What Explains the Catholic Church's Silence on Child Sexual Abuse?

Religion and Ethics Report
March 1, 2017

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/religionandethicsreport/what-explains-the-catholic-churchs-silence-on-child-sexual-abu/8314992

The roots of Australia’s own Catholic funk are obvious – revelations from the royal commission into church and institutional sex abuse.

Over the past three weeks, the commission has heard that 1,900 church personnel were accused of abusing 4,500 children over 50 years.

Most cases went unchecked, no reports to police.

The silence intended to protect the church’s reputation.

But what if many priests and bishops stayed quiet because they were hiding their own sex lives? not with underage people but with consenting adults. Not breaking the law but breaking their vows.

The work of Richard Sipe has come up many times in the commission. The US therapist, writer and former priest has helped reveal the secrets that caused much of the sexual abuse crisis.