Radcliffe: misused power at root of crisis

Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, former master general of the Dominican Order, said the the clergy sex abuse scandal now rocking the church in Ireland, is more "a crisis of clerical culture" than it is a crisis of sexual abuse.

Radcliffe made his remarks recently before a gathering of Dublin priests, according to a report in The Irish Catholic. He added: "[I]t is a crisis of a clerical culture, [a culture] which lifts us [the clergy] up in our high towers, a whole understanding of priesthood so often in terms of power.''

Fr Radcliffe said: ''Most priests are holy, humble, unpretentious people but this is often in the face of a clerical culture, fighting against a clerical culture which values high titles and positions - your Eminence, all these ridiculous distinctions, right reverend, very reverend...this crisis may be the beginning of a profound renewal of the Church.''