How Recent Scandals Will Affect the Catholic Church

Recent scandals that have plagued the Catholic Church have caused such a stir among Catholics and non-Catholics alike that there is sure to be an adverse affect on the church as we know it.

Scandals of pedophile priests have plagued the church for years. Adults have come forward to talk about their experiences. The priests in question have been moved from parish to parish rather than be held accountable for what they have done. The crimes were simply swept under the rug.

Now, the most recent scandal involves the Pope of the Catholic Church, the one who is often called "infalliable". The latest scandal has revealed that he knew of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church and helped to cover it up.

All of these scandals will affect the Catholic Church in the following ways:

1)A drop in membership. This scandal is sure to result in a drop in membership for the Catholic Church. While it is true that every church has its share of pedophiles that are ministers, nowhere has there been the amount of cover up as there is in the Catholic Church. Rarely do we see the priest in question going before a judge. Now, the Vatican is working hard to shield the Pope from a lawsuit in regard to cover-ups of his own.
2)Unrest within the church. For those who choose to stay in the church, there is a growing unrest which will surely result in some kind of reform from within.
3)A growing lack of trust in the priesthood. For those who enter the priesthood, there is sure to be a growing lack of trust. Gone are the days when we trusted our children with the parish priest simply because he was a man of God. If the recent scandals tell us anything, they tell us that men of God can be pedophiles too.
4)More criminal prosecutions. With the recent scandals, there will be more criminal prosecutions of pedophile priests. Since the Pope is now even being questioned in regard to cover-ups, it will be more difficult for the priests to hide and avoid prosecution. Children will no longer feel the need to wait until they are grown to report incidences of sexual abuse at the hands of a priest.
5)Less men will be entering the priesthood. Less men will be entering the priesthood because of the scandals. Most certainly, any man who had hoped to hide behind the collar of a priest in order to sexually molest children will now be deterred.

The recent scandal involving the Pope of the Catholic Church is a blessing in disguise because it is finally going to bring reform to a church badly in need of change.