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I was never involved with such a case before and I was startled by the degree of anger and hurt Hanley’s sinful behavior had generated. Since that time I have worked with a number of victims and I accept their anger as appropriate and say so in my book, From Scandal to Hope (OSV 2002).

Well, it appears that Groeschel's compassion did evolve, though it is puzzling to me why a psychologist would not know that sexual abuse was hurtful to the victim and would generate a great deal of anger.

What they teach you in school and how it is in real life is very different sometimes, as you know. Also, who knows what the heck is in psychology courses... depends on what decade they are taught in, right? Is sexual abuse taught with a Kinseyan slant or a Catholic slant?

I would think that being a Catholic priest who had interaction with an alcoholic priest who abused a child in the past and who was truly, honestly repentant and then meeting the victim later (after knowing the priest) would be torn with sympathy for both... you know, the forgiveness thing with us. However, the forgiveness cannot be given to the abusing priest by anyone except the abuse victim.

It would be a hard line to walk - I couldn't do it. However, with additional years of experience, Fr. G. now understands the victims and the anger they have within them. Which is something that I am working on at times --- it's hard to have a lot of sympathy for folks who yell and scream obscenities at you (and your children) when you are trying to enter a church in order to attend Mass. This happens in one particular parish here week after week. Even with Cardinal Law gone. They still verbally abuse and intimidate parishioners who had nothing to do with any of this. In fact, it happened again yesterday at the Lenten Mass. Two dozen protesters outside yelling and screaming and two inside --- stood up and faced backwards while the new bishop gave his homily and when the bishop was done, they left. Tripped leaving the pew, though.