Posted on 05/17/2012 12:34:47 PM PDT by Natural Law
The American narrative of the Catholic Church's struggles with the clerical sexual abuse of the young has been dominated by several tropes firmly set in journalistic concrete: that this was and is a "pedophilia" crisis; that the sexual abuse of the young is an ongoing danger in the Church; that the Catholic Church was and remains a uniquely dangerous environment for young people; that a high percentage of priests were abusers; that abusive behavior is more likely from celibates, such that a change in the Church's discipline of priestly celibacy would be important in protecting the young; that the Church's bishops were, as a rule, willfully negligent in handling reports of abuse; that the Church really hasn't learned any lessons from the revelations that began in the Long Lent of 2002.
But according to an independent, $1.8 million study conducted by New York's John Jay College of Criminal Justice, commissioned by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and released on May 18, every one of these tropes is false.
(Excerpt) Read more at eppc.org ...
I just had this conversation this morning. So I will add, what other institution would Satan want most? That church established by Christ and protected by the Holy Spirit.
Great point. Satan unsuccessfully tried to tempt and turn Jesus. I have no doubt that he temps all clergy and successfully turns some who, after all, fall short.
I am always terribly uncomfortable discussing any clergy sex abuse, whether Catholic or denominational. No one should feel good about the abuse of a child or the corruption of a person of God. Differences in doctrine do not denote evil and some of the most holy persons I have ever met have been Protestant and Baptist clergy. The vast majority have become clergy out of their love of Jesus and dedication to His Gospel. I have every reason to believe that Satan targets those servants of God for co-opting the same way he targets priests. In all cases the child, the church and the clergy are victims and in need of our prayers.
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