According to the AP Newswire, “the cost to the U.S. Roman Catholic Church of sexual predators in the priesthood has climbed past $1 billion, according to tallies by American bishops and an Associated Press review of known settlements.”

This disturbs me on many levels. As a child I was under the impression that half the parishes were on the verge of bankruptcy. Guess there was a little extra for a rainy day. In the second place this bothers me because the real storm hasn’t struck yet. A billion dollars is a lot of money, even to a trial lawyer or a Senator. In fact, it’s one of those numbers that draws sharks with pencils and spreadsheets and keeps them coming back like drunks at a pinata.

How much the Catholic Church really has, disposable or invested, is indeterminate. Presumably the Pope and the College of Cardinals know the true figure. It may be staggering, it may not be that impressive. What I do know is that in the tri-state area the Catholic Church owns some very valuable real estate. In fact, some of the cathedrals in NYC are on property only Bill Gates could afford.

Which brings me to a question. If the problem of sexual predators in the priesthood has existed for awhile, why is this a big media issue lately? I must assume that whatever drove men to do what they do now, drove similar men to do the same things generations ago. If it was kept quiet before what happened to that policy?

I don’t say this to belittle, vilify or demonize victims of sexual abuse. No one can know the trials and psychological burden these children suffered and must face. My point is that there’s been a major structural change in my lifetime in how society views this issue, a most profound shift. Discussions about this problem are starting to be OK in certain settings, and the Catholic Church, like it or not, is in part responsible for this change.

But is this their epitaph, or an unfortunate chapter in a two thousand year history?