Married Clergy may be part of the answer.

What's on my mind is the child abuse scandal in the Catholic Church. Leon J. Podles mentioned on Al Kresta's radio show that the cover up may have been a result of a lack of empathy for the victims. This is a claim that I am inclined to believe, based simply on my human experience. Mr. Podles went on to subtlety suggest that the involvement of more woman may be needed. I do not think that he was making a case for female ordination. It is more likely that he was suggesting that there be more administrative (and public) and, specifically, feminine light shone on the process . The implication is that woman would be more empathetic than clerical (and, incidentally, celibate) men. While, I think this may be somewhat more true than false, there is one particular aspect that is of specific interest to me.

What human institution has been primarily responsible for civilizing men and teaching them empathy; not to mention teach them that a diet should consist of more that Ramen noodles? These and many other societal benefits have been reaped from, you guessed it, MARRIAGE and the FAMILY. I believe that married men are much more empathetic that unmarried men. Perhaps, the Vatican should just drop the requirement of a celibate discipline and make it optional, for priests. I think there would be several benefits.

1) More men would become priests. If you doubt this, look at the high rate of increase of deacons, as compared with the decline in priests. Many of those who become deacons would choose to become priests, I believe.

2) There would need to be logistic changes that would allow priests to me more integral members of their parish. After all, their own wife and children would attend that parish. These changes would allow priests to stay at the same parish for a much longer time; perhaps their whole career.

3) The priesthood, generally, would get a substantial injection of testosterone. With this, the sodomite priest will be outnumbered and, perchance, it may be more likely that there will be less covering up as regards the child abuse. Remember, most accounts indicate that about 75% (there is some variance) of the child abuse cases are with post-pubescent boys.

Just a thought