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American Morning

Church's Policy on Homosexual Priests in Question

Aired April 24, 2002 - 07:07   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: The "Big Question" at this hour: How should the church deal with the issue of homosexuality in the priesthood? While the Vatican summit has brought a more open discussion of the sins of some fathers, questions of whether zero tolerance is the best policy and the issue of homosexuality in the priesthood are still the subject of very heated debate.

CNN commentator Bill Press spent 10 years in the seminary studying to be a priest, and he joins us now from Washington -- welcome back, Bill.

BILL PRESS, CNN COMMENTATOR: Hey, Paula. Good to see you again -- thanks.

ZAHN: Thanks. As you know, there are still a number of church officials that seem to think that there is a link between pedophilia and homosexuality. Let me put up on the screen something that Cardinal Maida of Detroit has said: "I think what the behavioral scientists are telling us, the sociologists, it's not truly a pedophilia type problem but a homosexual problem."

And this is what Bishop Wilton Gregory has had to say along those lines -- let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BISHOP WILTON GREGORY, PRES., U.S. CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS: It is an ongoing struggle. It is most importantly a struggle to make sure that the Catholic priesthood is not dominated by homosexual men. Not only is it not dominated by homosexual men, but that the candidates that we receive are healthy in every possible way, psychologically, emotionally, spiritually, intellectually.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZAHN: Bill, where do you see this debate going? Do you see a time when homosexuals won't be allowed to go into a seminary to study to be a priest?

PRESS: I think this is an entire effort to shift attention and to change the subject frankly, Paula. I mean, this is not a homosexual issue. It is not a gay issue. It is a criminal issue. And this has been an effort. I have heard it now for a long time on the part of conservatives, and these Catholic clergy are very conservative, to try to make this a gay issue, and I think that's very, very unfortunate. I think the focus has to be on crimes were committed, to hold the people who committed those crimes responsible, to hold the people who covered up those crimes responsible, and not to suggest, as they do, that all gays are pedophiles. Gays do not molest kids. Sick people molest kids.

ZAHN: But do you truly believe as long as celibacy remains the goal in the Catholic Church that you will continue to see these kinds of abuses?

PRESS: Absolutely -- absolutely. There is an, if not a direct link -- I am not saying that all people who are celibate certainly are going to be pedophiles. I mean, some married people molest kids as well. But when you limit the gene pool to people who are willing to give up their normal sex life, then you end up with a lot of people who can't handle a normal sex life, and they are going to prey on children.

The same thing about homosexuals. If they are concerned about too many homosexuals who are becoming priests, then it seems to me they should make celibacy optional and allow the priesthood to be available to men who want to get married, to women who want to get married or to gay people or lesbians who want to get married.

ZAHN: I'll tell you, you made some pointed comments about celibacy yesterday, and I want to share with you some of the e-mails those comments spawned. Let me put up on the screen an e-mail from Beverly O'Brallahan in Iowa City, Iowa. She writes: "In regards to your commentary on the root cause of pedophilia in the Catholic priesthood, I believe the gentlemen, you know, that white-haired, glasses, has some seminary background" -- that's you, Bill.

PRESS: That was me?

ZAHN: Yes. Said, "We need to get to the root cause of this problem. That is celibacy. What does celibacy have to do with the disease of pedophilia?"

And then, Joanne Lutica (ph) of Cambridge, Ontario writes: "Does Bill Press think that if priests were not restricted by celibacy, that these same priests would choose an adult rather than a child? If so, this is very naive."

We'll give you a chance to defend yourself here, Bill.

PRESS: Well, I will defend myself. For the first thousand years of the church, there were married priests. If you don't think a married priest can do the job, ask Saint Peter's mother-in-law. I mean, priests can be married. Priests can have a family, and priests can also serve their flock. And I think if you look at the empty seminaries today, if you look at the shortage of priests today, if you look at the problem of pedophilia today, now is certainly the time to say, shouldn't we make celibacy an option, not a requirement? And by the way, if people disagree with me, they also disagree with Cardinal Roger Mahoney of Los Angeles, who is saying that celibacy should be on the table, and the ordination of women as priests should be on the table as well. It's maybe not the total answer, but it is certainly part of the answer.

ZAHN: And neither of those subjects apparently broached during these two days' worth of meetings, but apparently he is going to bring them up at this bishops' conference in Dallas.

Final question for you about all of the confusion surrounding...

PRESS: Yes.

ZAHN: ... the zero tolerance policy. Alessio Vinci confirmed what we both have read in the papers this morning that even some of the cardinals attending these meetings say they are not clear on what the Vatican's policy is about allowing priests to potentially come back to the priesthood who have abused children. Do you think this is another example of what you said earlier was obfuscation?

PRESS: Well, I think so, or it's just confusion over the issue. I mean, let's face it. Priests and religious, I think in general, do believe in redemption. They do believe in absolution. So there are some people who are saying, look, let's give these guys a chance. If they confess their sins, and if they say they are going to do better, and they undergo treatment, shouldn't we give them a second chance?

I think the response to that is, again, we are not talking just about sins. We are talking about crimes. And let me tell you, teachers don't get a second chance. Doctors wouldn't get a second chance if they are accused of malpractice. And I believe the church has to come to the position that priests do not get a second chance, if they have been found guilty of molesting a child.

I believe it has to be a one strike and you're out policy, and that also should apply to Cardinal Law of Boston.

ZAHN: You want him out.

PRESS: I think he has got to go. If Cardinal Law is allowed to stay in office, the church will never, never deal with this problem. It would just look like they again -- they have once again swept it under the rug.

ZAHN: It's interesting, because Cardinal Mahoney, you raised his name as one of the guys who is believed to have told the "L.A. Times" that he, along with another cardinal, would seek the resignation of Law, and now, he has said in an interview that he is not going to ask for that. He said, look, I work 3,000 miles away from this guy, and I am not in control of his destiny. Do you think that's a cop out on some of these cardinals' parts?

PRESS: Well, let me say. Cardinal Mahoney, again, has said that they ought to look at celibacy, they ought to look at ordination of women. Cardinal Maloney -- Mahoney rather -- has a one-strike policy in the Diocese of Los Angeles, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Maybe there are only so many battle he can wage at one time. There are politics among the College of Cardinals, and I guess Cardinal Mahoney has just figured this is one battle that he can't win, so he is not even going to fight it unfortunately.

I think it was good for him to stand up and say as directly as he could that Cardinal Law has to go. I believe for the good of the Catholic Church, Cardinal Law has got to get out of there.

ZAHN: All right. Thank you, Bill Press, for joining us this morning. I can hardly wait to...

PRESS: I'd love to do it again.

ZAHN: ... read the e-mail you'll inspire today. I'll send it your way, Bill.

PRESS: OK, Paula, it's good to be with you.

ZAHN: All right.

PRESS: Thank you. I'll answer them.

ZAHN: OK.

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