The Good Catholic's Response to Bad Priests

The Good Catholic's Response to Bad Priests
Claudio R. Salvucci

April 3, 2002

Our sex-obsessed culture has deluded itself with the ridiculous Freudian error that every sexual thought or fantasy not acted upon is a repression.

So muddled with lust have we become, so enslaved to our own self-gratification, that too many of us can no longer even conceive of a life lived in virginal purity. We see no dignity in it, only a condition to be pitied.

So some are suggesting that the Catholic priesthood, in the face of all the recent scandals, accept those ideas and make a grudging concession to human lust.

And that is exactly wrong.

It was precisely by conceding to lust in the first place that the priesthood got into this awful mess.

One curiously omitted question emerges from all of these so-called pedophilia scandals: Why do an estimated 80-90 percent of the victims of these molestations happen to be teen-age boys? True pedophiles tend to prey on pre-pubescent members of the opposite sex - not same-sex adolescents, which characterizes a different disorder called ephebophilia.

Many of us obedient Catholics, so ready to grant priests and bishops the benefit of the doubt, are now slowly becoming aware of a vast gay network quietly tolerated in the seminaries, the priesthood and even in the highest levels of church hierarchy.

Two respected and highly acclaimed books: Fr. Donald Cozzens' "The Changing Face of the Priesthood" and Michael Rose's "Goodbye! Good Men" frankly admit that the priesthood is "becoming a gay profession." Our local Catholic radio station, WISP 1570, recently featured a hard-hitting show describing how seminarians encountered difficulties for being "too masculine." St. Sebastian's Angels, a networking Website for gay priests, was only recently shut down. An anonymous priest interviewed by the Boston Globe described the sexual propositioning, harassment and intimidation he faced at the hands of a gay subculture in the seminary - "and I know guys who left because of it."

So what is to be done about this problem?

Some American bishops have adopted this idea that having homosexual inclinations doesn't matter in the seminary, that as long as the candidate lives in celibacy, there's no sin in the orientation. That is of course theologically true, but is it psychologically wise?

Suppose, analogously, we were to take a priest with the normal male attractions, and drop him right smack into a convent of nuns: eating, working, bathing, and sleeping among the opposite sex, 24 hours a day. Well, that would be sheer madness, utter insanity. Of course, we hope he wouldn't do anything to violate his chastity, but meanwhile we've vastly multiplied his near occasions to sin - the opportunities for sexual temptation to be enflamed and acted upon.

That is exactly what we are doing when we ordain gay men.

Folks, the monasteries and rectories are barracks in the army of Jesus Christ; housing men with a divine mission for which they need to be focused, clear-headed, and free from distraction. Just as in the military, a community of strong men provides the best environment for that condition to be met.

When homosexuality enters this system, the whole thing becomes utter bedlam. Suddenly, the opportunities for sex are numerous and immediate. Perhaps that is why the priesthood is said to be sought by some homosexual men.

Certainly, not every homosexual priest will act upon his temptations, but what right do we have to put him in danger of doing so? Do we have no healthy respect for the weaknesses of human nature?

There is only one solution here, and it is this: the seminaries must refuse Holy Orders to those with same-sex attractions. Not just for the overall good of the priesthood, but for the good of their own souls. For it is no act of charity to let a man become a priest in this life, only to be tempted into damnation in the next.

Claudio Salvucci of Bristol reminds Catholics that the best thing to do for priests - good or bad - is to pray for them.

An archive of Salvucci's columns may be found at: The I, Claudio web site

I don't know what went wrong with my keyboard. Yes I understand the reasons for the rules. I don't understand sweeping human pain under the rug in the name of rules though.

I don't mean this in a mean-spirited manner, but some of you hardliners come across as steely and cold, as if rules are everything and people are robots. Good robots obey all the rules to the last jot and tit and bad robots get their hardwiring scrambled by all the conformity and repression and plasticity, just like my keyboard.

There must be a happy medium somewhere in all this. Don't you think that is the reason some of these priests go haywire in the first place? Growing up in such a rule-laden atmosphere takes all the spontaneity and fun out of life. Can't you see? Or do you want to sweep everything that doesn't fit under the rug?

Aliska,you have often written of your disappointments with Catholicism and offered meek,seemingly loving little suggestions but I have never read one of your posts where you brought any idea to a conclusion.In fact the more I read your 'maybe,yes and maybe,no','six of one,half dozen of the other','on one hand this and on the other hand that' posts,the more sure I am that you are a bishop that is busy trying to go along to get along. You come to these threads to figure out where you should be going in order to get along.Come on Aliska,'fess up whats the name of your diocese?

The only thing that we do know is that the Hierarchy can't make sound decisions.

There is no cohesive policy between all the Bishops in the U.S. and it's high time they get their act together.

In truth I believe that the Laity is more suited to run the business of the Dioceses and the parishes as evidenced by lies and deceit practiced by Amoral Idiots like Cardinal law and Egan.

How dare Law throw away 50 to 100 million dollars of the peoples money on Criminal activities of Homosexual Priests and stand up and declare "He won't resign", while at the same time he closes Parishes and schools built on the backs of the Faithful Catholics.

.Where does that money go?

Not to mention his continued disregard for the victims.

I am privileged to be served by several priests from Africa. They serve as chaplains to private schools and institutions in my community while they are studying full time for advanced degrees at local universities and then they will reurn to Africa. They are the most devout and holy priests I know and have so much to teach us about following Jesus. It is a beautiful thing to see Western missionary activity of the past in Africa now bearing fruit back here in the USA. Africa is now evangelizing us! Many of us are grateful to be served by priests who are doctrinally sound and holy men - a welcome respite from the insanity of many clergy in the US.

