You're right, Kat - it's not right for a person in authority to have sexual contact with over-18 teens, and it's not right for a priest to make a pass at a woman. The policy in my diocese is a 6-month suspension for the first offense, plus extensive counseling - IF the matter does not constitute criminal conduct. Possible criminal conduct results in referral to law enforcement authorities. This policy has been implemented in a good number of dioceses over the last few years.

In most places, the "cover-ups" were not quite as blatant as the press makes it appear. Generally, dioceses did not furnish information to the press, and they contacted law enforcement only when it was clear that there was criminal conduct. Yes, there have been egregious cases like the Geoghan situation in Boston - but cases like this are the extreme, and they haven't happened all that often.

My friend was banished to administrative work for 14 years, plus counseling and extensive psychiatric examination before readmission to regular ministry on a restricted basis.

Yes, it is a serious problem, but it's something that's best handled in a non-hysterical manner. It's also important to note that many of the offenses recently reported, happened 15 or 20 years ago. Most Catholic dioceses have made a lot of policy changes in the last ten years, in response to reports that came out in the National Catholic Reporter and other Catholic publications in the mid-1990's.

It's important to put the problem in perspective - but that doesn't sell newspapers.

-Joe Offer-