Today's Irish Times carries three stories on clerical child sex abuse.
What is the hierarchical church doing about the issue of closet gay clergy?
It is obfuscating and refusing to have any open and honest discussion.
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Dominican priest Leo Donovan died in Kiltipper Woods Care Centre, Tallaght on Saturday morning, February 17. Leo had been over two years in ... -
Seósamh Laurence Collins died in Tallaght University Hospital in the early hours of Monday morning, January 22. Larry, as he was known in t... -
John O’Rourke was born in Newry on November 14, 1939. He joined the Dominican Order in September 1958 and was ordained a priest in July 1965...
8 comments:
What is link between the sexual abuse of children and gay clergy?
Very complicated and complex.
One point. Will be back later.
From my experice both issues within the clerical church are surrounded in inordinate and inappropriate secrecy.
From my limited experience it appears to me that a significant number of priests who have abused are gay men and many victims who have been abused by priests grow up to be gay men.
The findings of science and medicine are standards to which I abide. I completely accept the word of the medical and scientific professions.
I think within the context and parameters of the clerical world, there are issues that need to be clearly examined.
Has there ever been a scientic study done over a period of time on men who sign up to a rule of celibacy?
Is there a link between an unusual orthodoxy, an over interest in liturgical dress and action, clerical gossip and closet homosexuality?
There is a particual 'style' of holiness' that can be observed that seems simply fraudulent.
Maybe my trade of journalisnm inclines me to be curious, maybe somewhat sceptical too.
It's all the secrecy and the impression of laughing behind people's backs, the 'cuteness' that goes with the clerical 'thing' that is so difficult to take.
And the all the obfuscation so as not to 'cause scandal'.
To call child molestation of a boy by a man "homosexual" or of a girl by a man "heterosexual" is to misunderstand pedophilia. No true pedophile is attracted to adults, so neither homosexuality nor heterosexuality applies. Accordingly, Herek suggests calling men's sexual abuse of boys "male-male molestation" and men's abuse of girls, "male-female molestation."
Interestingly, Anna C. Salter writes, in "Predators, Pedophiles, Rapists and other Sex Offenders", that when a man molests little girls, we call him a "pedophile" and not a "heterosexual." Of course, when a man molests little boys, people say outright, or mutter under their breath, "homosexual. Herek writes that because of our society's aversion to male homosexuality, and the attempts made by some to represent gay men as a danger to "family values," many in our society immediately think of male-male molestation as homosexuality. He compares this with the time when African Americans were often falsely accused of raping white women, and when medieval Jews were accused of murdering Christian babies in ritual sacrifices. Both are examples of how mainstream society eagerly jumped to conclusions to that justified discrimination and violence against these minorities. Today, gays face the same kind of prejudice. Most recently, we've seen gay men unfairly turned out of the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of this myth that gay men are likely to be child molesters. Keeping gays out of scouting won't protect boys from pedophiles.
The above is taken from the web. Sadly, fostering any linkage between the clerical abuse of children and homosexual clergy is simply homophobia masquerading as something else.
Thank you for your comment.
This is the same argument as is made in an ongoing basis in the Brandsma Review, that the problems in the Church (specifically the departures from orthodoxy) are because of the homosexual men admitted to seminaries. This is, of course, pure nonsense, like most of the Brandsma Review's content, but it is surprising to find it on this blog.
Peter,
Do we know one another?
I obvioulsy have not made myself clear.
My problem/issue is with a 'general', 'over-arching' secrecy that exists within the clerical church. And it seems to me that closet gay priests and brothers develop an 'unholy' cult of secrecy. It is all pervasive and we end up with lies and spectacular dishonesty.
I am simply tired and yes angry with the lies that are perpetrated. And I can give you chapter and verse on this. It would mean sailing too close to the wind.
I also think that closet gay priests seem to become crazily conservative and get involved the 'smells and bells' stuff.
The secrecy that has surrounded every aspect of sexuality, including paedophilia wihin the clerical church cannot be healthy.
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