A Non-Catholic View on Catholicism

One of the deacons from my church sent me an email titled "Jewish View on Catholics." My curiosity was piqued and I opened it, expecting a negative commentary on the Catholic Church.  However, I was pleasantly surprised at his support of the Catholic Church and I learned a few things myself.  He asked this question and then researched it:

 "Why would newspapers carry on a vendetta on one of the most important institutions that we have today in the United States, namely the Catholic Church?"  

Here are excerpts from an article written by Sam Miller in 2008, who is a Cleveland Jewish businessman:

Do you know- the Catholic Church educates 2.6 million students everyday at the cost ot that Church of 10 billion dollars, and a savings on the other hand to the American taxpayer of 18 billion dollars.  The graduates go on to graduate studies at the rate of 92%.

The Church has 230 colleges and universities in the U.S. with an enrollment of 700,000 students.

The Catholic Church has a non-profit hospital system of 637 hospitals, which account for hospital treatment of 1 out of every 5 people - not just Catholics - in the United States today.

But the press is vindictive and trying to totally denigrate in every way the Catholic Church in this country.  They have blamed the disease of pedophilia on the Catholic Church, which is as irresponsible as blaming adultery on the institution of marriage.

Let me give you some figures that he quotes from research done by Richard Blackman of the Fuller Theological Seminary , a non-Catholic institution, that he thinks every Catholic should know and remember.  For example:

• 12% of the 300 Protestant clergy surveyed admitted to sexual intercourse with a parishioner.
• 38% acknowledged other inappropriate sexual contact in a study by by the United Methodist Church.
• 41.8% of clergy women reported unwanted sexual behavior.
• 17% of laywomen have been sexually harassed.

Meanwhile, 

• 1.7% of the Catholic clergy has been found guilty of pedophilia.
• 10% of the Protestant ministers have been found guilty of pedophilia. 

This is not a Catholic Problem.

A study of American priests showed that most are happy in the priesthood and find it even better than they had expected, and that most, if given the choice, would choose to be priests again in face of all this obnoxious PR the church has been receiving.

The Catholic Church is bleeding from self-inflicted wounds.  The agony that Catholics have felt and suffered is not necessarily the fault of the Church.  You have been hurt by a small number of wayward priests tha have probably been totally weeded out by now.

Walk with your shoulders high and your head higher.  Be a proud member of the most important non-governmental agency in the United States.

Then remember what Jeremiah said: "Stand by the roads, and look and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is and walk in it, and find rest for your souls."  Be proud to speak up for your faith with pride and reverence and learn what your Church does for all other religions.

To read more of Sam Miller's article, you can HERE.  I tried googling to fact check the statistic of pedophilia related to Protestant clergy because it sounds too high to be believable.  I found various answers so needless to say, Satan is an equal opportunist when it comes to pedophilia in the different religions.

Blessings,

Noreen