Advent Group (UK)

Both Victims and Priests Admit that Priests Are Lonely

            Brunswick, ME—A recently released Special Report from CITI Ministries (Celibacy Is the issue) provides astonishing findings from a scientific study of Roman Catholic Priests conducted in 1997 (when priests were still candid), and a 1999 clergy sexual abuse Victim study.  The CITI Special Report reveals:

From the Priest Study:

•         Priests that were conflicted—attitudes and behaviors did not correlate.

•         Priests that were extremely lonely, suffering from lack of intimacy (a write-in response by 59%).

•         According to priest respondents, a hierarchy that ignored dysfunctional sexual activity unless it became public knowledge.

From the Victim Study:

•         Victim and priest perpetrator profiles that were significantly different from child sexual abuse victims and perpetrators among the general population.

•         While adolescent boys (i.e., altar servers) were primary targets for priests (93%), adult victims over 20 years old were primarily female (94.5%), ruling out a possible homosexual factor among abusing priests.

•         Victims that retrospectively indicated priests were lonely, correlating with the Priest Study.

A literary study investigates Intense Loneliness in general and in the priesthood. The church’s culpability and The International Criminal Court are also covered.

Finding God in the Pain of Betrayal

Part Two of the Report is for those whose spiritual world has been shattered by the church’s criminal actions involving millions of innocent children. There are inspiring words and suggestions offered by CITI and married Catholic priests. There’s a recipe for Rebuilding Your Spiritual Immune System, a testimonial to a Home Mass community in Bowie, MD, one of several throughout the country with married priests, and a list of married priests available for these and other sacramental and pastoral care.

            CITI’s Special Report includes excerpts from the book The Bingo Report, resulting from 10 years of scientific research on mandatory celibacy and clergy sexual abuse. In 1996, author/researcher Louise Haggett gave up a lucrative career to return to college and do the research.  “No one would touch it because of its controversial nature,” according to Haggett, also founder of CITI. “I had no choice. Kids were still being sexually abused by priests and no one seemed to care.” The Report is available for download at http://www.rentapriest.com/docs/CitiMinistries_v10hr.pdf. Hard copies may be ordered ($10 donation requested for printing and mailing) from the website or by calling 1-800-PRIEST 9 (774-3789).

#30 -- Contact: Louise Haggett, 207-729-7673