Still Running Off at the Keyboard

Catholic priests are emerging from dark days of the child sexual abuse scandal with a new sense of hope and accomplishment, according to a new survey that will be published before the end of the year.

The survey mirrors the sentiments expressed by three veteran priests of the Des Moines Catholic diocese, who spoke to the Des Moines Sunday Register about what it has been like to be a priest during the scandal.

The priests talked about feeling anger and betrayal toward abusive priests. They also were fearful that under the U.S. bishops' new zero-tolerance policy, they might be unjustly accused and removed from the priesthood. However, all said they have been buoyed by the support of their parishioners.

"It has been a very trying time to be a priest in the Catholic Church," acknowledged Des Moines Bishop Joseph Charron.

Dean Hoge, a professor at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., who conducted the survey as part of his ongoing research on the priesthood, said that although priests' morale has rebounded, they still feel stretched too thin because of the growth of Catholicism and a priest shortage.

"Priests today have higher morale than even 15 years ago, when we did the last survey," Hoge said. "Priests are appreciated and are experiencing support from the laity, and morale is gradually going up."

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