Percy-L: Literary, Religious, Scientific, and Philosophical Discussion of Walker Percy

[Robert_Pauley AT oxy.com]

Is the incidence of cleric pedophilia any greater than in any average
sampling of adult male population? This seems important to know but I can't
recall any analysis or discussion of it. As for the church's response, it is
just about the same as any and every hidebound institution's response to
scandal throughout history, right up to Enron's denials and shredding
machines.  

It seems to me Percy's response would be both complex and morally clear. I
think he would understand the fact, pardon the vulgarity, of buggerers. As a
scientist of the human condition, he would note it as one more "covert
lewdness." I think he would point out the fashionable fallacy of the
"solution" of married priests. I think he would properly lambaste the
corpulence and arrogance of those Cardinal Bernard Laws who have spent far
too much time in sirloin and lobster dinners with the Church's sugar daddies
than in tending to their flocks. And I think he would reaffirm those things
of the Church and faith which are beyond the depredations of bad men. I've
never much cared for hypothesizing in this manner, but still I do it, and so
I welcome any challenges.  

R Pauley




-----Original Message-----
From: Karey Perkins [mailto:karey AT charter.net]
Sent: Tuesday, May 07, 2002 6:06 PM
To: Percy-L: Literary and Philosophical Discussion
Subject: [percy-l] Re: Was Percy ever involved in the debate on
molestations by Catholic priests?


My comment was more about the fact that married priests are the answer to
the "dearth of priests" that now exist in the American Catholic Church, and
the fact that many very qualified, quality young men who would like to be
priests are not choosing that profession due to the celibacy requirement, so
that there is now a crisis in the church when it comes to its leadership.

Pedophiliacs, as Wade had said already, will gravitate to any profession
that provides access to children.  Boy scouts, teaching, coaching,
priesthood.  (Whether or not these are married professions or not.)
Unfortunately, these are the professions (and those in those professions)
that we usually hold to be most admirable, because they involve mentoring
children.

KP

-----Original Message-----
From: Nelson [mailto:nelson AT newulmtel.net]
Sent: Tuesday, May 07, 2002 7:16 PM
To: Percy-L: Literary and Philosophical Discussion
Subject: [percy-l] Re: Was Percy ever involved in the debate on
molestations by Catholic priests?


>And, are married priests the answer, as might be the >logical conclusion
>given America's dearth of priests, the recent >pedophilia scandals,

I am a lurker mostly but this idea I have never understood. how would being
married cut down on child abuse in the church? lots of married men many men
in secular world indulge in pedophilia.

Thanks!
Ryan Nelson


--
An archive of all list discussion is available at
<http://www.ibiblio.org/wpercy/hypermail>.
Visit the Walker Percy Project at <http://www.ibiblio.org/wpercy>.


--
An archive of all list discussion is available at
<http://www.ibiblio.org/wpercy/hypermail>.  
Visit the Walker Percy Project at <http://www.ibiblio.org/wpercy>.