A close friend of mine expressed an interesting observation today – Pope Benedict is visiting the United States, and all we’re hearing about is pedophilia in the Catholic Church. He was also saddened to hear a caller on a radio program say that as a result of the scandal, many Catholic Churches and schools have had to close.
Just for the record, I attended Catholic schools and churches from kindergarten through high school. I was never touched or treated inappropriately by any of the priests, nuns, or secular teachers. I never even heard of any such thing happening among my many Catholic friends, fellow students, and acquaintances. I owe my parents and the Catholic Church a great deal for what I consider to be one of the most valuable and lasting gifts I have ever received – an excellent faith-based education.
Sometimes, I think every non-Catholic in America believes that every Catholic was groped throughout his or her childhood.
I, too, am saddened to see all the good the Catholic Church has done over its many years completely eclipsed by the wrongdoings of several of its members. These individuals should be brought to justice, and I do agree that the Catholic Church has done a miserable job, especially early on, of admitting fault and righting its wrongs. But if ever there was a tragic case of “throwing the baby out with the bathwater,” this is it.
