This is a very telling story... Despite years of evidence that priests one would never suspect of doing such things have, in fact, repeatedly done so, these parishioners ignore that history and the fact that their church has already chosen to settle this case. Have they given no thought to the possibility that they could be wrong, and in being wrong, have - yet again - hurt the innocent? Would any of these advocates perhaps be a bit more cautious and circumspect if it had, at one time, been their innocent young son molested, and all the trust of the priests and church had been deployed to protect the molester? Sober reflection, not seemingly arrogant "I happen to know better" emotional catharsis, is what is called for here.

"I don't care what anybody says,'' he said. "Father Lane never abused a child.'' The archdiocese acknowledged last week that it had paid a settlement of an undisclosed amount to a New Hampshire man who said he was molested by Lane as a boy in the mid-1960s and early 1970s. --you are standing in a Church run by people who monetarily admitted Lane did this...either he did, and you are wrong, or he didn't, and the Church is wrong. Either way you lose. That makes you a loser.

At some point in the distant future, irrespective of Father Lane's guilt or innocence (and, by the way, if you knew him he was a decent man), the parishioners of Roman Catholic parishes will demand priests who live with partners and families in a healthy environment and not in a brick building called a rectory where they are subject to antiquted laws on celibacy that were written for economic reason to protect church property. The Jewish world where Christ came from had has no history of celibacy. This is an invention that came after the death of Christ and the Catholic Church will be a stronger institution if if does not press this requirement on impressionable young men who then find they can not live like this and begin to act out their fantasies in unhealthy ways.

"People in the packed church shot to their feet, and crashing applause filled the sanctuary for more than a minute" Well it is what Catholics do best, sit, stand, clap, kneel, in unison when they are told without any thought. And of course they are in state of denial...they have never let facts and reality taint what they want to believe. Yes they were applauding...for themselves...as a way of trying to reassure themselves that they do not bear any responsibility as individuals for the pedophelia, mysogeny, and gay hatred, that has infested the church and mankind. But you can clap all you want....each one of you is responsible as an individual for the Church's crimes against decency and morality and humanity.