Thomas Doyle Clerical Narcissism
Title: Catholic Church structure to blame for abuse in care, priest tells inquiry
Author: Andrew McRae
Publisher: RNZ
Date: 24MAR2021
A theologian has pointed the blame directly at the hierarchy and structure of the Catholic Church for abuse by priests.
Dr Tom Doyle, who is a priest, canon lawyer and addictions therapist, has given evidence to the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care in Auckland.
He said the so-called mystic aura of a priest had given him super human status.
Dr Doyle, who beamed in via an audio visual link from the United States, told the inquiry priests suffered from what he called clerical narcissism.
”It goes with the clerical faith, the clerical culture, because you are taught in the seminary that you are going to be above others who are lower people that have sex. You are going to be above them.”
Dr Doyle said rather than there being a few bad apples, the problem was the barrel itself – the church structure.
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