Some say:

I left the Church because of the child abuse scandals.
I’m Protestant but will never join the Catholic Church because all Priests are gay or pedophiles

The fact of sexual scandals is heartbreaking.  

Catholics should apologize for the Church and pray

a) in reparation

b) for the healing of the victims

c) for the conversion of the perpetrators

https://www.catholic.org/featured/headline.php?ID=4632

Unlike other churches, the Catholic Church
 

1. Expelled all of the criminals

2. Paid compensations

3. Provided psychological treatments

4. Established zero-tolerance bylaws

 
https://www.catholicity.com/commentary/hudson/00197.html

Real stats

The Catholic Church in England and Wales has defrocked 52 priests for sexual abuse (2001-2014).

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-28466874

Pope Benedict defrocked 400 Priests (2005- 2013)
https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna54104012

Pope Francis defrocked 384 Priests (2013-2025)

https://grok.com/share/bGVnYWN5_fb8501a7-4899-410f-a283-438778b52395

Vatican expelled 848 Priests (2004-2014)

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/vatican-reveals-how-many-priests-defrocked-for-sex-abuse-since-2004/

The total number seems huge in the eyes of a small protestant denomination with few pastors but it’s a tiny percentage of the total number of Catholic Priests around the world: 848 / 406,996 = 0.2%

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2025-03/pontifical-yearbook-2025-priests-religious-statistics.html 

That means that for every bad apple, there were 500 good ones: "Throwing the baby out with the bathwater"?

 
That’s an overall number. Some dioceses or congregations have stricter guidelines and even lower rates.

https://grok.com/c/7734dd7b-9404-4ab8-8a5c-b4a2da84d06d

The way some anti-Catholic media attack the Church with disinformation, bogus studies and surveys, together with the widespread protestant and atheist slander, explain why some say that 100% of Catholic Priests (not 0.2%) are pedophiles or active homosexuals.

Compare 0.2% with:

1-2% Rabbis (severely underreported)

2-3% of U.S. Protestant clergy: underreported, only 12-30% of cases surface, and inconsistent tracking across denominations like the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), which alone documented ~700 alleged predators over 20 years.

1-5% of the teachers in US public schools.

10-20% of rabbis may engage in adult sexual misconduct (e.g., affairs with congregants), paralleling Protestant clergy rates

https://grok.com/c/cb30a2d1-d44f-414b-afbb-4fc13b713b57

Protestant abuse was 1000% higher than Catholic!

US Dioceses with public lists of expelled pedo Priests

2002 / Diocese of Tucson . 49 . https://diocesetucson.org/credibly-accused
2004 / Archdiocese of Portland (OR) . 13 . https://archdpdx.org/disclosure
2004 / Diocese of Orange . 16 . https://www.rcbo.org/disclosure
2004 / Diocese of Spokane . 30 . https://www.dioceseofspokane.org/list-of-clergy-with-credible-claims
2006 / Archdiocese of Chicago . 55 . https://protect.archchicago.org/about-us/archs-response
2006 / Archdiocese of Philadelphia . 45 . https://archphila.org/archdiocesan-offices/office-of-investigations/status-of-clergy/
2007 / Diocese of San Diego . 48 . https://sdcatholic.org/child-and-youth-protection/credibly-accused-priests/
2009 / Diocese of Toledo . 20 . https://toledodiocese.org/safe-environment/list-of-clergy-with-credible-allegations
2011 / Archdiocese of Boston . 171 . https://www.bostoncatholic.org/Offices-And-Services/Office-Detail.aspx?id=21314
2012 / Diocese of Rochester . 9 . https://www.rocny.org/clergy
2013 / Diocese of Winona-Rochester . 14 . https://www.dowr.org/disclosure-of-names
2014 / Crosier Fathers and Brothers . 11 . https://crosier.org/who-we-are/safeguarding-minors/list-of-crosiers-with-credible-allegations
2014 / Irish Christian Brothers (US Province) . 17 . https://www.cbcglobal.org/safeguarding/list-of-brothers-with-credible-allegations
2014 / Jesuits – Oregon Province . 20 . https://www.jesuitswest.org/our-story/protecting-children/list-of-jesuits-with-credible-accusations/
2015 / Archdiocese of Dubuque . 28 . https://www.dbqarch.org/office-child-youth-protection/list-credibly-accused-clergy
2016 / Archdiocese of Seattle . 60 . https://www.seattlearch.org/child-and-youth-protection/priests-with-credible-allegations
2017 / Diocese of Stockton . 23 . https://stocktondiocese.org/office-safe-environment/list-of-credibly-accused
2018 / Diocese of Buffalo . 42 . https://www.buffalodiocese.org/substantiated-list/
2018 / Diocese of Erie . 41 . https://www.eriercd.org/disclosure
2018 / Jesuits (USA East Province) . 50 . https://www.jesuitseast.org/transparency/list-of-jesuits-with-credible-allegations/
2018 / Jesuits (Overall US Provinces) . 89 . https://www.jesuits.org/our-work/safeguarding-minors/list-of-jesuits-with-credible-accusations-of-sexual-abuse-of-a-minor/
2018 / Diocese of Allentown . 37 . https://allentowndiocese.org/safe-environment/list-of-priests-with-credible-allegations/
2018 / Diocese of Arlington . 17 . https://www.arlingtondiocese.org/child-protection/clergy-abuse/
2018 / Diocese of Syracuse . 57 . https://www.syracusediocese.org/safe-environment/victim-assistance/list-of-clergy-with-credible-allegation-of-sexual-abuse-of-a-minor/
2019 / Archdiocese of New York . 120 . https://archny.org/ministries-and-offices/child-protection/list/
2019 / Diocese of Lafayette (LA) . 33 . https://diolaf.org/diocese-of-lafayette-priests-and-deacons-credibly-accused-of-abuse-updated-july-8-2022
2019 / Diocese of Trenton . 24 . https://dioceseoftrenton.org/documents/2019/2/List%20of%20Credibly%20Accused%202.13.19.pdf
2019 / Diocese of Columbus . 49 . https://columbuscatholic.org/chancery/list-of-credibly-accused-clergy
2019 / Diocese of Green Bay . 48 . https://www.gbdioc.org/protect-and-report/clergy-disclosure-list/
2019 / Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph . 34 . https://kcsjcatholic.org/diocese-releases-list-of-accused-clergy/
2019 / Diocese of Providence . 51 . https://dioceseofprovidence.org/list-of-credibly-accused-clergy
2019 / Diocese of Richmond . 42 . https://richmonddiocese.org/list/
2019 / Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe . 29 . https://www.franciscanos.org/safeguarding-minors/list-of-franciscans-with-credible-allegations
2020 / Diocese of Oakland . 23 . https://www.oakdiocese.org/victims-assistance/credible-accusations/
2021 / Diocese of Dallas . 17 . https://dallascatholic.org/list/
2023 / Archdiocese of Baltimore . 142 . https://www.archbalt.org/child-and-youth-protection/priests-and-brothers-accused-of-abuse/
2023 / Diocese of Brooklyn . 55 . https://dioceseofbrooklyn.org/protecting-our-children/list-of-accused/

