I hesitated to get involved with this conversation, but we, in West Palm Beach, are reeling under Friday's press conference by the local Bishop, who retired as news of his fondling a seminary student in the 1970's was published in the newspaper. During the press conference, he admitted that one more person may come forward as a victim of this bishop. It is doubly shocking because he is the new bishop, replacing the old bishop last year under the exact same circumstances!
Yes, it's publicized more because these men are priests and bishops, and as such, held to a higher standard. We also had a local minister and a rabbi in Boca Raton arrested for sexual abuse or soliciting sex from a minor. Both were married. So marriage isn't the solution.
I had two uncles in Catholic ministry. Uncle Bob was a priest, but retired and married (a nun!) and pursued work with the elderly. Uncle Ed was gay, and sought to offer himself in service to God, as it was illegal to be gay when he was a young man. He became a "brother," the modern term for "monk." Many other gay men served with him for the same reasons. Not only was it illegal, but their generation was raised to think their sexual preferences were evil and wrong, and they were ashamed.
I can honestly say that my uncle truly was a godly man, and I loved and respected him very much. His self-sacrifice and kindness exemplified the Christ he served. His ministry took him all the way to the Vatican, where he was privileged to serve the Pope. But during his years of service, he was given to periods of retreat and self-flagellation to purify himself of his sinfulness and shame, as was the custom of Catholic servants of his generation.
The local bishop confessed that he has also spent the last 30 years trying to atone for what he did to those students. Who knows how many non-heterosexual men and women have sought to overcome what they perceive and have been taught is evil by entering the ministry in whatever capacity or denomination, in order to purify themselves of their sexual preferences? I have compassion for these individuals.
Perhaps the problem as to why there are so many scandals is this: I suspect that pedophiles and other sexual "deviants" have chosen the path of ministry for the same reasons; because their preferences are still illegal, immoral, and unthinkable. Perhaps many of them try to overcome, but we always find out eventually about the ones who failed to overcome. Perhaps many of them chose ministry deliberately because of the availability of victims and the trust factor assumed because of their ministerial position. Whatever, the number seems to be growing year after year. I think these people do need to face responsibility and accept punishment for it, as my own childhood abusers were punished. (Not surprisingly, I found it easier to forgive the one who physically abused me than the one who sexually abused me.)
All the best,
Kyrila
