There are some conversations that can only be had in person.
Or, at worst, via IM; some time ago I had a conversation with someone unfamiliar with the Church about the church’s leadership- he, like a lot of people, were under the impression that we get to choose our leaders- we do not.
The church hierarchy is like royalty- it isn’t genetic, but it is appointed and “Earned”. You can “Earn” a priesthood, but not a lot who “Earn” it deserve it. And the corruption in the church, right now, is at a high not seen since the days of selling indulgences- though now it’s bad in whole new ways.
The Pope’s new statement about celibacy of priests is an example of this. there are a bunch of people who suffer from the delusion that “married priests would be less likely to molest children”. This could not be further from the truth. A predator naturally puts himself in a situation where prey exists, and allowing him to be married changes nothing except gives him a cover identity. Plenty of married men molest children, sometimes their own. This is not about that.
Celibacy in the priesthood is not about that. The priesthood is a bloody difficult gig, and anyone who thinks otherewise ought to try to live that life for about a week. Most I know would be hard pressed to last a week
A diocesan priest has a family, and they can number in the thousands. he is responsible for all their well being, and it is a job that is emotionally draining, financially difficult, and doesn’t involve getting a good nights sleep very often.
Certainly there are plenty who do not do that job well, that is the way of the world. I cannot imagine a man trying to be a priest and also a husband and father, you cannot do both jobs properly, you simply cannot.
if you want proof that the Church leadership is disconnected from the real world, you only need look at this. And if you’re a praying person, pray. Pray that the Creator judges us not as we deserve, but with infinite mercy.
