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Yes, the interesting thing is that this problem existed even before Vatican 2. However, having attended Catholic grammar school, high school and college, I did not see this as a big problem in the 50s and 60s. Although, I do suspect one of our parish priests was "sent away" due to possible sex abuse.

After Vatican 2, things chaged radically. So many of the Christian Brothers I had in high school and college left the order and got married. Many of them are still active with the brothers and have their own society. These men were wonderful, caring people who cared for and educated us. It was a tragedy to see them leave the order.

So much changed after Vatican 2. Some changes were for the better, but others have been disasterous. Today, we have a priesthood, brotherhood and sisterhood, each of which is full of aging religious. I think the average age of the US nun is 67.

The US Catholic Church is the strongest Catholic Church in the world due to its membership. Yet, we are governed by the leaders in the Vatican who bear little cultural resemblence to us. It is past time for the Church to allow priests to marry. After all, there are married priests in the Roman Catholic Church (Episcopal converts) and the Eastern Rites allow marriage.

Further, if we are allowing girls to be altar servers, then why not women priests. Historically, altar servers have been a key source of vocations. If girs cannot become priests, then every girl who is an altar server is replacing a boy who has the potential to join the priesthood.

I agree with you that a lot of changes have been for the better. Not growing up Catholic, I respected the catholic clergy and perceived them as almost squeaky clean. It is hard to let go and admit that more married priests might help alleviate the problem. There is a mystique about the priesthood, a lot of it misplaced. Priests feel they are placed on a pedestal and cannot possibly live up to all that is hoped for and expected from them. I think that is why the hardliners cling so to not wanting a married clergy.

I still don't want women priests. Can you imagine going to someone like Dr. Laura for confession? ;-).

I think the church has already caved in to women and has welcomed them as window dressing so they can say to the world, "See, we like women and want to work with them." What I have seen is that many, many of these women are on ego trips and power hungry. Some are compensated with salaries and others must serve for nothing. They will never be satisfied and the competition between them is already out of the ball park to get recognition and prized parish positions.

The dichotomy between what I feel about womens' status and being allowed in the priesthood really doesn't square very well. It's a visceral thing with me, I guess. You want to go to a man for confession but you want to go to a woman for intimate personal issues.

As to altar servers, maybe they should have limited that to adults. It appears the reason boy altar servers were instituted was solely to groom young boys to want to become priests. I don't believe young boys serve in the Orthodox church. Which is neither here nor there but it seems to be a tradition, small t, that has developed in the west.