The recent pedophilia scandal that has tarnished the Catholic Church has caused grave mistrust of Catholic clergy and has evolved into often half-hearted and generally inconsistent, and sometimes misguided, measures to prevent more abuse. In the Archdioceses of Dallas, for example, priests may not be alone with children, even during confession. And, the bishop of Philadelphia has banned priests with so-called "homosexual tendencies." Though the former compromises the confidentially of confession, the latter is outright homophobic. To ban gay priests on the basis that they are likely to sexually abuse boys demonstrates a misunderstanding of homosexuality and its apocryphal relation to pedophilia. The terms "heterosexual" and "homosexual" are used to describe one's sexual orientation in relation to other adults, and does not apply in relation to children. A pedophile may bear no sexual attraction to other adults, and may be attracted to children of either or both sexes. Few gay men, and even fewer lesbians, sexually abuse children. It is a myth that there is rampant same-sex pedophilia by gay men, one on which the response of the bishop of Philadelphia mistakenly relies.

Rather than American bishops individually enacting responses targeted at their dioceses alone, a firm, overarching reaction is needed from the Vatican. Polls show that Catholics believe Cardinal Law should resign, and the Church should heed its flock in this measure, removing Law from office. Anything less than a definitive, strong response from the pope will likely disillusion more Catholics, and more drastically, fail to solve the problem of sexual abuse in the Church. It is necessary for any person to trust his or her religious leaders and for a community to protect its children; the lack of bold response on the part of the Vatican casts both the Catholic hierarchy and its priests under a suspicious light, obscuring the majority of clergy who enter in the priesthood with nothing less than good intent.