Bachelors Against Sexual McCarthyism

By Diogenes ( articles ) | Apr 12, 2003

Another kindly pat on our pointy heads from the Rev. Stephen Rossetti (America 9-9-95):

What should be done with priests who sexually abuse minors? The very thought of returning them to ministry, or even to society, is appalling to many. "How can you even think of returning such men to positions of trust," people practically scream, "where they might abuse more of our children?" If this emotional protest does not suffice, the ground shifts to the legal argument. Attorneys counsel their bishops, "Returning a prior sex offender to ministry opens the church to unnecessary and severe monetary liability."

Clear, I hope? Two sorts of people object to returning child molesters to priestly work: emotion-driven breeders who shriek instead of argue and are way too uptight about their children's safety, and steely-eyed executroids concerned only with the diocesan budget. Which one are you?