UNITED STATES
Opinion Editorial
Kevin Roeten
If you’re convinced that the Catholic Church is THE player in child pedophilia, it’s time to get an informational overhaul. ‘AP’(2/4) “Chicago priest abuse scandal raises doubts about reforms”, unearthed deeply embedded feelings that need to be changed.
It charges new doubts about Catholic bishops to eliminate cleric abuse. Let’s make it crystal clear--anyone, including a Catholic priest, should be arrested and prosecuted to the full extent of the law for the heinous crime of molestation.
According to the best and most current study of this abuse, Pedophiles and Priests(Jenkins[non-Catholic]), there is ‘less’ likelihood that a Catholic priest will be a sex offender than a married man. First of all, most of the ‘alleged’ priests that do abuse, are most likely guilty of ephebophilia—a variety of homosexuality in which adults are sexually attracted to post-pubertal males(victims under 18). Pedophilia(abuse of a prepubescent child) has affected only 0.3% of clergy. Pedophilia occurs most often within families, where celibacy removes most Catholic priests from that temptation. From Jenkins’ survey it was found that 1 out of 2,252 priests carefully evaluated over a twenty year period was afflicted with pedophilia. It also found that about 40(1.8% of all priests) were probably guilty of pedophilia with minors at some point in their careers.