Changes

==Controversy==

==Controversy==

[[Image:Cerro_de_Angeles.jpg|right|thumb|Cerro de los Angeles, Madrid, Spain.]]

[[Image:Cerro_de_Angeles.jpg|right|thumb|Cerro de los Angeles, Madrid, Spain.]]

There has been much controversy in recent years about Catholic priests in relation to the abuse of children in their care. Cases of inappropiate sexual contact have been discovered in many churches across the world with many of the instances of abuse resulting in little or no repercussion for the priests involved.  In some cases, bishops were aware of the abuse but did not effectively deal with it, allowing the abusive priest to continue to remain in contact with minors.  Although words like pedophile were often used in the press, in truth 90% of the cases involved priests making overtures towards teenage boys, and not pedophilia.  It was a case of breaking vows and homosexuality.<ref>http://cc.msnscache.com/cache.aspx?q=72992710807995&mkt=en-US&lang=en-US&w=98cf251&FORM=CVRE4</ref>.  

There has been much controversy in recent years about Catholic priests in relation to the abuse of minors in their care. Cases of inappropiate sexual contact were discovered across many churches with many of the instances of abuse resulting in little repercussion for the priests involved.  In some cases, bishops were aware of the abuse but did not effectively deal with it, allowing the abusive priest to continue to remain in contact with minors.  For the most part the Catholic Church quietly cleaned this up internally in the mid 1980s.  The vasty majority of allegations of abuse that were discovered in the 2000s occurred before this time period.  Although words like pedophile were often used in the press, in truth 90% of the cases involved priests making overtures towards teenage boys, and not pedophilia.  It was a case of breaking vows and homosexuality.<ref>http://cc.msnscache.com/cache.aspx?q=72992710807995&mkt=en-US&lang=en-US&w=98cf251&FORM=CVRE4</ref>.  

On July 15 2007 in Los Angeles, the Catholic church paid a $660 million dollar settlement over a priest abuse scandal.  More than five hundred lawsuits dating back to the 1930's were filed in Los Angeles from abuse victims of over two hundred priests and lay people.  The U.S. Catholic church has paid out more than $2 billion in abuse claims dating back to 1950.<ref>[http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070715/la_archdiocese_070715/20070715?hub=CTVNewsAt11 L.A. Catholic church settlement]</ref>

On July 15 2007 in Los Angeles, the Catholic church paid a $660 million dollar settlement over a priest abuse scandal.  More than five hundred lawsuits dating back to the 1930's were filed in Los Angeles from abuse victims of over two hundred priests and lay people.  The U.S. Catholic church has paid out more than $2 billion in abuse claims dating back to 1950.<ref>[http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070715/la_archdiocese_070715/20070715?hub=CTVNewsAt11 L.A. Catholic church settlement]</ref>

Incidents of abuse are not unique to the Catholic Church. A recent article from Associated Press (June 19, 2007) reported that three companies which insure the majority of Protestant churches in America indicated that they receive 260 reports annually of young people being sexually abused by  clergy, church staff etc.<ref>[http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2007/06/18/80877.htm]</ref> showing that the issue of inappropriate relations is not limited to the Catholic religion.  There is a general consensus that this type of abuse is not a problem relegated to any church in particular, but a systemic societal issue.<ref>[http://www.reformation.com/CSA/AbuseNotSimplyAChurchProblem.htm]</ref>

Incidents of abuse are not unique to the Catholic Church. A recent article from Associated Press (June 19, 2007) reported that three companies which insure the majority of Protestant churches in America indicated that they receive 260 reports annually of minors being abused by  clergy or church staff<ref>[http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2007/06/18/80877.htm]</ref> showing that the issue of inappropriate relations is not limited to the Catholic religion.  There is a general consensus that this type of abuse is not relegated to any religion in particular, but is a systemic societal issue.<ref>[http://www.reformation.com/CSA/AbuseNotSimplyAChurchProblem.htm]</ref>

== See also ==

== See also ==