It is no surprise to those of us in alternative lifestyles that the Catholic Church turns out perverts. Those of us who like and enjoy the kinkier side of our nature may choose to thank them for this side benefit of a strict Catholic upbringing. When you repress sexuality, it finds interesting alternative ways of expressing itself.

Unfortunately, this repression has a serious dark side, and the worst of it seems to be among the priests themselves. It certainly is not difficult to accept that few healthy heterosexual men would choose the priesthood with its vow of abstinence, but the question remains, just who then is attracted to it? Not many, overall, as the serious shortage of priests indicates. Part of the more recent decline may be that gay men, who were so often attracted to the priesthood and its vows of celibacy as a way of dealing with their homosexuality, now find a more accepting society and less of a need to retreat behind the collar. Who then, does that leave?  

Apparently, a staggering number of pedophiles. In the just announced settlement with the Boston Archdiocese, it is expected that they will pay between 20 and 30 million dollars to the 86 people believed molested by defrocked priest John J. Geoghan. As part of that action, lawyers for the archdiocese have provided law enforcement with the names of 90 priests accused of molestation over the last 40 years. These are priests who apparently molested, but were never called to account by the church.

Across the country, an overwhelming number of cases emerge. In Dallas, the archdiocese paid $23.4 million to 9 alter boys. In New Mexico, the archdiocese paid $50 million to settle claims from 45 molestation victims. As part of a $5.2 million landmark settlement covering both Orange and Los Angeles County, Cardinal Roger M. Mahony has dismissed as many as a dozen priests accused of molestation as required by the settlement. The Diocese of Bridgeport, New York, admitted last year to sex abuse by six priests, paying undisclosed sums to 26 people who said they were molested.  It goes on endlessly, with the Boston Globe estimating as many as 1,000 identified pedophile priests. The Catholic Church has paid out over a $billion in settlements over the last 20 years.

That this can have gone on for so long, with the Church knowingly covering up for the actions of its priests, is beyond amazing. Can you imagine any other organization getting away with this? So far, there are few heroes. Church leaders have only taken action when absolutely forced by legal action.

A good case in point is here locally in Los Angeles. As required by the settlement, Cardinal Mahony has dismissed a number of priests. This is almost a year after he was required to do so in the settlement the lawsuit. This still does not bring him in compliance with a law passed in 1987 that requires priests (among others) to report incidents of child molestation to the police within 36 hours of learning of them. Mahoney claims he has turned over the required information, but not a single law enforcement agency in Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura or even Santa Barbara counties has any record of being given any information from Mahoney or Church officials, according to an investigation by the Los Angeles Times. 

Even though failure to report is a misdemeanor, it is unlikely that Mahoney will ever be prosecuted for breaking the law. He is simply too politically powerful. Its no news that the ambitious Mahoney thinks he is above the law, but who is he protecting by not turning over the information? Certainly not the children, who will face the rest of their lives dealing with sexual problems and loss of faith. 

These actions by Church leaders and priests are unconscionably perverted, but this should come as no surprise. The sex drive is a powerful one, and when you try to constrain it and repress it, it twists and turns into something often much darker. There is a sickness in the Church, and the root of it is the antiquated and destructive teachings about sexuality that are the greatest perversion of all. 
 
 

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