I imagine it more complex than desire vs opportunity vs effort.
The difficulty is though the average person would find the prospect of working with children pretty un appealing so anyone especially a male who chooses that path is likely to be suspect.
Thats likely to put a lot of well meaning people off.

By way of a balancing example- I was orphaned quite early in life and whilst not religious then or now I can now at least recognise how helpful the local vicar and his family was to me as young fella needing some support and guidance.

Without help like that and similar from local families, social workers and just random well meaning people ( the lady in the letting agents I’m talking about you) life would have been very different.

A lot of people were forced into the priesthood in Ireland. If your father had a farm or a trade typically the eldest son would follow that. If you were a second or third son down the line you’d be a priest. Super common.

Not saying that to paint them in a sympathetic light, just to point out it wasn’t really a choice many people made willingly once upon a time.

Also I would argue that abusing wouldn’t diminish their faith. People are great at rationalizing their desires. And don’t forget the sacrament of confession.

I’m surprised that there has been no mention of power in this thread.
Priests are, typically, respected – maybe not by their wider community but definitely by their parishioners – and this gives them both authority and power.
Most neither use nor abuse their authority and power but some do.
Any and every paedophile is a problem for society – as has been pointed out ^^^ this is not exclusive to the catholic church; the church are particularly culpable of cover-ups but they are not the only organisation to attempt to deny and avoid.
As for the link in Cougar’s post – some people are clearly deluded and serial deniers.
Such a concerning and depressing subject.

The difficulty is though the average person would find the prospect of working with children pretty un appealing so anyone especially a male who chooses that path is likely to be suspect.

🙁

Holy (erp!) sweeping tabloidesque generalisations, Batman. sports-coaches, paediatricians, teachers, care-workers, advocates, counsellors, yourh-club managers, charity workers, outdoors pursuit leaders, special-needs teachers and assistants, crossing wardens, etc, etc.

Some of the best and most upstanding people I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet have filled such roles. Many have been male. Can’t believe anyone actually needs to qualify this, if so then we are living in some dark times. The only abuse I’ve ever witnessed was in the Cadets (as a cadet). Steered well clear of the Forces from there onwards.

Is there a good reason why priests can’t have sex? Some biblical thing? Jesus had girlfriends, Moses hosted orgies, Noah dressed in women’s clothing for the bants, so why can’t priests get down?

Reason? We are talking about religion here.

Because they tried that already and they ruined it for themselves.

Ok, so reason was the wrong word, but why can a vicar get busy but a priest can’t? Isn’t catholic vs CofE pretty much the same thing? Maybe I’m showing my ignorance of religion slightly here.

And why do I find nuns so damn hot?

And why do I find nuns so damn hot?

For the same reason that pizza-delivery guys have mullet hair-styles and outsized genitalia?

Ok, so reason was the wrong word, but why can a vicar get busy but a priest can’t?

It’s to do with inheritance. If a priest has a family then their money will go to them. If they don’t then it goes to the church. Nothing to to do with the mumbo jumbo part of religion. Everything to do with the power and control part.

There are evil people in all areas of society, but the Catholic Church claims moral authority, and indeed moral superiority, and, as in the case of Cardinal George Pell, who is lurking in the Vatican rather than go home to Australia to face the music, it has failed to protect anyone other than themselves.

They should be better than the rest of society, otherwise where lies their authority?

Or they lose that authority which is happening/happened in developed countries.

And why do I find nuns so damn hot?

It’s probably just a habit.