What if there were more woman priests? Clergy of all denominations are included in the ranks of sexual offenders, but the Catholic Church has a unique characteristic which also magnifies the issue.  It is an gender specific organization.   Gender exclusive organizations such as fraternities, gentleman’s clubs, sports teams, some military units, etc. often exhibit behaviors that would not exist in a co-ed environment.  Integration of woman, as equals, in any organization provides balance which might not exist otherwise.  So why not have women priests?

Accountability

The executive director of the Women’s Ordination Conference had an answer to the problem of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. “We believe that if women had a say in the church, if there was more accountability and more transparency, [then] the men would have been held more accountable.”

This is one of those changes that would be good for other reasons as well. Unfortunately, like many things that make sense.  They take far to long to implement.

Let us know if we can help you dealing with your family’s sexual abuse situation. For ideas to get started please check out our book on what to do during the early days after disclosure.