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Vatican Slams Sex Abuse in Other Religions

Pedophilia statement charges that most abusers are gay

By Jason Farago,  Newser Staff

Posted Sep 29, 2009 5:22 AM CDT
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(Newser) – The Vatican hit out at critics of its handling of the church's sexual abuse crisis yesterday, maintaining that most of its abusive clergymen were gay men and not pedophiles. The Holy See's UN representative cited "available research" that only 5% or less of its clergy were involved in child sex abuse, and that up to 90% of them "belong to this sexual orientation minority" attracted to teenage boys. His statement also cited a newspaper report that Protestant and Jewish communities also suffer from sex abuse.

The archbishop's statement concluded: "As the Catholic church has been busy cleaning its own house, it would be good if other institutions and authorities, where the major part of abuses are reported, could do the same and inform the media about it." Leaders of other religions regretted the finger pointing. "Comparative tragedy is a dangerous path on which to travel," said a New York rabbi.

Pope Benedict XVI delivers his blessing as he leads a ceremony to ordain five new bishops inside St. Peter's Basilica earlier this year.
Pope Benedict XVI delivers his blessing as he leads a ceremony to ordain five new bishops inside St. Peter's Basilica earlier this year.   (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Pope Benedict XVI waves to faithful as he arrives for his weekly general audience in Paul VI Hall at the Vatican earlier this month. In the background a Vatican Swiss Guard salutes him.
Pope Benedict XVI waves to faithful as he arrives for his weekly general audience in Paul VI Hall at the Vatican earlier this month. In the background a Vatican Swiss Guard salutes him.   (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 19 comments
MarkFL
Sep 30, 2009 10:37 AM CDT
Calling all Catholics! PLEASE stop being Catholic!
divetrader
Sep 30, 2009 4:01 AM CDT
Yep...roughly 22,000.
my-name-here
Sep 29, 2009 12:52 PM CDT
Of course they were homosexual...one who dedicates their life to Christ and is straight would never commit these atrocities...Good work Pope, rationalize the behavior of these criminals, keep hiding them, why handle the real problem? Keep blaming the symptoms on a group of people you don't like. Maybe the pedophiles will just go away and leave you and the poor church alone. If this were not such a serious subject, it would be comical.

 
Catholic Church • Vatican • sexual abuse • homosexuality • clergy abuse scandal • priest sex abuse • homosexual clergy • pedophilia • gay men

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