Stephen J. Rossetti

About the author: Stephen J. Rossetti is a psychologist and president of St. Luke Institute, a private Catholic psychiatric hospital serving clergy. He is also a consultant to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' ad hoc committee on child sexual abuse.

The Catholic Church has responded to allegations of child sexual abuse by priests in the best interest of children. However, the general public has a distorted and oversimplified understanding of the problem, which ultimately could put more children at risk. For example, contrary to public opinion, not all child molesters are pedophiles and therefore incurable. Most child molesters abuse postpubescent minors and can be treated. Knowing that many priests who have sexually molested teenagers can be successfully rehabilitated, the Catholic Church...