Unlike other churches, the Catholic Church has strict “zero tolerance” guidelines about sexual crimes

The Code of Canon Law (1983), specifically Canons 1717–1731, 1395, and 1399, establishes universal penal canons for sexual abuse, requiring a preliminary investigation and allowing penalties up to dismissal from the clerical state; a bishop must report any allegation that is “at least possible” to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF). https://www.vatican.va/archive/cod-iuris-canonici/eng/documents/cic_lib6-cann1717-1731_en.html

The Sacramentorum Sanctitatis Tutela (2001, revised 2010 and 2021) classifies abuse of minors as one of the *delicta graviora* (most grave crimes), places exclusive jurisdiction with the DDF, and sets a statute of limitations of 20 years from the victim’s 18th birthday (extended in 2021). https://www.vatican.va/resources/resources_norme_en.html

The USCCB Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People (2002, revised 2018) introduced a national zero-tolerance policy: any cleric with a credible allegation is permanently removed from ministry; it mandates diocesan review boards (mostly lay), victim assistance coordinators, safe environment training, background checks, and annual independent audits. https://www.usccb.org/offices/child-and-youth-protection/charter-protection-children-and-young-people

The USCCB Essential Norms (2002, revised 2018), approved by the Vatican as particular law for the US, define “sexual abuse” and “credible allegation,” require reporting to civil authorities when mandated by law, and enforce permanent removal even for a single credible act. https://www.usccb.org/offices/child-and-youth-protection/essential-norms-diocesaneparchial-policies-dealing-allegations-sexual-abuse

The Promise to Protect, Pledge to Heal (2002) commits every US diocese to survivor outreach, healing services, and support funds. https://www.usccb.org/offices/child-and-youth-protection/promise-protect-pledge-heal

The USCCB Annual Audit Reports (2004–present), conducted by independent firms (Gavin Group, then StoneBridge), verify compliance; the 2024 report showed 98% of 194 dioceses/eparchies compliant. https://www.usccb.org/offices/child-and-youth-protection/annual-report

The Vatican Circular Letter to Bishops (2011) directed every bishops’ conference to draft binding local guidelines by May 2012, including victim care, priest removal, and cooperation with civil authorities. https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20110503_abuso-minori_en.html

The Motu Proprio Vos Estis Lux Mundi (2019, updated 2023) mandates reporting of abuse or cover-up by all clerics and religious, requires public reporting systems, assigns metropolitan bishops to investigate suffragans, imposes a 90-day preliminary investigation timeline, and applies even to cardinals and bishops. https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/motu_proprio/documents/papa-francesco-motu-proprio-20190507_vos-estis-lux-mundi.html

The Vademecum on Canonical Procedures (v2.1, 2022) provides a step-by-step handbook for bishops, defines a minor as under 18 (or a vulnerable adult), emphasizes cooperation with civil authorities and the presumption of innocence, and outlines due process in canonical investigations. https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_ddf_doc_20220606_vademecum-casi-abuso_en.html

Gay Priests

The Catholic Church bans gays from Priesthood: does not admit men with "deep-seated homosexual tendencies" or those who "practice homosexuality" to the priesthood.

https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccatheduc/documents/rc_con_ccatheduc_doc_20051104_istruzione_en.html

Conclusion

The Catholic Church is the most secure of all Christian churches, and the only one who’s doctrine follows sexual Biblical morality 100%.

If we stick to the facts of safeguarding, Christians parents should prefer for their children a Catholic setting than any other (schools, Sunday schools, camps, etc.)

The pedo-slander is a Satanic attack against Priestly celibacy.

Matthew 19:12

For there are some eunuchs, who were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, who were made eunuchs of men: and there are eunuchs, who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

Read the unanimous voice on Celibacy from early Christians: https://catenabible.com/mt/19/12

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My top article (in views 33k): double indulgence until Jan 6th

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http://www.catholic365.com/article/29922/the-popes-hidden-miracle.html

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Celiac hosts that are not capable of hosting Jesus

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https://www.catholic365.com/article/30567/virgin-marys-body-found.html

 
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