Unacceptable no matter who does it (Paedophilia)

Michael Burke (Observer)

Paedophilia and wilful homosexual practice are sins and totally unacceptable no matter who does it or where it happens. The international media has bombarded us with cases of paedophilia among Roman Catholic priests in the United States of America, Ireland, Germany and Australia. Although it is an embarrassing scandal, many Roman Catholics are happy that our church is being cleansed by the exposure.

There have even been attempts to sully the name of the pope by accusing him of covering up such deeds when he was an archbishop in Germany. God alone is his judge as to whether this was so. Is this an attempt to discredit the pope no matter what he does or says? Who but the devil himself would want to do that, especially as the pope speaks in the name of Jesus Christ? But Jesus Christ did promise that the gates of hell shall never prevail against the church.

It is the duty of the media to report such crimes but there has been a general lack of balance in the international media reports. These cases do not amount to more than 1.5 per cent of the priesthood. Jamaica Association of Evangelicals President Peter Garth is reported to have said it is roughly an equal percentage to the ministers of religion outside of the Roman Catholic Church who are guilty of these sex crimes.

If there are a million Roman Catholic priests worldwide, 1.5 per cent is 10,500. That is enough to talk about one paedophile priest every day for 21 years and give the impression that everyone is involved. That is most unfair. Still, it is unacceptable no matter who does it. Some years ago, the Muslim Louis Farrakhan correctly complained about stereotyping Muslims as terrorists. He was correct to ask the question: when Timothy McVeigh was arrested in Oklahoma, why did no one said that he was Roman Catholic? Had he been a Muslim, we would have heard that before we heard his name.

The same is true of the Roman Catholic Church when it comes to paedophilia. Here in Jamaica, the names of the Protestant and Evangelical ministers of religion guilty of such acts are published and broadcast but seldom do we hear the names of the churches. When Roman Catholic priests are accused anywhere in the world, even if they have not been convicted (some have actually been found not guilty), we hear or read "Roman Catholic" before we hear the names.

In Africa, homosexuality is regarded as abominable. The fastest-growing church in Africa is the Roman Catholic Church. But the way in which the paedophilia reports are presented, one would believe that the Roman Catholic Church exists only in Europe and the United States. Actually, Europe is "post-Christian" today as many do not go to church and many churches have closed down. One statistical agency stated that 61 per cent of all homosexuals are white males. The majority of Roman Catholic priests in the world today are either African or Indian. Fiji has a Catholic majority.

In a news report in the Gleaner last Thursday, "Gays told to avoid Jamaica", we read that Jamaica is listed along with Fiji, Poland, Nicaragua and Mauritius as countries that are not friendly to gays. But only Jamaica and Mauritius on the list have majority populations that are not Roman Catholic. Poland is 88 per cent Roman Catholic and Nicaragua still has a Roman Catholic majority. And Mauritius which has a Hindu majority is 28 per cent Roman Catholic.

Number 2357 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church states about homosexuality: "Under no circumstances can it be approved." This is why the "gay lobby" targets the Roman Catholic Church, a fact unknown to most Jamaicans. Those who say that if the Roman Catholic celibacy law for priests were removed the sex crimes would stop should answer some questions. How is it that there are incidents of homosexuality among Protestant and Evangelical clergy who are all free to marry? Which psychologist says that homosexuality and paedophilia ceases entirely when people are free to marry?

There is no scriptural command for celibacy but there is certainly a scriptural basis, if we look at the life of Jesus Christ and many of the prophets as well as John the Baptist and certain scripture references like Matthew 19 and 1 Corinthians 7. But how can one knock celibacy yet praise the work of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, Father Richard Ho Lung, Father Gregory Ramkissoon and the Marist Sisters who eradicated leprosy from Jamaica? Could they be good parents and spouses while giving that painstaking dedication to their apostolates?

Concerns are raised that homosexuality is on the rise in Jamaica where only three per cent of the population is Roman Catholic. Other denominations are growing, Roman Catholic numbers are dwindling, but homosexuality is increasing although it is presented as a Roman Catholic problem. How come? Still, paedophilia and wilful homosexual practice are sins and unacceptable, no matter who does it or where it happens.

ekrubm765@yahoo.com