In December of last year, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, California, settled 45 cases of sexual abuse by its priests for a total of $40 million.

Similar to so many other man-made regulations of the Roman Catholic Church, priestly celibacy entails many contradictions, much deceit, and often leads to complete spiritual shipwreck of its victims.

Several recent events have refocused the world on the Vatican's failure to deal with clergy child sex abuse.

While severely condemning sexual relations between people who are not married to each other, God explains that sexual contact between married people is not sin.

The cover story in the March 16, 2001 issue of the National Catholic Reporter described reports of nuns from 23 countries who have been pressured for sexual favors or outright raped by priests and bishops.

Sadly enough, the Roman Catholic Church fits the description "mother of harlots and abominations" as precisely as she fits the others.

Pope Francis says he 'learned with sorrow' about more than 200,000 children that have been abused by French clergy since 1950, but nothing has changed. It's all about optics.

Pope Francis invited three of the most vocal victims of priest sexual abuse to the Vatican for a week of testimony only after the uproar from his accusation of slander.

Catholic doctrine requires celibacy of its priests, but not chastity. There is a difference.

In January the Vatican issued new rules dealing with priests who abuse children.