AUSTRALIA
Hurriyet Daily News (Turkey)
The Catholic Church in Australia on Dec. 12 said that obligatory celibacy may have contributed to priests abusing children, and recommended that clergy should be given “psychosexual” training.
In a landmark report, an Australian Catholic Church body dealing with the legacy of child sex abuse added that some church institutions and their leaders turned a blind eye to what was going on for years.
“Obligatory celibacy may also have contributed to abuse in some circumstances,” the Truth, Justice and Healing Council said.
The council is helping the Catholic Church respond to Australia’s Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, which was set up last year.
The commission is investigating widespread allegations of paedophilia in religious organisations, schools and state care.
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