Font Rants on Many Subjects

4% = 1 out of 25. From all the postulants who start, to those who train in seminary; watched by their spiritual elders and finally ordained and raised up to be fathers of the church; and 4% of those people will still molest you. Those are only the ones they know about.
In reflecting on these terrible numbers; I think back to the temptation of Christ; and how it speaks to the twin callings of all ministers. The first is the call to serve. I honestly believe that everyone who seeks to be a Christian minister legitimately hears the call to serve. The second calling is the call of power. I do not believe that those who come to be ministers do not hear this call. After all to be an ordained minister in the church in a powerful office. You are vested, and titled by the Bishop. You are held up in front of the congregation. You must have power to be a minister; and we must not think this power is necessarily evil. Power is a necessity of leadership. We ask our ministers to be leaders of our communion. We ask them to guide our spiritual lives; and trust them with our children. It is very easy to loose sight of the necessity of spiritual power; and trade it for temporal power and domination. So I think back to the temptation of Christ; where the devil tempts Christ before he begins his ministry. The temptation is for material power in this world.
These horrifying numbers; mean that too many ministers are falling into the trap of this temptation. I believe that the source of these perversions is not about celibacy, or other idiosyncrasies of the Roman Catholic orders; these perversions are found among all congregations. Abuse of powerless people like small children isn't about sex, it's about power. Its about becoming the great and powerful minister who dominates everyone. Often there is a pattern like the pattern one sees in all traitors. Some slight, or perceived slight occurs; and the traitor feels the need for vengeance; or control over the situation. Enter an innocent; or some opportunity for betrayal. Suddenly the traitor feels an opportunity to regain the power lost to the slight. The abuser gains the ability to regain their lost power. Then the terrible act occurs. Wash - Rinse - Repeat; a cycle or pattern emerges.
What can we do? We cannot get rid of priests. This would only make the problem worse. You would still have charismatic men and women leading the church; but it would be without any training or process. I do not believe we need an inquisition to root this evil from the church; we've tried that before and it failed. Perhaps all we can do is educate ourselves about the signs; and find the courage to take action when warranted. Though this seems like very little to do for something so terrible.