Do you disagree with my assessment that child molesting priests must go to jail and not retirement homes?
1. We acknowledge that we have failed all to often to adhere to the morality of the Church's teaching and to civil law in dealing with sexual misconduct of those who have taken the vows of our Church to serve Christ in the priesthood. We acknowledge that we must make whole all who have been victims of our failure as good shephards of the flock. We know that it is painful, but it is the Lord's will.
2. We will be far more vigilent in screening applicants to the priesthood, and will vigorously inquire whether by deed they have hewed to their vows, and that they have a sufficient emotional maturity to withstand the demands which we place upon them. We acknowledge that this may well exacerbate a shortage of priests, but we not not let that deflect us.
3. We will ponder and honestly in an open debate discuss the fitness of those with a homosexual orientation to be priests, with a view to minimizing the risk of trangressions which place the Church in both moral and legal danger.
4. We will endeavor to involve the laity in our deliberations, and vow that such delibertions will be open and candid, and open for public inspection. We denounce any actions which suggest any secretive or a defensive attitude on our part.
5. We are committed to personal accountability, and expect those in authority to prayfully ponder their culpability for the straits in which the Church finds itself, and will respect and honor those that chose to voluntarily resign their offices to the extent that in all candor they find themselves wanting. And we expect candor and honestly from those in whom we have placed such authority. To the extent we find them wanting in this regard, we will not shy from taking such actions as may be warranted.
6. We welcome constructive criticism, and will respond to it in good spirit, promptly and with candor, with the view that our foremost task is to regain the trust of those whose trust we have abused and violated due to our own moral inadequacies. We are but human, but as humans we are capable of redemption, and will endeavor to achieve it, with vigor, persistance, and humility, in hopes that the Lord will be generous and forgiving of our sins.
I know the cadences from a theological standpoint suck. I simply lack the skill here to manipulate the verbiage to my satisfaction.