That was the Catholic church's view, given before the Irish court. From the article:
“..The commission dismissed as implausible a central defense of the religious orders — that, in bygone days, people did not recognize the sexual abuse of a child as a criminal offense, but rather as a sin that required repentance.
In their testimony, religious orders typically cited this as the principal reason why sex-predator priests and brothers were sheltered within the system and moved to new posts where they could still maintain daily contact with children...”
That's your church for you.
You are reading it the way you want to see it.
I’m telling you, and you can reference it yourself, that sexual abuse of children was seen as a DISORDER. A treatable disorder. In order to treat a person, one must expose them to the focus of their disorder. We know it’s wrong now, but you are looking at this as we do TODAY. Not then. It’s as if you are upset that leeches were used to treat illness and refuse to see that the person administering the cure knew no better. That’s how libs argue, on feelings not facts.
The words “The commission dismissed” do not show up on a search of the article. I’m not sure where the quotes are coming from, but context may be important
If you have nothing more than these quotes, and cannot context them for the time. Please refrain from responding to me again.