Cardinal Bertone: Homosexuality is the problem, not celibacy
April 13, 2010
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone said at a news conference in Chile that homosexuality, and not the discipline of clerical celibacy, has been linked to the clerical abuse crisis.
“Many psychologists and psychiatrists have shown that there is no link between celibacy and pedophilia but many others have shown, I have recently been told, that there is a relationship between homosexuality and pedophilia. That is true,” he said. “The behavior of the priests in this case, the negative behavior, is very serious, is scandalous.”
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Further information:
- Pope's No. 2: Pedophilia linked to homosexuality (AP)
- Priest pedophilia not linked to celibacy: Pope's No.2 (Reuters)
- US: Abuse scandal’s total cost approaches $2.2 billion; most victims male (CWN, 3/24/10)
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Posted by: Solzy2004 -
Apr. 14, 2010 8:20 PM ET USA
After reading Mary Eberstadt's "Pedophilia Chic" (2001 Weekly Standard) I realize we CANNOT legalize homosexuality or it WILL lead to the situation she describes. It HAS lead to it. I feel like we are all wraiths, nothings walking through a land of nothing.
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Posted by: Athelstan -
Apr. 13, 2010 8:32 PM ET USA
At last! This is source of the vast majority of cases in the Church's sex scandals, but it is a truth the international media do not wish to acknowledge.
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Posted by: -
Apr. 13, 2010 4:13 PM ET USA
Reference Eagle's comments, there are many problems with the married priesthood, and it would not directly help the problem of abusing priests. But I knew a good and holy priest who told me--almost with tears in his eyes--that he had not realized how damaging this was to the victims until he talked to one. But I wondered how he could not know--even without talking to one. Certainly parents know. Is it necessary to have married priests to understand what any man should know instinctively?
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Posted by: Mack -
Apr. 13, 2010 3:12 PM ET USA
This is very refreshing. It's great to see what is absolutly obvious being acknowledged by such a senior Church leader. Perhaps a lot of good will come out of the crisis and no more homosexuals will be ordained. And obviously celibacy is not the issue as 2 men cannot marry. We have to pray.
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Posted by: -
Apr. 13, 2010 12:32 PM ET USA
Well, its nice to hear that the cause is not Global Warming, George W Bush or Gregorian Chant.
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Posted by: adamah -
Apr. 13, 2010 8:15 AM ET USA
Eagle, most priests don't live double lives. Admitting married men to the priesthood would add scandals such as priests having extramarital affairs and divorce. What we need are bishops and seminaries serious about not admitting men to seminaries who have disordered sexual tendencies, whether it be pedophilia, homosexuality or heterosexual promiscuity. In addition, the typical pedophile is a married white male.
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Posted by: Eagle -
Apr. 13, 2010 7:43 AM ET USA
Cardinal Bertone's observation that most victims of clerical sexual abuse are post-pubescent boys, leading to the conclusion that the perpetrators are homosexuals seems borne out by the facts. But I know of no test or other objective mechanisms to identify homosexuals. Accordingly, celibacy is an issue, in that most married men don't lead double lives. A married clergy is far less likely to attract homosexuals. It's not foolproof, but it retains the KISS principle of Occam's Razor.
