I believe it has to deal with the dogma going back to approximately the 4th century AD when Catholic priests were made to become celibate. Men have that need down there and it must be unbearable for some and they find some easy target like a boy. They resemble women because they have no hair and can easily be overpowered. That's one reason I am no longer a Catholic. There's 80000 other reasons but I don't have the time today.

Priests are men forced to get into a lifestyle completely against human nature. Sexuality is normal, Celibacy is not. Some of them can control sexual tension, others do not. It seems that many of them get attracted to minors, maybe because they think that minors are easier to control, dominate and make sure that they keep quiet and don't tell anyone. It is something bad,a tragedy that the Catholic Church should try to fight the hardest they can.

I seriously doubt that there are statistically any more in this than in any other given population.

I think it's mostly a combination of the fact that they have so much power over the people that trust them, and also the amount of sexual repression they endure. there's so many rules they have to follow, it sort of makes sense that a lot of them would explode violently from it.

I feel like they think they are less likely to be caught -- Though they all come in different shapes and forms - Not just priest -- Can be your/my next door neighbor

That's a really good question, maybe it's because they need to repress their sexual energy? One of my friends' father is a priest, and he raped her repeatedly until she was 17, at which point she told on him and got away, though he didn't get in trouble somehow.

I don't know about that. I've known a lot of Catholic priests. I mean a lot. And not one of them has tried to touch me or any of that. You'd think, since there's so many of them, that I would have run into one by now, don't you?

There are not "huge numbers." There are a few VERY bad apples, and they've been outed, and the repercussions have been far-reaching. Consider what the mass media likes to do with any scandal, and then think of the vast majority of priests who live good lives serving people who need them.

It seems like that because those cases are reported in the news more. It's a ratings war to get more viewers. What could be more gruesome and scandalous? Notice how they've made teachers having relations with students a focus? Things like that happen everyday... but because of occupation and social status, it's great fodder for the masses. Racists, adulterers, rapists, homophobes, and antisemites are around us everyday... but public figures like Mel Gibson, priests, Michael Richards, presidents, and celebrities make it easy to put a face to the incidents. They make it easier for us to judge... for us to think, "Oh, how the mighty have fallen".

I don't think it's so much repression (after all, they could have affairs) as it is that pedophiles seek jobs where they will have access to vulnerable children, i.e. priests, teachers, and of course - clowns.

Nobody suspects it

I don't think they are. I am not sure of the percentage of the general population are pedophiles, but I am willing to make a bold guess that the percentage of priests does not exceed it.

I don't know if it is huge numbers, but one is too many IMO. I think the main problem with the RC clergy is enforced celibacy. The Buddhist monks in Thailand are having the same trouble. Victims are beginning to talk and it doesn't look good, given that all young Thai men are supposed to spend time in a monastery. It is also a matter of what you can get away with. If your superiors are turning a blind eye, for whatever reason, the problem proliferates. We have had one order completely dissolved in Australia as a result of the accusations against so many of them. No occupation is free of it (I am a teacher and I know of teachers who were sleeping with their students). At the time, we could not do much about it, because the law was not backing us up (this was over 20 years ago), but the worst thing was that the principal and deputy principal knew and did nothing. Probably because it was male teacher, female students and the Old Boy's Club prevailed. But whether it be priest, or teacher, or doctor or whatever: if they are in positions of authority and trust, they should be dealt with more heavily, as their responsibility was greater.

Some very intensive studies and internal reviews of the Catholic Church show that the requirement for celibacy (which is unbiblical) puts an incredible strain on these men. One study found that the young men were recruited to the priesthood before fully developing sexually and before they had an idea of what it was they were giving up.

This is a duplicate question. http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/285120 I take serious issue with "so many," as I did in response to the earlier question. I despise the pedophiles, and condemn the cover-up, but there aren't "so many."

To put it bluntly - because they aren't getting any. It is completely irrational to expect for a man (or any human being for that matter) to go that many years without sex. Its not the way we're built.

I assumed that these priest are gays to begin with, and also they are sexually abused themselves. It is very appalling and I am glad that the media brought it out. Central Kansas

I would imagine that the priesthood is a good place for someone to hide any sexual improprieties...priests are not supposed to be sexual in any form I don't think. So they can hide behind the title.

well let's see, you tell someone NO SEX! for life and then human emotions and needs and instincts set in. do the math.

Just my theory - individuals with thoughts of pediphilia ether try to repel these thought that they know to be unpure by getting into religous professions, only to discover that they cannot control the desire. This "ailment" also is frequently seen in boy scout counselors, teachers, and other ministries that are not bound to celibacy. I don't feel that celibacy turns people into pediphiles or rapists. Just ask many middle aged men who have been married for 20+ years!

Because they use it to hide their true identity.

Because the Cardinals and Bishops are gay and they continue to perpetuate this sick brotherhood that attacks children!

I doubt if Child Abuse is any more common among Catholic Priests than among Protestant Ministers. However, since the Roman Catholic Church is by far the largest Christian Denomination in the World, it logically follows that it must contain more Paedophiles tan any other Church due to its size.

I have read that alot of the priests that abuse children, are aware that these feeling they have are wrong and there for alot of them try to become a priest, seek religon in order to over come their demons(so to speck)only to instead find them selves in a stiuation that allows them to take advantage of these poor children and abuse the trust of their church followers. I think these man should be exposed and have their dicks cut off.

Because celibacy is a curse and promoted by the great whore in the Vatican. My 2 cents.

How many are not? Do you have the numbers?

ignorant

I think there is something wrong to begin with in choosing to become a priest (where celibacy is required). Some of your answers...lmao

It could be because they know they can get away with it with impunity and the church will protect them

The rate of pedophilia among Catholic priests is about the same as in the general population, around 1%. I would have expected it to be much lower but I guess forbidding a person from participating in something to natural and neccessary probably has a deleterious effect on them.

There's not a lot, the bad part of it is that the church lets them retain their position if they've repented. They just move them to a new church and give them a do over.

No mention of Celibacy in scripture it is just by choice "let marriage be honourable amongst all".Heb:13:4 most biblical servants of God were married.They wouldnt be sexually frustrated if they took wives and ignored church policy.

In countries like the Philippines, priests are looked up to. So when they molest kids, the public looks the other way. And this encourages more pedophiles to become priests. When I was growing up, a lot of the altar boys were molested. Nobody would dare arrest a priests, lest they go to hell. The guilty priests know what they are doing is wrong, but they can always ask for forgiveness before they die.