SURVEY Sexual abuse

Darlene Torday of Berlin Center, a non-Catholic: Any priest, past or future, caught abusing children should be stripped of the priesthood. They are in a position of trust, and they have broken it by abusing a child. They should also not be allowed to continue in any position that would put them in the area of children. This should not be swept under the carpet as it has in the past. I do believe they need help, but let us not forget who the victims are (children) that expect the adults to protect them. All sexual abuse cases should be reported immediately to the authorities. The Catholic Church should not be allowed to handle it themselves. They have shown they will not handle it except to cover it up. It has not affected my faith, since I am non-Catholic, but I think everyone has to find themselves wondering if it could happen in their church, no matter what your religious beliefs.
Roger A. Beltz of Niles, a Catholic: As a lifelong Catholic and member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Niles, I feel that pedophilia in the clergy must be dealt with harsh legal consequences before this crisis reaches large proportions. Devout Catholics in the area have expressed doubts about the heads of their church, the priesthood.
Stu Mulne of Boardman, a non-Catholic: This is criminal behavior. You wouldn't be asking this question if it was truck drivers or grocery clerks. To hold a priest to some other standard is nonsense. In the absence of a criminal conviction, the church probably should have some sort of counseling services. In either case -- conviction or confession -- once guilt is established, at the very least such individuals should be thoroughly prevented from contact with potential victims. I'm not convinced that tossing them out the door is going to be to anybody's benefit except as an end to possible liability for further actions, and I wouldn't bet on that working. A crime is a crime is a crime .... report it. Let the police sort it out. Priests are human and subject to human frailties. If we forget that, we've got bigger problems.