No..I don't think t he abusing priests thought God wanted them to abuse children. I think they did think He wanted them to make sure that the legacy of sexual repression was passed on..and that He wanted them to avoid contact with women at all costs because that was a terrible sin (including when married by the way unless you actively desired children each and every time, in spite of the fact that another child could kill the mother, leave 12 orphans etc..and this is not 1800s Ireland..this is 1960s Washington USA). This was the basis of our religious teaching. No sex and reproduce until dead. Somehow. Kill the mother in childbirth and the father from overwork in dangerous occupations.

Child abuse was what seeped out of that tradition. It is a by-product. The tradition is based on theology..and based on exactly four words in the Bible..be fruitful and multiply..no matter the cost to society, families, individuals, the environment etc. And I bet very very many of them thought they were being successful in avoiding the temptations of women. mg