1. Many lifelong, multiple molesters are married men (e.g. Alfred Kinsey, Jerry Sandusky);
2. The Catholic clergy are no more likely to be molesters, than the clergy of any other church.
The total amount of pedophilia + ephebophilia in the Catholic Clergy amounts to less than 2 percent — comparable to the rate among married men. This was the research finding of Pennsylvania State University Prof. Philip Jenkins, eminent religion and history scholar, and a non-Catholic who’s studied the church’s abuse problems for 20 years.
Jenkins said there has been no formal study comparing denominations for rates of child abuse. However, insurers have been assessing the risks since they began offering riders on liability policies in the 1980s. Two of the largest insurers report no higher risks in covering Catholic churches than Protestant denominations (Jenkins, Pedophiles and Priests).
The idea that celibacy results in sexual abuse, has been debunked time and time again.
It may, however, explain some people's motivation in tirelessly trumpeting every allegation, proven or unproven, made about Catholic clergy, while maintaining a tight-lipped silence about every other category of clergy offender.
It would wrong to conclude that compulsory clerical celibacy causes homosexual or pedophile behavior, I agree.
It would not be wrong to conclude that the Church’s policy of compulsory clerical celibacy helped create an atmosphere and environment very attractive to homosexuals/pedophiles.
This was especially true back in the day when homosexual behavior was considered taboo and frowned upon-—not glorified and exalted in the popular media culture like it is today. For people who did not want to get married or date people of the opposite sex, no questions were asked if you joined the priesthood. And the way the bishops covered up the priests and shuffled the around, it provided a secure sanctuary for many deprived priests. BTW-—we cannot gloss over the magnitude of the homosexual-pedophile priest scandal. My own archdiocese was hit with a $660 million judgment which will impact us for decades to come.
Another factor contributing to the homosexual-pedophile priest scandal was the (now discarded) practice of recruiting young teenagers for preparation to the seminary. Individuals who were not sexually or emotionally mature enough to make such a decision or commitment to lifelong celibacy.
This has changed drastically in recent years though. Prospective candidates for the priesthood these days are carefully screened and must under go a thorough battery of physical and psychological examination prior to be accepted into the priesthood. According to our pastor, the average of an individual entering into the seminary today is about 35, many considerably older.