Can you tell me what diocese you are in?

Providence.

Does your diocese have quite a few vocations

I believe 30+. Not nearly enough. We are fortunate and blessed. Cursillo, Charismatic Renewal, large active faith community, good pastor and four years ago Perpetual Adoration. I think those have been the ingredients for so many from our parish.

I envy you, and will be lifting you up in prayer.

Thank you and God Bless you! I will do the same for you. It is too bad there is no room at the inn, so to speak. Its OK to get dispensation if you are anglican or episcopalian or lutheran! We have a way to go yet.

A celibate priest is able to dedicate his entire existence to serving Christ's people on Earth. The same can not be said for a married minister

You paint with a very broad brush! First, I personally know about half the priests in our diocese. Just because they are celebate doesn't enhance the virtue of charity in them. And it is love that drives one to extraordinary works through grace. This is NOT limited just to celebate men! Sorry, but your wrong!

I still don't understand how anyone can recommend priests being allowed to marry as a "solution." This suggests that being single and abstinent (whether gay or straight) leads to pedophilia!!!.

I have (not exactly on-fire Catholic) extended family members who think the solution is letting priests get married. Truly astonishing......

You aim to fix the problem by relaxing rules.

I said nothing about relaxing the discipline of celebacy to fix the pedophile/ephebophile problem in the priesthood. I don't believe relaxation of the discipline to be a solution to any problems. However, it is very interesting to read the posts on this thread.

If Mother Church ever decided to relax the discipline and make celebacy optional (as practiced in the east), would you have a problem with it? Do you see no value in married clergy? Can't these men be as holy as a celebate priest? Does it matter that a man once married finds he has a calling to serve God in the priesthood?

I think he likes women who are meek and submissive and Mother Theresa types.

You obviously don't know much about Mother Teresa. She was a very strong woman -- "meek and submissive" doesn't describe her. The most corrupt government bureaucrats that she had to deal with with were intimidated by her, because she didn't take any crap from them.

...Amoral Idiots like Cardinal law and Egan.

Cardinal Law and Egan are not amoral idiots. So many on this thread have become members of a hate-filled mob attacking those in authority in the Church. They remind me of the old westerns where a wild-eyed mob breaks into a jail, grabs a prisoner and takes him to the public square where he is hung from a tree. The Jews and Romans did the same thing to Jesus only hanging Him on a cross.

The grass roots applies pressure at the local level - praying, fasting, writing letters, making sure their priests and bishops know that homosexual behavior of any kind WILL NOT be tolerated.
I'm with you so far. My next question would be, should we go one step further and insist that sexual behavior of any kind WILL NOT be tolerated?

I'm with you so far. My next question would be, should we go one step further and insist that sexual behavior of any kind WILL NOT be tolerated?

And what do you intend to do about it? You have absolutely no authority; so why do you say "we"?

You come to these threads to figure out where you should be going

Yes, that is correct. I'm trying to resolve a lot of anger. I covered up some bad behavior of a nonsexual nature on the part of a priest, and another, and another, that should have been called to the attention of the bishop (as if he would have cared). I loved one of them and didn't want to get him into trouble. He may have had mental problems, I don't know.

I knew if I did anything about it they would not believe me and blame me instead. I can let that go but if I try to go back to the system the hurt and pain will get worse again. I talked to a couple of priests about it and they were somewhat understanding, actually, but they protect their fellow priests.

So I'm stuck and it's been so long I don't want to go back. I need a good excuse to leave and put it all behind me.

I don't want to tell you the name of my diocese.

No, celibacy does not lead to pedophilia or other sexual perversions.

The point people are trying to make was that if married priests were allowed, they would have a larger pool of candidates for the priesthood from which to choose.

Do you have any better ideas? Or must you cling to your mystique that we can make priests in our own image?

There are a lot of misfits (not just perverts) serving as priests and it isn't fair to them or to the people.

The pressure on those priests is terrible and many of them lead a life of unhappiness and unfulfillment because of impositions that even Christ did not insist upon.

By expecting so many men to live up to impossible standards, unless it is truly their nature, we are being extremely selfish and we are part of the problem.

I don't mean this in a mean-spirited manner, but some of you hardliners come across as steely and cold, as if rules are everything and people are robots.

Please. Rules forbidding abortion and birth control are not meant to stifle "fun". Such a simple-minded, Hollywood-esque understanding of Catholic teaching requires more instruction than I can give in this forum. I urge you to pick up a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and find out WHY the Church takes the positions it does.

There must be a happy medium somewhere in all this.

No, one can not compromise with error without adopting some of that error.

Don't you think that is the reason some of these priests go haywire in the first place?

Sure. Just like everyone else, they are steeped in sin. And just like anyone else, when a priest commits a sin that's so egregious, though he be forgiven in the next life, he must be expected to bear the consequences of that sin in this life.

Growing up in such a rule-laden atmosphere takes all the spontaneity and fun out of life.

Give me a break. As if it's not possible to have a "spontaneous and fun" life within the rules set down by the Catholic Church. Some of the most pious priests I know are extremely humorous, good-natured people. I'm sorry that in your mind, it seems that "fun" can only be equated with various kinds of consequenceless sex outside of marriage.

It is a beautiful thing to see Western missionary activity of the past in Africa now bearing fruit back here in the USA. Africa is now evangelizing us! Many of us are grateful to be served by priests who are doctrinally sound and holy men - a welcome respite from the insanity of many clergy in the US.

Amen! The result of a massive purge of homosexuals from the priesthood would not be hour drives to receive the sacrements, as Sinkspur claims. It would mean that the US would become a mission country served by priests from Africa, India and the Far East. Personally, I would much prefer this course to our present situation or part-time married clergy.

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