** Priests Who Molest Children **

As a counselor who has long worked in therapy with sexual abusers, as well as survivors of sexual abuse, let me tell you in short, what I believe about "Priests Who Molest Children":

(1) Statistically, less than one percent of Catholic priests have been accused of sexual abusing children. Of that amount, only a portion of that 1% have in fact done so.

(2) Thus, more than 99% of priests have "not" sexually abused children.

(3) What is said of Catholic priests is also said of Protestant ministers. In Protestant Christian denominations a very small minority of church leaders have been accused of sexually abusing, and a lesser amount of that portion has been substantiated as valid.in such accusations.

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(4) Of the two, Catholic and Protestant, the Catholic Church especially is generally targeted as sexually abusive to children. At times in the media it is made to appear that the Catholic Church alone is plagued with problems of sexual abuse.

(5) Catholic priests are often accused to be sexual abusers, because they practice celibacy. It is purported in major media that because Catholic priests do not entertain a sexual experience in their lifestyle, their natural passions are suppressed, thus acted out in ways that are harmful to others.

(6) It is precisely "because" of both the "gift" and "sacrifice" of celibacy, that priests are chaste, and capable to perform their duties without preoccupation with personal sexual gratification.

(7) The more than 99% of priests who have "not" abused children, perform their duties amidst sadness and grief, having been falsely labelled as child abusers (or being united in service with other priests who are child abusers).

(8) It is the Catholic Church that remains united and committed, worldwide, on pro-life issues. Strongly advocating for traditional marriage and family, and against abortion, homosexuality, premarital sex and use of contraceptives.

(9) The small percentage of priests who have been proven to abuse children, are referred to as pedophiles. (Pedophilia is defined as an adult having fantasy, desire, and engaging in sexual activity with a child 13 years old or younger.)

(10) Until the mid 1980's, most professionals in the field of psychology believed and taught that sexual abusers could be rehabilitated through mental health therapy and treatment.

(11) Much hierarchy in the Catholic Church, particularly in North America, thought resorting to advice from the secular counseling community was wise on such matters as abuse to children.

(12) Cases of accused priests for alleged molestation of children were not always easy to substantiate.

(13) In most cases where possible sexual abusing priests were relocated to distant perishes after accusation of abuse, Catholic Bishops usually responded in principle to advice and general teaching of secular psychologists.

(14) The vast majority of cases where priests were in fact proven to have molested children, those cases did not include harm to young children.

(15 ) Sexual abuse by these priests were not found to have taken place against children who were "female".

(16) Sexual abuse by these priests happened against older teenagers who were "male".

(17) The proper term for these priests who have sexually acted out upon older teen aged boys is not "pedophile", but instead "homosexual".

(18) If a Catholic priest does, or ever had, heterosexual or homosexual tendencies, this is of little concern or consequence in his life, duties and service as a priest. Because a Catholic priest by pledge, definition, service and function is "celibate".

(19) Catholic priests who have transgressed sexual boundaries with anyone, including a child, is "not" a Catholic priest in that title's rightful definition. The one who claims to be a priest and has done these things, has broken the vow he made before God to be priest.

(20) A sexual abuser, by criteria and definition, chooses his or her profession, position, hobby and daily activities, to have access to those he or she wishes to sexually molest.

(21) Any Christian leader who has harmed a child in the manner described, never was a leader of a Christian church. His leadership of a church was only access to abuse, not a correct function of ministry.

(22) A priest who has abused a child never was of the Church. He is an "outsider", and in the truest sense of the term, always was. (Excommunication from the Catholic Church is a process of similar relevance, but general application remains functional for our cause here in my opinion.)

(23) For media or any other person to call a sexually abusing priest a Catholic, has scandalously misrepresented what the Catholic Church and Christianity in general stands for.

(24) Critics who are secularists and against the Church, cannot have it both ways. Which is it? ... "Does the Catholic Church stand for marriage, family, right to life and accountability to a moral God? Or does Catholicism stand for 'priests who practise their homosexuality lawlessly upon older teen aged boys'?"

(25) The answer to this final question is clear. A priest who has sexually molested a child, or anyone else for that matter, is not a priest or a representative for the Church. It is very possible he is not a Christian, thus not Catholic. This person is a "wolf in sheep's' clothing". Whatever vows this man has made while prostrate in holy ceremony before God, were instead lies and falsehood.

In conclusion to this post, consider the following scriptures, words spoken directly by the mouth of our Lord Jesus Christ Himself:

"Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!" (Matthew 18:5-7)

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"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name"' And then I will declare to them. 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'" (Matthew 7:21-23)