Nightline: The Priest's Story

Update: This got bumped for sniper coverage (though there wasn't another attack).

From the Nightline newsletter (which is worth subscribing to. In addition to letting you know what is the program, it is often almost like a mini-essay. UpClose which follows interviews Anna Quindlen):

TONIGHT'S SUBJECT: The Vatican has apparently rejected the policy put forth by American bishops to deal with the ongoing scandal of sexual molestation by priests. At the same time, the Vatican is also apparently considering a policy forbidding the ordination of gays as priests, even though they would be bound by the oath of celibacy just like any other priest. But there are gay priests in the church already, and tonight you'll meet one of them, and his parishioners as well.

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I feel like I am saying the same thing over and over again. But it's been a couple of days now since the last attack by the sniper. That's almost making people more nervous, waiting for something that unfortunately feels like it's overdue. We have people working on the story full time, and if there is another development, we will make that the subject of our broadcast. I hope that we don't have to, unless of course it is to report on an arrest.

In the meantime, other stories have been pushed to the background for a while. But the Vatican, and the church scandal, are back on the front pages today. As I said above, the Vatican is not going to endorse the policy put forward by American bishops to deal with priests accused of sexual misconduct. We have also been told that the Vatican is considering, but has not decided on a policy of banning gays from the priesthood.

But it's no secret that there are already gay men serving as priests. And they are caught in the middle of the other scandal as well. Many of the priests accused of sexual misconduct have molested young boys, but that is not true of all the cases. Some in the church have blamed gay priests, have said that is the root of the problem. But not all child molesters are gay, in fact the experts say that most are not, and clearly not all gay priests
are abusers. Nevertheless, that suspicion follows them.

Article Author: Steve Rhodes

Steve Rhodes is a journalist and photographer in San Francisco.

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