Following direction from the Vatican, the bishops have asked Geoffrey Robinson, a retired auxiliary bishop of Sydney, to avoid their dioceses because of his “problematic positions” on priestly celibacy and other issues.

In his book, Confronting Power And Sex In The Catholic Church: Reclaiming The Spirit Of Jesus, Bishop Robinson argues that the church’s celibacy requirement has contributed to the sex abuse crisis. He openly criticises the papacy for failing to provide leadership, and wonders whether the church has been more concerned with managing the scandal than confronting it.

Well, the fellow makes a pretty good point, doesn’t he?  Celibacy is partially responsible for the sex abuse crisis in the church.  The papacy has failed to provide leadership, and they’re more interested in managing it than confronting it.  These appear to be more factual than opinion.

Let’s be serious here, folks.  While celibacy isn’t the only cause of this, when you put a bunch of grown men together and remove from them a biological imperative, you’re going to have some issues sooner or later.  This isn’t new.  And moving the offenders from parish to parish is simply hiding your head in the sand.