http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8381119.stm

For centuries, the Catholic rule of "celibate" priests has attracted the worst sexual offenders, and due to the scarcity of straight men drawn to the order, the church has needed to shield these paedophiles from the law.

Until the church changes, its claim to moral guidance is the worst form of hypocrasy.

When will the Catholic church practise what it preaches.

It's time for the Catholic church to change?

Er...yes.

Ain't that the truth.

And absolutely, utterly and critically so.

Dear Shadow Minister,

A while ago I read the book by Paul Collins
called, "Believers: Does Australian Catholicism
have a future?" The book did not shy away from
the difficult questions that must be asked about
the church, e.g. the lack of effective leadership,
sexual abuse scandals, a drastic shortage of priests
and declining mass attendance, particularly by
young people, and so on.

However, Paul Collins, is optimistic, and I quote:

"Catholicism has remarkable staying power, an ability
to survive unmatched by any contemporary
institution. If you've been around for just on 2000 years
you will have learned a few tricks... This doesn't
mean that the church will be perfect or that parts of
it won't wither away and die, or that it won't make
mistakes... Catholicism has survived precisely because
ultimately it is adaptable and able to change. Often
this energy for change comes late in the piece when
everything seems to be in dire straits and it may
well emerge from the most unexpected source...the
Australian church is just the right size. Not too small
so that it becomes incestuous or destroys itself in
in-fighting, not too large so that it becomes impossible
to change."

"Personally, I am optimistic that Catholicism in Australia
will survive, certainly with lesser numbers, but with more
commitment and ministerial energy. But to achieve that
Catholics will require genuine local leadership and a
willingness to confront both the difficultires and
opportunities that the church faces. My feeling is that we
are uniquely placed in Australia to be able to do precisely
that."

The catholic church needs to come in line with its members.
What the church stands for and what its members are doing is two different things.
The sooner all religion is banned and abolished from the earth the better off this world will be.

I really don't see what business it is of non Catholics to tell them what to do. I personally left the Catholic Church many years ago when I discovered how unbiblical and its appalling record towards believers.

In saying that it is up to Catholics themselves to change. The child abuse issue goes across the Labour party, the artists, the Liberal party, the scouts, churches, sporting groups, the teachers, outback communities, family, the Greens homes etc etc. Making political mileage out of child abuse is in poor taste, Just as many Catholics would be appalled by child abuse than the rest of society and even more so then parts of the arts community who in the Polanski case defend it. If people are serious about reducing child sexual abuse they could target the perverted porn industry which is adding to an epidemic of child abuse.

I’ve got some encouraging news for all you church fans.
It seems that the Catholic church, along with other denominations, is digging its heels in.

The newly drafted Manhattan Declaration draws the line on:
The sanctity of human life,
The dignity of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife,
The rights of conscience and religious liberty.

These address, in order:
Abortion and euthanasia,
Same-sex marriage,
Human Rights Legislation.

They even implicitly advocate civil disobedience where secular law transgresses these moral imperatives.
Looks like they’re not going to just roll over and take it anymore.

Sign the declaration at:
http://manhattandeclaration.org/

Shadow Minstrel,
The facts on the child sex abuse scandal in the Catholic church are that it involved 4% of priests.
81% of the victims were boys.
90% of those were 11 to 17 years old.
Fortunately, the Catholic church now runs psychological screening tests to reduce the number of homosexuals entering the priesthood.