Let us explore for a moment the notion that the Catholic Church is a safe haven for criminals� if not a criminal organization itself, or at least an organization whose leadership engages in criminality.

Such a topic goes beyond the comfort level of some people because it is interpreted as an attack on religion, or specifically the Catholic Church. �People are entitled to their own expression of faith, to express God in the manner in which they choose, and if they do not want to acknowledge the existence of a higher power or Supreme Being.� With that said, religious organizations, of which the Catholic Church is an example, are merely social constructions, entities devised by human beings to meet certain goals.� No institution is sacrosanct and beyond the laws of nations.� There is no mysticism involved, no divine hand sweeping down to make the rules, just people with their selfish motives.� Their policies for self-preservation, including maintaining power and the status quo, may or may not coincide with the needs of their followers.� In fact, the followers be damned so that the corporation can remain intact.

The recent news coming from the Catholic Church does not bode well: when he was a cardinal, the current Pope refused to defrock a Wisconsin priest who molested as many as 200 deaf boys.� A priest faces extradition to Ireland for raping a 15-year-old boy 40 years ago.� European politicians are calling on the church to hold sex abuse inquiries in Ireland and Germany.� Germans want to know what the Pope and his brother knew about the decades-long abuse in an elementary school, including a German boys choir the pope�s brother once led.� And new abuse scandals also crop up in Switzerland, Austria and Brazil.� Once viewed as solely an American phenomenon, the problem is going worldwide.� The Vatican tells its bishops to cover up the sex abuse cases or risk being thrown out of the church.� Child victims are forced to sign statements vowing they will remain silent about the abuse they suffered.� Pedophile priests are not fired or turned into the authorities, but are transferred to other parishes, where they continue to prey on children.

In a game of bait and switch, the Vatican has pushed back at the criticism, attacking the media for a �conspiracy� against the Church, for focusing on allegations of the Pope�s role in covering up the abuse.� Meanwhile, those who themselves are engaged in a criminal conspiracy are in no position to blame their accusers of a conspiracy. That�s just getting to the facts.

Surely, some will point to the good deeds of the church, and good deeds exist, to be sure.� A track record of charity, of helping the poor and improving society exists alongside a troubling history of participating in slavery and colonization, and an indifference towards the Holocaust in Nazi Germany.� All institutions are human and therefore flawed.� But to whitewash a systemic problem of child sex abuse and pretend it doesn�t exist?� What is there to fear in the truth, and whose interests are protected by covering up the scandal?� The children?� Certainly even the most ardent parishioners cannot excuse the inexcusable, and must realize that there is no wiggle room when it comes to the rape and torture of children.��

I have concluded that any nonreligious organization with such a track record of abuse would have been indicted under the RICO Act a long time ago, for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization.� Racketeering, pedophilia, rape, assault, and criminal conspiracy to cover up all of the above�these are the things for which prisons were made.�

The Vatican and its agents are a major worldwide repository for child abusers and pedophiles.� Surely, part of the reason for this is the environment of secrecy and sexual repression.� Another part of it is a vow of celibacy that encourages an unhealthy attitude towards human sexuality.� And it always comes back to sexuality, doesn�t it?� A policy of homophobia forces gay priests to remain in the closet, in a church where a sizable proportion of priests is likely gay.� The church condemns contraception, an irresponsible stance given the rampant spread of AIDS in Africa and elsewhere.� And the subjugation of women allows an all-male club of crusty old dudes to dominate the Church hierarchy.� Certainly, one can envision a more open atmosphere if women were allowed to become priests and provide leadership to a church badly in need of new leaders.

The Catholic Church is hemorrhaging money because of the billions of dollars in compensation to settle the sex abuse claims.� And no one wants to become a priest for obvious reasons.� This is an anachronistic institution that refuses to change to meet the realities of a modern world.� Such institutions eventually die under the weight of their own irrelevance, intransigence and corruption.� And if their top priority is saving the church rather than saving lives, protecting children or weeding out the criminals in their midst, then it is a fitting demise, indeed.� Ultimately, those who truly care about the future of this or any other church should strive to change it.�

BlackCommentator.com Executive Editor, David A. Love, JD is a journalist and human rights advocate based in Philadelphia, and a contributor to The Huffington Post, theGrio, The Progressive Media Project, McClatchy-Tribune News Service, In These Times and Philadelphia Independent Media Center. He also blogs at davidalove.com, NewsOne, Daily Kos, and Open Salon. Click here to contact Mr. Love.