The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #79882   Message #1454517
Posted By: wysiwyg
07-Apr-05 - 12:46 PM
Thread Name: BS: The Pope: Non-obit thread
Subject: RE: BS: The Pope: Non-obit thread
The link between celibacy and pedophilia in the priesthood is not about unfilled sexual needs turning deviant. It's about a situation (access to boys) attracting pedophiles to that career. The idea about ending the requirement about celibacy is that married priests are assumed not to be pedophiles. Of course that's not a sound assumption covering any one individual, but statistically it's thought to give a better chance of preventing abuse.

History Channel (US cable) has been running a wonderful series about the papacy today, called "Saints and Sinners." It's pretty good on abuses and excellence of the papacy during certain historical periods, FWIW. It's very interesting looking at the abuses in light of the history and trends of the times.

~Susan