Mar 7, 2006

Cause and effect

The February 24 and March 3 issues of The Tidings carry a two-part article by Jesuit Father Thomas Reese, "Clergy Sexual Abuse: Facts, Myths and Questions." It is two years old, having run in "America" magazine's issue of March 22, 2004.

Father Reese edited "America" for quite a while -- until last spring, when he resigned amid reports of Vatican pressure for his exit.

Father Reese cites some stats from reports by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and the National Review Board for the Protection of Children and Young People. He calls it a "myth" that "homosexuality caused the abuse crisis." But he cannot come close to showing that.

And unfortunately for Father Reese, "America" magazine and The Tidings, the facts say homosexuality IS a major cause of the scandals. Just for starters: The John Jay Report itself said 81 percent of clergy abuse victims were boys.

Click on this post's title to see "Child Molestation by Homosexuals and Heterosexuals," by Brian Clowes and David Sonnier, in the May 2005 issue of the Homiletic & Pastoral Review. Among the many stats they cite are that "73% of all homosexuals...preyed on adolescent or younger boys" and that, even though only 2% of men are homosexuals, "around 25-40% of men attracted to children prefer boys."

Don't expect The Tidings to reprint that article very soon.

5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm shocked. SHOCKED, to find that there is a "thin lavender line" among the bishops of California . . . That's just WRONG!!!!!

10:35 PM  
Blogger Venerable Aussie said...

To Q: Please take care.

Your blog seems to have been taken over by someone who really is pushing you in a very different direction (as you know, I really used to enjoy reading your blog).

So to Kenneth Fisher: Re Pope Liberius and Athanasius:

http://www.catholic.com/
thisrock/1995/9511qq.asp

and

http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/
1994/9409fea2.asp

regarding the treatment of Athanasius by Pope Liberius:

"[he] had been made to sign questionable statements of faith while under duress."

Now that sheds a whole new light on the matter.

5:06 AM  
Blogger Venerable Aussie said...

And another thing, I was very impressed with Bishop Vigneron's interventions at the USCCB meeting in November.

Oakland is still in CA I believe.

5:08 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks Venerable Aussie....I was going to post something similar..but you beat me too it, and great point about the blog taking a different turn....I agree!

10:12 AM  
Blogger Quintero said...

Dear Venerable Aussie and Dear Anonymous,

No one's pushing. Lately I have felt like focusing on the right to life a little more. As we all know, there are lots and lots of issues in ole LA, and that one deserves lots of our attention.

9:08 PM  

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