[CWW]

You cannot extrapolate your experience and apply it across the board. By that same logic, I could say there is no problem because I went through Cathlic grade school, high school, was an alter boy, am a member of the parish counsel and board member of the catholic school bard and have never seen a single allegation or an act of misconduct by a priest. Furthermore, there is absolutely no empirical evidence to back up your charge that 75% of priests are gay or are pedophiles. In fact, the studies show the opposite -- its in line with the general population.

With respect to your individual experience, I am sorry that you are the victim of abuse. That priest should be in jail. But you cannot plaster the entire Church with the acts of the few. I hope that you find forgiveness in your hear and the God heals your very deep wounds!

[dmz]

But you cannot plaster the entire Church with the acts of the few.

Respectfully, I believe you are completely missing the point. The church leadership, obviously to very high levels within its organization, has conspired with the "few" to sweep these problems under the rug by paying off the victims. As bad as the actions of the few are (and they are horrific), they are equalled by the *actions* of the leadership, and I use the word action (not inaction) because the leadership has indeed been active in covering up for the homosexual rape of its young people. I find it stretches the limits of believability to suggest that all these archdioces were functioning in a vacuum, that they did not have a coordinated plan for dealing with the abuse allegations (given the consistent way the issue has been dealt with from place to place).

[Clemenza]

I don't think it is a high as 75%, or as low as the "general population" (about 3-5%). The best internal estimate I have seen was about 40%. The "lavandar mafia" has taken over seminaries and intimidated Orthodox priests into leaving. Remember also that a heterosexual priest who has issues tends to leave the Church and marry, while "Father Liberaces" tend to stay on and party.