Psychiatrist Confirms Cardinal Bertone's Statement

Dr. Richard Fitzgibbons, a psychiatrist with extensive experience treating priest-abusers confirmed Cardinal Bertone's statement linking homosexuality with abuse. The cardinal's remarks have brough a tsunami of criticism from the politically correct mainstream media and the homosexual activist community.  A Catholic News Agency article covered Fitzgibbon's remarks. In part, the article reads:

A U.S. psychiatrist with experience in treating priests with pedophilia disagrees that there is no link between homosexuality and sexual abuse of children. “Cardinal Bertone's comments are supported completely by the John Jay study report and by clinical experience,” Dr. Richard Fitzgibbons told CNA. “In fact, every priest whom I treated who was involved with children sexually had previously been involved in adult homosexual relationships.”

Fitzgibbons, who has been the director of Comprehensive Counseling Center in West Conshohocken, Penn. since 1988, has worked extensively with individuals suffering from same sex attraction (SSA) and priests accused of pedophilia. He also presently serves as a consultant to the Congregation for the Clergy at the Holy See....

In his 2002 “Letter to Catholic Bishops,” Fitzgibbons identified priests prone to sexual abuse as having suffered “profound emotional pain” during childhood due to loneliness, problems in their relationships with their fathers, rejection by their peers, lack of male confidence, and poor self image or body image. Fitzgibbons said that these experiences lead priests especially to direct their sadness and anger towards the Church, her teachings on sexual morality, and the Magisterium.

He also noted that priests who have engaged in sexual misconduct with minors suffer from a “denial of sin in their lives.” “They consistently refused to examine their consciences, to accept the Church's teachings on moral issues as a guide for their personal actions, or regularly avail themselves of the sacrament of reconciliation. These priests either refused to seek spiritual direction or choose (sic) a spiritual director or confessor who openly rebelled against Church teachings on sexuality,” the letter said.   (Complete article here... )

Fitzgibbons also mentions the prevalence of narcissism in the West and its impact on priests. All anyone has to do to confirm that problem is spend a few minutes on Facebook where young people (and not so young people) post hundreds of photos of themselves often in provocative and immodest poses, not to mention posting updates on the minutiae of their lives.

The media attack on Cardinal Bertone is no surprise. It is part of the broader agenda to undermine the Church. It will continue until Jesus returns. The fact that so many members of the hierarchy have fueled the attack through their irresponsibility and, sometimes, downright evil actions, is no surprise either. Jesus had his Judas and there are plenty of Judases in the Church today.

Remember to keep praying for priests in this Year of the Priest, especially the priests wearing mitres and carrying the shepherd's crook.