Press and Priests: Targets of Anger

Re “A Glimpse at the Mind of a Pedophile,� May 11: Thank God for the ever-vigilant press, which has so often of late pointed out a major problem in the Catholic Church: There’s a preponderance of sexual abuse perpetrated by priests upon their flock. And, if the deluge of journalistic evidence weren’t enough, we now have this article, with all its horrific prurient details, of yet another pedophile’s abuse of his priestly powers. You read the newspapers, watch the news and deduce that our children aren’t very safe in the care of Catholic priests. And, as much as we all abhor these heinous acts, we get the feeling that Catholic priests have cornered this obscene market.

As a practicing Catholic, I had agreed with very little that Pope John Paul II stood for, though I truly admired the man. However, when he suggested that the Catholic priesthood was being attacked disproportionately, he was right.

As a former seminarian with several priest relatives and even more priest friends, I have never come across a pedophile in the clergy. Of course they exist, as they do in our classrooms, boardrooms, temples and newsrooms. Yet I come away from your articles with a sense of unfounded shame and anger ... for my Catholic Church.

Was John Paul II right on this one? Of course. Is your journalistic policy reprehensible in this case? Without doubt.

Michael Augustiny

Altadena

One cannot help but read this article feeling a sense of rage inside. I ask Oliver O’Grady: What became of your vow of celibacy? It seems horribly obvious that you only used your position to satisfy your dark needs, never once considering the incredible damage your behavior would inflict on those young, impressionable minds. If there is a hell, you most certainly will be given a pass to the front of the line. I also ask: Who was in charge at the church and what were they thinking?

Dave Gunall

Ventura