like this sure make me cringe: Catholic school religion educator who was arrested over the weekend in an Internet child sex sting also was the Milwaukee Archdiocese's top liaison to the local Boy Scouts.
I caught Bill Press on CNN this morning. He was saying--quite rightly--that pedophilia has nothing to do with homosexuality.
I mean, no one blames heterosexuals when a man molests a girl, so why do homosexuals get blamed when a man molests a boy?
I mean, no one blames heterosexuals when a man molests a girl, so why do homosexuals get blamed when a man molests a boy?
While pedophilia is no more homosexual than heterosexual, this particular sex scandal in the Catholic Church has EVERYTHING to do with homosexuality.
The Catholic Church teaches its children that practicing homosexuality is evil. Some young homosexual boys, trying to escape guilt and a social scene alien to them, cling to the Catholic Church and go on to become priests. Their sexuality is all screwed-up, no wonder they remain confused all their lives, with an arrested sexuality, the abused becoming the abuser.
The whole scandal has been hushed up in part because the Church fears exposure of the fact that such a large percentage of its priests are homosexual. Without them there would be an even greater shortage of priests. Hypocrisy of the worst kind.
My partner was a Catholic seminarian and he is very interested in this issue; most of what I believe comes from my discussions with him. Below is a letter he wrote Cardinal Law yesterday:
“April 23, 2002
Most Rev Bernard Law
Archdiocese of Boston
Dear Cardinal Law:
In your sermon this Sunday, you said you wanted to understand the psychological problem that creates priests who abuse minors. You said you wanted to stop this problem. I am a gay man who spent seven years in a seminary, writing you because I have understood for a very long time what the problem is and how it can be fixed. It will take moral fiber and a determination to do what is right above all other allegiances to correct the Church’s participation in this shameful practice.
If the Church had taught its children to respect their own sexuality as God-given, and an integral part of their completeness, this would never have happened. If Donald Cozzens, a former seminary rector, is correct, many more than 90% of priests having sex with minors are homosexual. These men were taught that their sexuality as given to them is evil; that to act on that sexuality is will damn them to hell forever. No wonder they chose to be priests. They grew up thinking they were especially evil, and as such lacking the integrity that comes with believing in your own goodness. I have read several of the works of Alice Miller on child abuse, and other works on the victims of sexual abuse. Miller treats the subject empathetically from the standpoint of the abused child. Detailed descriptions of what the abused child goes through resonated deeply with the feelings I experienced as a result of the conflict between what the Church teaches and the growing adolescent awareness of my own homosexuality. I realized that I had lived a form of sexual and psychological abuse by being a gay man raised Catholic. Since a significant number of abused boys go on to abuse others, then, statistically, a lot of gay priests will abuse boys. For my part, as a young adult, I felt a need to choose between believing in myself, and believing what the Church taught, and I chose the former. Child-abusing priests accepted the Church’s doctrine that they were “intrinsically disordered” and suffered and acted accordingly.
All the Church has to do is teach children in its care to respect their sexuality as an integral part of the goodness that God created in creating them. Conservatives want to ban gays from the priesthood. You wouldn’t need to do that: with self respect, we gays would only come to the priesthood with an appreciation of our integral selves and therefore capable of respecting the integrity of children in our charge. Liberals want married priests or women priests; these will solve other problems, but they won’t stop the Church from creating more child abusers. Teaching children to respect their own sexuality is the only thing that will correct the Church’s problem. Not doing so is to continue the sexual and psychological abuse of gay children entrusted to you by God. And in turn the Church will share in the responsibility for the abuse of children that some of them, we know statistically, will go on to abuse.
The Catholic Church clamped down on homosexuals at the same time that they did so with Cathars, other heretics, Jews and moneylenders. With the end of World War 2, only gays are still persecuted by the Church. It’s time the Church left us in peace too. You, Cardinal Law, have spent lots of time and money lobbying against gay rights. That is not God’s work you spend your time doing. You claim you were advocating for families. If you, Cardinal Law, want to help families, you will help them raise all their children in dignity and justice. Driving gay people into the priesthood with stunted sexual development as the Catholic Church has done for a thousand years, or into unhealthy marriages, does no good for the Church or anyone involved. You must accept the major part of responsibility for all the abused children, gay and straight, that your policies have wrought.
There is a very good book, “Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality” by John Boswell, a Yale historian, a gay man, and a convert to Catholicism. Reading it will help put the current issues in context. A lot of what is being said by your “experts” now is drivel, and the people making decisions need to recognize it as such.
I write this with the intent to bear witness to the truth. It is hard to say “with good will”, since you have used your power so destructively in the past. Do not let my anger keep you from seeing the truth. I hope my effort helps the Church find a good and moral path.”
