Australian Catholic Church Report Suggests Link Between Celibacy and Sex Abuse
Published at
iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — A church document — for the first time — links celibacy to sex abuse.
A report by the Catholic Church of Australia’s Truth, Justice and Healing Council says, “Obligatory celibacy may also have contributed to abuse in some circumstances.”
The report, released Friday by the council tasked with investigating abuse allegations in religious settings, suggests some church institutions and leadership have neglected the issue of child sexual abuse. Now the commission is recommending that clergy members undergo “psychosexual” training to increase understanding of sexual behavior and development.
The report may put the larger Catholic Church under more pressure to reconsider the celibacy requirement, something Pope Francis has defended.
Follow @ABCNewsRadio
Copyright 2014 ABC News Radio