ABSTRACT
“The” cause or causes of the abuse of minors by Catholic clergy have been the subject of research, with conclusions sometimes drawn that are unwarranted. When causes are incorrectly passed over or are misidentified, the corrections that would be suggested will be ineffective. For example, mandatory celibacy among clergy has been too readily dismissed as a contributing factor, largely because of a faulty interpretation of data by the researchers who conducted the John Jay College research. I will be making observations of a critical nature before I begin making preventive or corrective proposals. We do not yet know enough for proposals to be definitive, so I will be pointing toward stratagems rather than confidently identifying them. Topics related to causality include the ecological fallacy, constant causes, probabilistic causes, thresholds, remote vs. proximate causes, and catalysts. Possible causal factors discussed will include mandatory celibacy and loneliness, clericalism and patriarchy as an element within that, intrusive governance and resultant powerlessness, youth counter-normative subcultures, a special clergy image, and avoidance of sexuality. Potential solutions include a married clergy, the ordination of women, less isolation and policing in formation programs, and the breaking down of special clerical images. The theological scholarship behind Church policies concerning ordination and homosexuality are evaluated.
