Not Saying the Culturally-Normative Things About Pedophile Priests

That prolific correspondent, Anonymous, left a comment on a recent post: one dealing with The New York Times' handling of the "actual EVIL perpetrated by representatives of the Catholic Church". Here's the comment, in full:

"I came across your webpage, and wonder if you'll ever comment about the actual EVIL perpetrated by representatives of the Catholic Church, or admit and hold accountable the MANY bishops and cardinals who PURPOSELY transferred the trash who violated all of these young CHILDREN?

"Notice the CAPITALIZED words; I followed your style of highlighting text that you thought readers might miss.

"Are you apologizing or rationalizing the investigations by the NYT? Yes, the press is one of the most important aspects of our culture and society, and without it challenging every part of our protected icons- political or religious, we are without a voice.

"Don't like it? Leave- and move to the Vatican City. Have a nice bunk mate while you're at it.

"I hope that il papa gets dethroned and defrocked for his misdoing and I hope that every single priest that is part of these coverups burns in hell AND EARTH."

Although I agree that evil has been done, I cannot wish that anyone "burns in hell" - out of simple prudence, if nothing else.
(More in "Hating People: Not a Good Idea" (January 22, 2010))
(And see Matthew 7:1-2, John 8:7)

I'm not surprised at Anonymous's response. Or at another, more reasoned, comment. I am a devout Catholic, and a convert to Catholicism. I learned the essentials of my faith before joining the Church, and have been trying to learn more since. One thing was obvious from the start: I could be a nice, normal American, or a practicing Catholic. Not both. (Don't get the wrong idea: as a Catholic, I'm required to be a good citizen. It's in the rules. (September 24, 2008))

Catholicism is quite counter-cultural. ("Being Counter-Cultural: I am Not Now, Nor Have I Ever Been, a Hippie" (January 12, 2010), for starters) If I'm going to follow my faith, I have to put up with being out of step with the conventions and mores of my culture.

Well, nobody said it would be easy.

After reading that comment, I realized that I hadn't compiled a list of posts in which I discuss the pedophile priests who have made such a name for themselves - and the Catholic Church.

Here's a short list of posts in which I have discussed the evil done by some priests. And what I regard as the malignant virtue practiced by many of the Church's detractors:

• "Pedophile Priests, Those Confused Catholics, and the Tolerant Press"
  (April 1, 2010)
"Pedophile Priests, 'Evil Pope' and The New York Times" (March 31, 2010)
• "Priests Behaving Badly, Ephebophilia, and Statistics"
  (March 25, 2010)
• "Saints, the Catholic Church, and Pedophile Priests"
  (March 25, 2010)
• "'Death Cookie' Comic: Seemed Like a Good Idea At the Time?"
  (March 5, 2010)
  • Mentioned in passing
• "Irish Catholic Church Meltdown: I'm Disappointed, But Not Disheartened"
  (December 23, 2010)
• "Pedophile Priests: In Ireland This Time"
  (December 11, 2009)

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More:

• "Pedophile Priests, Ephebophilia, and Facing Facts