Sexual Molestation in the Catholic Church
Research Essay – Sexual Molestation in the Catholic Church
The Catholic Clergy has maintained a system that selects, cultivates, protects, defends and produces sexual abusers. We are amazed to find how often a man, who would otherwise be behind bars if he were not a priest, is entrusted with the care of souls. You may not be keeping your celibacy, but as long as it’s kept a secret it’s ok. Clericalism, the act of keeping a priest on a pedestal, away from ordinary people, led parents to not believe their children when told of sexual molestation. This has been classified as Nobel Cause Corruption - a belief that good intentions purify bad behavior. For a priest, the belief was his own goodness could transform a perversion into a holy act.
There is a broad social acceptance that clergy, from priests to the Pope are perfect. This goes to a perversion of power that can be twisted. A twenty-five year study of celibacy and priesthood done by Benedictine Monk Richard Sipe, Clerical Sex Therapist, revealed that at any given time only 50% of Roman Catholic priests practice celibacy. The Vatican knows celibacy is not practiced. The higher you go to religious superiors, the more they know.
Patrick Walsh, a former Benedictine Monk, was sent around the country to put out fires for the Church; remove molesters from the parish. Walsh thought he was going in to uncover crime and fix the problem, but the Church wanted him to pay off victims. Walsh was authorized to pay victims up to 250 thousand dollars providing he could get a confidentially agreement from them. In 1995 there was a budget of seven million dollars to handle the abuse problems. When Walsh realized the abuse did not stop and the offending priests were allowed to stay in the Ministry, he left the priesthood. The policy of the Church was to snuff out scandal and not report it to the local authorities.
Father Gerald Fitzgerald, a priest in Boston, formed an order to treat pedophile priests.
The Catholic Clergy has maintained a system that selects, cultivates, protects, defends and produces sexual abusers. We are amazed to find how often a man, who would otherwise be behind bars if he were not a priest, is entrusted with the care of souls. You may not be keeping your celibacy, but as long as it’s kept a secret it’s ok. Clericalism, the act of keeping a priest on a pedestal, away from ordinary people, led parents to not believe their children when told of sexual molestation. This has been classified as Nobel Cause Corruption - a belief that good intentions purify bad behavior. For a priest, the belief was his own goodness could transform a perversion into a holy act.
There is a broad social acceptance that clergy, from priests to the Pope are perfect. This goes to a perversion of power that can be twisted. A twenty-five year study of celibacy and priesthood done by Benedictine Monk Richard Sipe, Clerical Sex Therapist, revealed that at any given time only 50% of Roman Catholic priests practice celibacy. The Vatican knows celibacy is not practiced. The higher you go to religious superiors, the more they know.
Patrick Walsh, a former Benedictine Monk, was sent around the country to put out fires for the Church; remove molesters from the parish. Walsh thought he was going in to uncover crime and fix the problem, but the Church wanted him to pay off victims. Walsh was authorized to pay victims up to 250 thousand dollars providing he could get a confidentially agreement from them. In 1995 there was a budget of seven million dollars to handle the abuse problems. When Walsh realized the abuse did not stop and the offending priests were allowed to stay in the Ministry, he left the priesthood. The policy of the Church was to snuff out scandal and not report it to the local authorities.
Father Gerald Fitzgerald, a priest in Boston, formed an order to treat pedophile priests.