Alice, First of all, ease up. The question was put to me, on 'priests dealing with celibacy'...now of course, if a priest is going to break his vow, these are the readily available alternatives. Personally, I don't anyone should break any vow they take, including marriage vows!

Being as, according to what has been reported, many of the breaking of celibacy, has involved children...and the majority, are male children, which of course adds another twist....and, I was also, pointing that out.

Personally, if a priest, or musician playing music, or anyone, who is fighting breaking any form of concentrated discipline, their mind already isn't where its supposed to be! That is certainly the case of a priest, who may make a vow, younger in life, without fully knowing what he is affirming.

Actually, I could really get into a depthy post on that, and why they pick the victims they pick, but again, I would only do so, if somebody really wanted to know, because they care. I'm not into getting into a debate with someone, who knows nothing about the subject, and just wants to fight for fight's sake.

I re-read Jim Carroll's first post again, just to make sure, we were going in the right direction, and I can see his frustration, as to where the thread was going...and it did appear to go more in a direction, that I don't think he was intending for it to go. That being said, there is a similarity in the make-up, of a young idealistic man, who focuses in on putting his natural instincts on hold, while he focuses on his idealisms(read:religious 'calling'), only to find, one day he grows up, and with these newly blossoming urges, he is somewhat at a loss, of having to deal with them.

When later, he is a grown man, and now having to deal with these suppressed feelings, because he removed himself, in his youth, to pursue a life of celibacy, the disadvantage for him now, is that he 'missed' a lot of the 'normal' social skills and activities, that one 'normally' develops, when going through puberty, and into post adolescent maturity. Where did he 'leave off'?...when he was 'still a child'. Who does he target? Someone younger, who does not challenge him, or his 'prowess'...most likely, a child.

Where does he talk to the child?...He appeals to his naivete, that often the older, projects into the child, as himself...when he, himself was a young idealistic child. The priest may 'appeal and exploit', the child, to his 'sense of being holy' or just use the 'fear of God', to keep his victim silent.

The child now suppresses the acts, and/or the feelings he has about the acts, and continues to grow, into both puberty, and post adolescence...just like the perpetrator did. As the younger, now begins to deal with his guilt, conflicting with his own 'blossoming urges', he is now confronted with a 'new' conflict/tension which can become 'unbearable'. If he feels the conflict strong enough, he may open up, and that often evolves into going 'public' with it, which is 'why' so many wait for so long, and a great many of these cases, are made known, YEARS later.

The fact that many have gone public with it, also has created an atmosphere, that many feel is 'safer' to expose this behavior sooner. Why young boys? Because that is the 'easiest familiarity' that the priest can appeal to, and manipulate.

This is not altogether different, than what happens to young children who have a resentment(which becomes an 'emotional focus') toward one or the other parent of the same gender. When they spend years with that 'unforgiving resentment'...it becomes much akin to our young 'idealistic' candidate for the priesthood. (Use the model above).

If I go on much further, all the 'wacksters' will come out of the woodwork with their 'genetic' rap, with is a bunch of hooey, anyway. So I'll leave it at that.

Going back to our pedophile priest, being able to understand this, does not in anyway constitute rationalizing it away.,,or lessen the offense. It's just where it comes from.

Is it the concept of celibacy? Not necessarily, if the one who takes the vow, is truly dedicated to that kind of work, that celibacy now becomes a tool of freedom, to perform it.

Likewise, it can become a burden, for someone who really wasn't that 'ready' to make that kind of commitment, but rather may have been compelled by outside influences.

Hope it made sense to you...but I think in fairness to Jim, an explanation may have been in order.
Regards,
GfS