I have just watched a really interesting interview on Dateline (SBS) tonight. See transcript at the following link:

http://www.sbs.com.au/dateline/story/transcript/id/600432/n/Interview-with-Father-Tom-Doyle

I grew up as a Catholic, although I now consider myself as a skeptic.
I still have many family members who are practicing Catholics and they are all upset over the current revelations of widespread child sexual abuse by priests all over the world, and the cover-up by their Catholic superiors, such as their Bishops.

Father Tom Doyle appears to think that the whole Catholic Church needs to be cleaned up, and it needs to start at the Vatican.
But who is going to police this clean-up? Who would dare question these men at the Vatican objectively?

The only satisfactory outcome as far as I am concerned is that all allegations of abuse by ANY Catholic Clergy at any time in the past must be reported to police now.

Until the allegations have been investigated, all the suspect Clergy must be stood down from any duties in the church.

Once tried and convicted they need to go to jail, just like all paedophiles, and be sacked from the church forever.

All Clergy from all levels who have been found to have covered up any part of any convicted paedophiles activities will need to be sacked from all church activities.

All people who have been proved to have been sexually abused by Catholic Clergy need to be fully compensated and counselled correctly.

Then, and only then, can the Catholic faithful believe in the goodness of their church fully.

Many Catholics complain that their church is not the only church whose Clergy have been accused of child sexual abuse, while other Church members say it is mainly the Catholics because their clergy are required to be celibate. But do all celibate people become paedophiles?

Others say that the accused Catholic Clergy are only a small number of accused paedophiles in our world.
However, most paedophiles don't also claim to be God's disciples on Earth, and thus less likely to commit such horrendous sins.

What are everyone's thoughts on this debacle

You're right on what needs to be done. The Vatican needs to open their archaic metaphorical doors and flush out the stinky rubbish that finds refuge in there.

I'd suggest they are paedophiles THEN Clergy, though. Criminals who use psychology as part of their tool kit to manipulate their victims are smart and quite obviously they've figured out over time that being a priest offers access to potential victims and protection - due to shame - from the outside world. Perfect set up for them.

Catholicism too - as I'm sure you know - is a strict religion and "being a good Catholic" is a family pressure where most who wouldn't go to church are guilted into it via tradition. My mind automatically goes to Italians of New York and their mafia where on Sunday's they're "good Catholics" because of their family but on Monday they're out selling drugs and killing.

If you're brought up that way with various social psychological malfunctions then that very emotional structure nurtures sneakiness. There's ENDLESS examples in literature and movies regarding sickos in Catholicism. And of course, it not only happens in Catholicism, there's MANY examples of different forms of predators gravitating towards, and using to their advantage, various social structures. This is why - IMO - domestic violence and child abuse is RIFE within insular communities.

I don't understand this though...

>>>"However, most paedophiles don't also claim to be God's disciples on Earth, and thus less likely to commit such horrendous sins."<<<

The approach you outline sounds fair and reasonable Suze as well as those followed up in StG's comments.

Celibacy in itself does not cause pedophilia (I wouldn't think so), perhaps it is more that those who are of a pedophilic persuasion are attracted to those roles of trust that bring them into contact with children.

Nevertheless I think the Catholic Church would be far healthier to allow married priests into the Church. Marriage is a normal part of life and would-be married priests (IMO) should not be discriminated against. Being married may give them insights a non-marriued clergy cannot have. This is not to argue that a single priest is in any way wanting, just that marriage in itself should not be a preclusion.

The Catholic Church could do worse than to open the doors to married people, men and women to join the priesthood.

It is not too late to make amends for past mistakes and to ensure history does not repeat itself.

The sexual abuse of children is horrendous and
intolerable and the failure of the church to
deal with it effectively has done immeasurable
damage to victims. The cover-ups,
the protection of abusive clergy and the refusal
to admit egregious mistakes are unjustifiable.
We haven't yet begun to calculate the damage
these crimes have done to people's trust and to
the reputation of the church.

The Catholic Church as a whole must accept its
collective responsibility for the sexual abuse
committed by its members.

Trust is going to have to be built from the
bottom up by bishops and priests before
their pronouncements on morality will be taken
seriously again.

StG, yes I agree with what you say.
When I made the comment (albeit poorly!):
"However, most paedophiles don't also claim to be God's disciples on Earth, and thus less likely to commit such horrendous sins.",

What I was trying to say was that the average paedophile (if there is such a creature!)is not putting themselves out there, as Priests or Brothers do, as God's representatives on earth and therefore should be beyond reproach as far as their behaviour is concerned.

As Pelican pointed out, these accused men had joined the Priesthood supposedly as good men who planned to bring the word of God to people, as well as to bring solace to all who go to them for help.

To then sexually abuse children in their flock is a very cruel offence, and a huge tragedy for all in their community.

I see this problem with the catholic church and others to a lesser degree as a structural and dictatorial problem.
It is structured from the top down. It should be democratic.
The Pope should not claim to be infallible. They keep changing the rules at the top to hold onto power more tightly.
The emotionally disturbed find sanctuary in these places.
To practice celibacy is un-natural and against the call of a healthy mind and body.
I surmise from this that the structure is riddled with child molesters from top to bottom and cannot investigate itself. that is the job of the law. Maybe they should hold a royal commission.On another note it should be stated that Religious organisations are private clubs and you don't have to be a member. A lot of gospels are missing, put them back.