I don't have the statistics on which religious
clergy has the higher rate of paedophiles -
Catholic or Protestant - and frankly - even
one is one too many. This is not a case of
"You've got more than we have."

The Vatican should definitely take a stronger
and more vocal stand on this issue. It should
be one of "no tolerance!" I can't understand
why it isn't. The Church of all places is
supposed to protect the young and the innocent -
and not condone and allow the abuse to continue.

It seems that homosexuality is frowned upon but
not paedophilia. One is an act between two consenting
adults, the other is about child abuse.

Father Robert Fuller - the priest who's the topic
of this thread - is accused of molesting
a 13 year old girl.

I can't help but wonder - where will this man end
up. At another primary school?
How long will people tolerate this non-action
from their Church?

So true Foxy, well said.
Somehow I don't think any of the usual OLO God-fearing contributors will be answering your questions.

Maybe new Priests for the Catholic Church or Ministers for the Anglican Church are so hard to recruit these days that any 'minor' indiscretions such as paedophilia can be overlooked or 'forgiven' in the confessional each time?

Suze:”I believe most children molested by Clergy are males?”

Yeah, but there are women around who ignore it.

“I haven't heard of any handouts of thousands of dollars given to young female victims that could be seen as dowry's by other pedophiles.”

It would be a bonus, young alone, groomed before, susceptible etc. These victims that don’t get the help or never admit anything was wrong + money (yep in the tens of thousands).

“I am sure that these predators aren't too fussed with money when they are preying on children.

In any case, why wouldn't these child victims of crimes be any less worthy of compensation than any other crime victims?”

I think everyone is interested in money but these girls who are on their own - they get it too young. Okay I am blithering about one situation that I know about. The girl will get it and be on her own in society way too young for the next predator that comes along or the same one maybe (depends on court) returns. This abuse was over years but not of a faith, although married to one.

What is the theory behind VC? What is the money for? It is a “sorry” from society?

"even one is one too many."

No argument there.

"This is not a case of "You've got more than we have."

Obviously not. However the solution is unlikely to be adopting the practice of groups with a higher rate of problem. I also suspect the married priest issue won't happen soon. The almost total marriage ban was introduced as a disciplinary measure after about 1000 years of married priests failing to abide by Jesus' call to make themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. I doubt that incidents like these would instil confidence that it is time to trust priests more.

"The Vatican should definitely take a stronger and more vocal stand on this issue."

Some choice comments have been made. However that doesn't mean the media want to publicise it. The Pope must have made a lot of public comments about a lot of things in the last 8 months however the last time I read something it was his politically incorrect comments about homosexuality to some priests or was that excuse for a SSPX Bishop issue around since then? I discovered the Pope's vow to "sweep the filth" out of the Church in a Wikipedia article not my local mass media.

"It should be one of "no tolerance!" I can't understand why it isn't."

Absolutely and at the top end the Church calls for it. The US Conference of Bishops actually used those words. The Pope describing paedophiles as "filth" is more expressive but he was expressing essentially the same thing. In 2002 former Pope Jon Paul II said “...The abuse which has caused this crisis is by every standard wrong and rightly considered a crime by society; it is also an appalling sin in the eyes of God. People need to know that there is no place in the priesthood and religious life for those who would harm the young” Was this quote published outside of The Tidings magazine which is just an Archdiocese newspaper?

At a local level however, as I think Oliver noted, the Pope's declarations can be sidelined in practice.

I could not let the thread slip away and die without one last comment.
When will it stop?
When will we stop it?
We can talk about the Catholic church forever, some Christians say its evil, maybe it is.
But every church yes I truly think, has its child molesters.
Maybe my age gives me a different slant, maybe my childhood was different, maybe but.
I remember the Catholic priests visit to the huge Irish family along side my huge C O E one, the bloke was an evil bugger looking over the fence and calling little kids heathens!
Yet he was protected by his cloths, too many police courts and every one, thinks being a man/woman of God is evidence they are better.
A prison, some uncomfortable one, should be set aside and filled with these grubs,
Yet we will talk on this subject, again and again, and children will suffer, do right now some place,
We fail them, we must truly do better.

Hey Belly, not just every church but every single profession out there.

It appears the church people are just more inclined to walk away from it. I’m guessing the various churches pay for the good (probably bad use of word there) lawyers?

They are “set aside” within prison, even the other grubs can’t stand them.

Society it seems has always failed the kids. Get out there and choose a kid, keep one safe. Be a really nosey neighbor and watch the little kids. People aren’t allowed to be nosey anymore aye where if more people were watching it might help.

Hey did you see that American movie about the pedophile who had been released from prison and he was in a flat opposite a school and he spotted another one doing some grooming. He had a probation officer that hated him. It was a good movie and he also met a young girl who was being molested.

There is another Movie called Gone Baby Gone and I would love to meet some people that have seen that because it really gives a weird slant to “doing the right thing” for a child.