Posts

Linking Gay Priests to Sexual Abuse is “Discrimination,” Church Needs to Address Sexual Hypocrisy, Says German Official

A top church official in Germany has rejected claims that gay priests are a cause of clergy sexual abuse, saying such ides are discriminatory. He also said the church can no longer be hypocritical by preaching its sexual morality while knowing few practice it. Read More

Group Investigating Cardinals Says Rumors of Homosexuality Will Be “Noted Very Carefully”

A rightwing Catholic group has announced its intention to investigate Catholic cardinals ahead of the next papal conclave, saying it will be "noted very carefully" in reports if a cardinal is considered to be gay. Read More

Named Witness to Brett Kavanaugh’s Alleged Attack Blames Gay Priests for Sexual Abuse

A conservative writer named as a witness to allegations of rape by U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has previously blamed gay priests for clergy sexual abuse, an issue about which there are still many opinions among Catholics. Read More

Catholics Reject Bishops’ Claim that Gay Priests a Cause of Sexual Abuse

Yesterday, Bondings 2.0 covered recent comments by several U.S. bishops that strove to link homosexuality with clergy sexual abuse. Today's post offers commentaries from Catholics who either pushed back against such bishops or who have offered a more positive assessment about gay priests and the abuse crisis. Read More

Bishop: Gay Priests “Wreaking Great Devastation” in Church and Cause of Sexual Abuse

Right wing Church leaders are again trying to blame sexual abuse by clergy on gay priests and religious. One bishop has even suggested a 'homosexual subculture" is "wreaking great devastation in the vineyard of the Lord." But many Catholics have pushed back, rightfully acknowledging the positive role gay priests and religious have played in the Church while identifying real causes of abuse as crimes of power not sex. Today's post reports on the bishops' gay-negative statements while tomorrow's post shares several analyses. Read More

Issue of Gay Priests Is the “Elephant in the Sacristy,” Writes Theologian James Alison

Catholics in the United States are reeling after new revelations about sexual abuse that was systematically covered up for decades, including those incidents detailed in a Pennsylvania Grand Jury's report and allegations deemed credible against once-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, In the midst of this pain and anger, some Catholics have targeted gay priests and claimed homosexuality is the root cause of such abuse and maleficence. Theologian James Alison, an openly gay priest, responds. Read More

Cardinal Cupich: On Sexual Abuse, Clerical Culture, Not Gay Priests, at Fault

A top U.S. cardinal has expressed skepticism that gay priests are the cause of clerical sexual abuse, saying instead the problem is clericalism in the Church. Read More

Prominent Anti-Gay Priest Removed from Ministry for Sexually Abusing Patients

A top priest known for practicing gay-negative psychotherapy and as well as being a trusted consultant on homosexuality for the Vatican has been removed from priestly ministry over allegations that he abused patients while attempting to "heal" them of being gay. Read More

NEWS NOTES: August 15, 2013

Here are some items you might find of interest: 1) The principal of a Canadian... Read More

Australian Bishop Calls for Vatican III Council on Sexuality

Bishop Geoffrey Robinson, a retired auxiliary bishop of Sydney, Australia, has published a new book... Read More