Catholics Searching to Reverse the Downward Trend


A group that apparently includes both laity and clergy, Catholic Laity and Clergy for Renewal, has been working to prevent future sexual scandals in Catholic clergy. Reading the link, I gather the group sees the big problem facing the church are wayward priests, both gay and straight. In an indirect way the link author says the group wants computer surveillance of clergy to catch any trolling for sexual link ups. The link says the groups wants to be certain this practice stays within existing secular laws. 

This recommendation was quickly challenged by another Catholic. Will "catching offenders" eliminate the bad publicity of wayward priests? And are wayward priests the biggest cause of downward trending numbers?

The author of the first link above was apparently a founding member of Catholic Laity and Clergy for Renewal. While he is laity, he held a position for the conservative U.S. Conference of Bishops for several years. His views reflect those of conservative Catholic Bishops and may well not reflect those of most Catholic laity. The solution to the problem of wayward clergy is first, keep it quiet and deal with it in house. Second, it must be dealt with, like all church problems, by those in high authority putting the hammer down on those beneath them.

Catholics could learn from Protestantism is they were ever humble enough recognize the error of their ways. Several Protestant denominations ordain both men and women. Clergy are allowed to marry. Catholics talk a lot about "natural law." Sex drive was put in us by nature. The vow of abstinence goes against this attraction we come by through nature, i.e., natural law. 

Priests with a strong attraction to females or males have to either suppress it or find an outlet. It's quite obvious those who need to troll will find a way to do it. Lots of the sex crimes still being adjudicated happened before it was possible to troll on a phone or laptop. Stopping the computer trolling will not stop the trolling. 

The Catholic church needs to recognize it has rules that are beyond the ability of many to handle. Screening entrants will not solve this. Neither will monitoring the computers and phones of wayward priests.

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