HRC URGES CATHOLIC LEADERS TO SPEAK AND ACT RESPONSIBLY ON ISSUE OF CHILD ABUSE IN THE CHURCH

Attempts by a Few Church Leaders to Scapegoat Gay Priests is Wrong and Takes Focus Off of Finding Real Solutions to the Crisis

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, April 25, 2002

WASHINGTON — The Human Rights Campaign spoke out today against Roman Catholic leaders who are acting irresponsibly in dealing with the current crisis of priests who sexually abuse minors. HRC condemns this attempt to sweep this tragic pattern of exploitation under the rug by wrongly linking the problem to the admission of gays into the priesthood.

"Reckless and hurtful statements by some leaders in the Catholic hierarchy unnecessarily harm gay and lesbian Catholics and dishonor the thousands of gay priests who have served the Church with honor and distinction," said HRC Communications Director David M. Smith. "These reckless remarks do nothing but create misunderstanding, and distract the Church from addressing the real issues at hand, which led to these unconscionable acts of child abuse and the Church's cover-up of these crimes.

"What Church leaders desperately need is reflection, not deflection of these difficult issues that confront them," continued Smith. "Solutions will only come through an honest, thoughtful and deliberative attempt to address the situation. The immediate answer is to root out abusers, plain and simple, no matter what their sexual orientation. We call on the Church to punish wrongdoers, without sweeping the problem under the carpet by blaming and persecuting innocent people because of who they are."

"The Church hierarchy is refusing to acknowledge their own failings in moving abusive priests from parish to parish, and protecting criminals instead of children," said Marianne Duddy, Executive Director of Dignity/USA, the organization for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Catholics. "And now the American Church has joined the Vatican in cynically shifting the blame to gay priests."

While a few Church leaders have linked homosexuality to the crisis, the research is clear that the sexual orientation of an adult is not a factor in the analysis of child abuse. The American Psychological Association, the National Association of Social Workers, the American Academy of Child Psychiatrists and the Child Welfare League of America all have policy statements stating there is no correlation between homosexuality and child abuse.

In fact, a 1994 study found that "a child's risk of being molested by his or her relative's heterosexual partner is 100 times greater than by someone who might be identified as a homosexual."¹ (Carole Jenny et al.)

"What is particularly painful is that using gay priests as scapegoats is a smokescreen that may be allowing Church officials to avoid dealing with numerous types of abusive situations," said Smith. In 2001, two Catholic organizations — Caritas International and the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development — released reports citing widespread sexual abuse of nuns in Africa by priests. According to the reports, female members of religious orders were frequently "seduced, sexually exploited and raped" by priests and missionaries. There were also reported abuses of nuns by priests in Brazil, Columbia, India, Ireland, Italy, New Guinea, the Philippines and the United States, according to a nun who compiled one of the reports.

"All abuse is wrong, regardless of the sexual orientation of the perpetrators, and should be punished without a double standard singling out gay priests," added Smith.

A few church leaders, following a meeting in Rome with the pope, made unfortunate and irresponsible statements partially blaming gay priests for the scandals. At a press briefing on April 23, Bishop Wilton D. Gregory, head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said: "One of the difficulties we do face in seminary life or recruitment is made possible when there does exist a homosexual atmosphere or dynamic that makes heterosexual men think twice" about entering because of fear of harassment. "It's an ongoing struggle to make sure the Catholic priesthood is not dominated by homosexual men."

In talking about their meeting with the pope, Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick of Washington said, "People mentioned problems in society. One was sexual permissiveness. One was homosexuality. One was lack of commitment."

The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian and gay political organization, with members throughout the country. It effectively lobbies Congress, provides campaign support and educates the public to ensure that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community.