During a recent visit to this country the Pope apologised to victims of sexual abuse by priests. It seem that this problem is never ending. We now learn that one hundred and twenty eight charges have been made against a Catholic priest working at a Bathurst college and that a web of paedophiles was involved.
Sooner or later the Catholic church will need to address it's celibacy demand on the priesthood.
It is a simple fact of life that male human beings are not designed or wired to be celibate. Many priests manage to uphold their vows to the church, but sadly others are unable to resist their natural urges - and some are drawn to paedophilia.
A life in the priesthood is a calling that requires sacrifice. Those answering the call forsake many of life's pleasures and embrace a vow of poverty and chastity. Perhaps a further sacrifice may enable the ranks of priests to achieve absolute purity.
Maybe the church should consider the option of asking those ending the long process of training for the priesthood to consider the surgical removal of testicles before ordination.
This would indeed be a huge act of faith, but then again - it would enhance the vow of celibacy to remove body parts that have no further function in that person's life.
It is an option that would remove doubt from the minds of the congregation. A priest would be a person of complete trust. On the other hand - it would certainly reduce the number of young men seeking holy orders - but the church would be the better for quality over quantity.
The other option is to remove the vow of celibacy and embrace the notion of married priests.
The Catholic church will face ongoing sexual misconduct until it bites the bullet and makes a decision !
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