The Catholic Church teaches its children that practicing homosexuality is evil. Some young homosexual boys, trying to escape guilt and a social scene alien to them, cling to the Catholic Church and go on to become priests. Their sexuality is all screwed-up, no wonder they remain confused all their lives, with an arrested sexuality, the abused becoming the abuser.
The whole scandal has been hushed up in part because the Church fears exposure of the fact that such a large percentage of its priests are homosexual. Without them there would be an even greater shortage of priests. Hypocrisy of the worst kind.
My partner was a Catholic seminarian and he is very interested in this issue; most of what I believe comes from my discussions with him. Below is a letter he wrote Cardinal Law yesterday:
“April 23, 2002
Most Rev Bernard Law
Archdiocese of Boston
Dear Cardinal Law:
In your sermon this Sunday, you said you wanted to understand the psychological problem that creates priests who abuse minors. You said you wanted to stop this problem. I am a gay man who spent seven years in a seminary, writing you because I have understood for a very long time what the problem is and how it can be fixed. It will take moral fiber and a determination to do what is right above all other allegiances to correct the Church’s participation in this shameful practice.
If the Church had taught its children to respect their own sexuality as God-given, and an integral part of their completeness, this would never have happened. If Donald Cozzens, a former seminary rector, is correct, many more than 90% of priests having sex with minors are homosexual. These men were taught that their sexuality as given to them is evil; that to act on that sexuality is will damn them to hell forever. No wonder they chose to be priests. They grew up thinking they were especially evil, and as such lacking the integrity that comes with believing in your own goodness. I have read several of the works of Alice Miller on child abuse, and other works on the victims of sexual abuse. Miller treats the subject empathetically from the standpoint of the abused child. Detailed descriptions of what the abused child goes through resonated deeply with the feelings I experienced as a result of the conflict between what the Church teaches and the growing adolescent awareness of my own homosexuality. I realized that I had lived a form of sexual and psychological abuse by being a gay man raised Catholic. Since a significant number of abused boys go on to abuse others, then, statistically, a lot of gay priests will abuse boys. For my part, as a young adult, I felt a need to choose between believing in myself, and believing what the Church taught, and I chose the former. Child-abusing priests accepted the Church’s doctrine that they were “intrinsically disordered” and suffered and acted accordingly.
All the Church has to do is teach children in its care to respect their sexuality as an integral part of the goodness that God created in creating them. Conservatives want to ban gays from the priesthood. You wouldn’t need to do that: with self respect, we gays would only come to the priesthood with an appreciation of our integral selves and therefore capable of respecting the integrity of children in our charge. Liberals want married priests or women priests; these will solve other problems, but they won’t stop the Church from creating more child abusers. Teaching children to respect their own sexuality is the only thing that will correct the Church’s problem. Not doing so is to continue the sexual and psychological abuse of gay children entrusted to you by God. And in turn the Church will share in the responsibility for the abuse of children that some of them, we know statistically, will go on to abuse.
The Catholic Church clamped down on homosexuals at the same time that they did so with Cathars, other heretics, Jews and moneylenders. With the end of World War 2, only gays are still persecuted by the Church. It’s time the Church left us in peace too. You, Cardinal Law, have spent lots of time and money lobbying against gay rights. That is not God’s work you spend your time doing. You claim you were advocating for families. If you, Cardinal Law, want to help families, you will help them raise all their children in dignity and justice. Driving gay people into the priesthood with stunted sexual development as the Catholic Church has done for a thousand years, or into unhealthy marriages, does no good for the Church or anyone involved. You must accept the major part of responsibility for all the abused children, gay and straight, that your policies have wrought.
There is a very good book, “Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality” by John Boswell, a Yale historian, a gay man, and a convert to Catholicism. Reading it will help put the current issues in context. A lot of what is being said by your “experts” now is drivel, and the people making decisions need to recognize it as such.
I write this with the intent to bear witness to the truth. It is hard to say “with good will”, since you have used your power so destructively in the past. Do not let my anger keep you from seeing the truth. I hope my effort helps the Church find a good and moral path.”
The Archdiocese of New York has issued a statement distancing itself from the odious Msgr. Clark sermon cited above. I haven't seen the text.
Semi-infamous gay pundit Michelangelo
Signorile has weighed in with the observation that some of the "abuse" incidents are pedophilia...and some are not (and he speaks from experience):
Rome's sex summit: issues are thornier than they appear (New York Press)
Frankly, I don't know that I'd heard or read the term "ephebophilia" until the past week.
Semi-infamous gay pundit Michelangelo
Signorile has weighed in with the observation that some of the "abuse" incidents are pedophilia...and some are not (and he speaks from experience):
Rome's sex summit: issues are thornier than they appear (New York Press)
Frankly, I don't know that I'd heard or read the term "ephebophilia" until the past week.
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