On the one hand, the US bishops conference is offering to spend thousands on a study of the causes of the Scandal. On the other hand, at their meeting this week they’ve avoided talking about homosexuality in the priesthood. Gee, more than 80 percent of the victims of clergy sex abuse were adolescent males. I wonder if there’s a connection.
Sounds like they’re doing all they can to avoid the big pink elephant in the sacristy. There’s general agreement from both liberals and conservatives that there are a lot of homosexuals in the priesthood, although there’s a wide variance in the estimate of proportions. Yet the bishops stick their collective head in the sand on the matter. In an 84-page document on priestly formation, there is one sentence on homosexuality that says the guidelines from the Vatican have to be followed.
Yet the only Vatican guideline is the 1961 document that says those inclined to homosexuality or pederasty should not be ordained. There is also dispute over whether that is a binding law or an optional recommendation.
