The other side of the alter

The scandal of priestly sexual abuse in the Catholic church has made the public wonder: What are the lives of priests today really like? What are the effects of celibacy, loneliness, and obedience to often mendacious bishops? These are the questions that Paul E. Dinter answers in this account of priestly life in America. A priest for thirty years, now happily married and the father of two adopted daughters, Dinter is an ideal chronicler of the present generation of priests. These priests entered the ministry in the 1960s, inspired by the Second Vatican Council. But priesthood, and celibacy especially, proved to be drastically different than in previous eras, as the number of priests dwindled and society became more permissive. The priest, once a ubiquitous neighborhood figure, was a prisoner in an empty rectory, accountable only to the bishop. Many priests, feeling the rule of celibacy to be of little relevance to their ministry, began to act upon their sexual feelings. Some--perniciously--abused children. But Dinter reports on the whole range of priests and sexual experiences and also tells of his own grapplings with celibacy. He makes clear how intertwined are celibacy, sexuality, and power among the clergy today-and how much must change if Catholic priests are to regain the trust of their people.