April 21, 2002
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What are you thoughts on the current "crisis" in the Catholic Church?

The only thing new about it is the publicity it's getting. It's a disgusting, pathetically sad reality which has been kept behind closed doors for way too damn long. I'm glad people are beginning to open their eyes and ears to what the unfortunate victims have had to keep to themselves for years and years.

Fisch, 46
Preston
, CT   USA

I think that something like that can and surely does happen in any church, not just the Catholic church.

Kyle, 16
OH  USA

Venerable institutions are handicapped by the weight of tradition in facing venerable problems. I have every confidence that the Catholic church will deal with the present problems now that they have surfaced.

Jill, 61
Saylorsburg
, PA  USA

I'm glad you put "crisis" in quotation marks because I don't think it is a real crisis. It seems to be  an ongoing problem that the Church has ignored for a long time and is just now coming to light. Much of this problem could be solved by making it clear that as soon as ONE incidence of pedophilia is reported and proven, the priest involved won't simply be sent to another parish but will be released from serving others.

Reba, 50+
Silver Spring
, MD  USA

This isn't about celibacy. These men would be pedophiles even if they were married with children. Any clergy who helped hide these crimes should be prosecuted along with the criminals who committed them.

Judy, 62
Easton
, KS   USA

I am upset that men in a position of trust could abuse children. I am outraged that church authorities could act to conceal such acts. And I am very sorry that the great majority of good priests should be damaged by association.

Jane, 62
West Linn
, OR   USA

I think the Catholics need to take a step back and look at quiet a few things that they're doing and teaching. I'm no religion expert, but I do know that some of their teachings (as well as several old religions) are still being taught as though we are in the middle ages. If they want to be successful they're going to have to make their lessons understandable to today's problems. We are no longer a male-only oriented world as we were when the Bible was written. And if God is truely who He says He is, then women are equal and the word "man" in the Bible doesn't mean, it means the species of man, including women.

Triana, 29
Austin
,
TX   USA

I don't even like to think about it. I'm just glad they are now finally doing something about it.

Doug2, 29
Overland Park
, KS  USA

We all should have expected it. They've been doing it for years, and getting away with it. Not any more.

Nicci, 27
Las Vegas
, NV    USA

I wasn't aware there *was* a crisis. To be honest I'm not especially concerned about it's welfare though ... it's individual members yes, but not the church in general...

Alice, 21
Winchester  UK

Since you asked...and being that I am Catholic, I probably should answer: I have not lost faith in the Catholic Church, however, the hierarchy handled the "crisis" very poorly. They need to handle the situation up front, do not try to hide things, and dismiss those who commit such abuses of power...like the priests who did such things...and make sure it does not turn into decades of cover ups... because it makes the church look very bad...and it is not right to the victims.

Hopefully, the church will learn from the mistakes they made during this crisis. As most polls indicate, the Catholics think the hierarchy handled the situation poorly, however, hopefully that will be remedied. I hope others do not stereotype that a few bad apples are representative of the entire faith.

Frodo
age unknown, parts unknown

I'm very suspect of the charges of pedophilia. A pedophile is someone who experiences sexual attraction to prepubescent children, not teenagers. We have to remember that the laws regarding sexual contact with persons under the age of 18 (in most states) are statutory, which means even if the contact was consensual, it's still criminal. I think it's entirely possible that the sexual contact was not consensual, and I certainly don't approve of non-consensual sex, but it's also entirely possible that it WAS consensual, in which case I think the lawsuits and investigations are completely unfair. Consensual sex shouldn't ever be punished. Up to a certain point, children aren't cognitively able to make decisions and understand all the possible consequences, but I do think that there are several people younger than 18 who CAN make these decisions. If the contact occurred between two people who ARE able to consent and who DID consent, then I think this entire scandal is unfounded. I haven't heard details about any case, so I assume innocence until someone can prove guilt.

Eric, 20
Beverly Hills
, CA  USA

It is sad. Any story I hear of child abuse breaks my heart, but frankly I am not the least bit surprised. To be a priest is to be in a position of both power and trust and unfortunately that sort of position can attract people that are deviants. It makes it all the easier for a pervert to operate when he works in an environment where his motives and actions are rarely taken into question. For the Church to conceal these horrible acts for so long is reprehensible. Yet another nail in the coffin of organized religion as far as I am concerned.

Maggie, 22
Sandwich
, IL    USA

I think that it has always been going on, but it is just now being addressed.

Melodi, 19
Gahanna
, OH   USA

What crisis? The dirty old men? The gay men? The loss of parishioners due to lack of belief? The loss of parishioners due to refusal to be controlled by the Church? The fact is, I don't really care. As long as the Church leaves me alone, I'll leave it alone--except for an occasional bitter jab brought on by having to do the Catholic thing for 14 years until my mom felt like she'd done the job given to her by the contract she signed when she married my father.

Karen, 22
Ames
, IA   USA

I sick over the way the hierarchy has handled the situation -- especially in the past and the way they allowed so many children to be harmed.

However, the church is much more than the hierarchy and I draw strength from the rest of the church: the lay and religious men and woman who spend countless hours in service to others.

Laura, 37
Lowell
, MA   USA

Anyone in a place of authority who covers up criminal acts or at least unacceptable behavior should be held responsible. I am also always amaze when people rationalize behavior such as this on the churches stance on celibacy or rumblings about gay priests. Most pedaphiles are heterosexual and most are married. The fact that a culture was created where lapses in judgement (at the least) and criminal activity (the most) were tolerated is unacceptable.

Felicia, 36
Lowell
, MA   USA

I htink it is rather humourous.

Nicole2, 20
Jackson
, FL   USA

Waaaaaay too broad of a topic. Should we start with a discussion of the celibacy vow? What a crock religion is to begin with? How most religious leaders have absolutely nothing in common with Christ? Does anyone in the church actually believes in hell (it appears they don't) and if not why they're still using it to control people? WWJD? Would he molest kids? Cover up for those who did or just ignore it? Downplay it saying he has more important things to deal with? Let it go on for decades if not longer and then blame the tarnished image of the church on the media?   Continue to complain about the the morals of others?

Alias Irrelevante

I don't have much to say on the issue itself, but I do remember people claiming that men choose celibacy as a way to suppress any deviant sexual desires that they might have, which is why kids are at a high risk for rape. That's bull. And that's what I have to say.

Cancer, 20
NYC
, NY   USA

If you make yourself out to be all high and mighty, you're bound to take a fall sometime. Maybe its time the church acknowledged that they aren't always right and are far from perfect

Talia, 24
Wilton
, CT   USA

I'm not too fond of organized religion to begin with, but I think that this is a case of oversensationalized media, a terrible reality, and the church realizing (once again) that the power it treasures is not necessarily always going to be able to help it out of things. I also think it's disturbing and disgusting not only that these things happened, but that anyone could still support the church after hearing that not only did these things happen but that they were covered up. On the flip side-I wonder how much *is* reality and how much is media.

Angela, 18
Bella Vista
, AR  USA

The Church better do something. Besides having to answer ultimately to God, it seems they need to answer to the people now. To lose someone's trust, is not a good thing.

Janet, 44
E. Brunswick
, NJ  USA

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