Yuyutsu, the Catholic Church relied on God to deal with paedophiles within the ranks, but it seems he was asleep on the job and the bastards ran riot. When the perverted were "discovered" by the hierarchy of the organization, the stock response was to cover it up. blame the victims, go into damage control, disgusting behaviour.

At the first instance you bemoaned the fact Archbishop Wilson was convicted of a crime, based on the above. I applauded the decision, as it indicated that the hierarchy are also seen by the law as responsible to some degree for the actions of the perverted within. Good!

Now you are contesting the validity of society requiring those who have access to children professionally, through their work, or by volunteering with some organization, being scrutinize as to their past behaviour through the 'Working with Children Check'.

You say in responding to Josephus, //This is not something to be proud of - is there such a crisis of faith in your church that they no longer fear God and instead resort to the authority and methods of the secular regime?//

What would you have them do, nothing? I forgot, rely on the sleeping god. Free access for the perverted would again be the outcome. We had that, and look at the result.

Josephus, I am glad to hear your church has through both legal requirements, and voluntary action, put in place procedures that help protect the vulnerable from human predators.

I am not surprised that some Catholic clergy have attempted to avoid the Working With Children Check, by appealing to the exemption clauses within the act. In one instance, not that long ago, a parish priest of long standing at a church attached to a primary school, chose to retire on health grounds rather than be subjected to a check. Possibly it was a coincidence, I can't say, the man has never been convicted of anything as far as I am aware

Once I was a full on devoted born again, now it is my view no God ever existed,and seems pedophiles in Churches shared that view, if not how could they ever ever do that?punishment,well not one should walk free, but, if we are not careful and we must be, some will murder the victim to try protecting them selves from future arrest,

Dear Belly,

I agree with your observation.

Religious believers recognise that the worst possible punishment is alienation from God. God doesn't need to do anything because by performing sinful acts, people alienate themselves from God. This is true for everyone whether they are aware of it or otherwise, but if one is unaware of it, then how come they hold an office in church?

As for punishment, nobody can walk free while burdened by the heavy weight of sin.

---

Dear Paul,

I am not familiar with Wilson's case: if, as opposed to just saying nothing to the state-authorities, he actively covered up the case or blamed the victim, then this is indeed a disgusting behaviour. As a bishop, he should have comforted and supported the victims, then solve the issue - internally.

In the first instance, he should have instructed the offending priest(s) to wear at all times a special robe with a clear warning sign, front and back: "I am a sinner who is dangerous to children". This would probably be the end of that, otherwise further actions can be taken which I won't go into now.

Yes, neither churches nor others should cooperate with the state and rely on its mechanisms: this is not to say that they cannot solve the problem of child-abuse in other ways.

I wonder why the Catholic Church in Australia seems to have a majority of homosexual paedophiles in its errant clergy when according to the world news the majority in other countries are heterosexual?

Look while I feel about 30 I am 72 years old, my birth saw the Churches very much in control, it would have been unthinkable to not believe in God back then, COE was my birth Church but Catholics ruled,School home and politics,followed the faith till my mid 30,s but looking back wasted those years, faith, not race, has divided our world,some more than others and every faith is stronger in poorer country's,pedophiles infest any group they can be near children,did they ever believe in their God?

Dear Belly,

Religious institutions are intended to guide our spirit, not to control the world. Fortunately they no longer do the latter, not in Australia.

It would be rare and unlikely for a paedophile to plan in advance: "I see that there are kids in this organisation, so let me join them, pretend to share their beliefs, then study intensively for some years so I can be admitted as a staff-member, thereby perhaps gain access to children".

More commonly, a perpetrator is initially sincere and unaware of their dangerous inclinations, then faces temptation and slips, first only in thought and s/he hates it and even comes to hate her/himself for it, but then as the spiritual crisis deepens they gradually slip further and deeper.

A church may find it nearly impossible to detect a deliberate pre-meditated perpetrator early, but it should be equipped to handle, support and help out those within its ranks who face a genuine spiritual crisis, hopefully while their sins are still in thought only.

In her beautiful series "The Starbridge", Susan Howatch describes episodes of clerical sin and redemption through proper spiritual counselling within the Anglican Church, showing how a church can and should revise, renew and revitalise itself through the holy spirit. The stories are fictional, but realistic.

The books are:

Glittering Images
Glamorous Powers
Ultimate Prizes
Scandalous Risks
Mystical Paths
Absolute Truths

- warmly recommended.