Raised Catholic, educated in Catholic schools for 20 years, and now working in a large Catholic parish, I would like to offer a couple thoughts on the issue of pedophile priests.
First, I feel great sadness for all those hurt by priests who have abused children and minors. I am very close to one such victim, and I know that he still suffers from what happened to him years ago. I would give anything to change the past for him, and my prayers for healing go out to all victims and their families.
Second, I do hope that people are aware that for every priest who has offended so profoundly, there are thousands upon thousands of unsung heroes, priests and religious men (and women) who live, day by day, in service to God and to their communities around the world. They minister to families in times of grief, educate children who have no money, tend to senior citizens who have no family, take in orphans, provide care for people with AIDS, visit the lonely, help single parents make ends meet, provide beds and meals to the homeless, and never receive (nor ask for) any headlines.
