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A prominent Catholic priest is facing the wrath of the masses after recent comments he made in an interview on EWTN, effectively blaming the victims of sexual abuse by clergy.
"Suppose you have a man having a nervous breakdown, and a youngster comes after him," said Father Benedict Groeschel. "A lot of the cases, the youngster—14, 16, 18—is the seducer... A kid looking for a father and didn't have his own... It's an understandable thing, and you know where you find it, among other clergy or important people; you look at teachers, attorneys, judges, social workers."
Father Groeschel even seemed to express sympathy for pedophiles, referring to Jerry Sandusky as "this poor guy."
Although the The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (the religious order to which Groeschel belongs) apologized in a statement, calling Groeschel's comments "inappropriate and untrue," the Catholic Church has issued no form of disciplinary action.
"I can't help but wonder how many lines he's crossed and who he's damaged in his days," wrote a commenter named Joy J. "Any sane person wouldn't call a pedophile a 'poor man' or play down a victim of sexual abuse as a 'consenting adult.' I don't think the Catholic church, or any religion should be allowed to hide behind their leaders. If you commit a crime, it's no longer in the hands of the church, but the law of the state. Yes, God will judge them in heaven, but that doesn't mean their [sic] exempt from the laws of man."
More disturbing than Groeschel's comments, perhaps, is the fact that The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal have since attempted to justify the priest's comments as being a result of possible brain trauma due to a car accident that took place seven years ago and left him with cognitive difficulties which affect his ability to communicate effectively.
The plug has since been pulled on Groeschel's Sunday evening show.
Think this priest had the most progressive idea by far... Would a lift on celibacy curb pedophilia?