@U S Spacy. - The confusion arises from not understanding the difference of the two professions. A priest is trained in matters of spiritual concerns. A psychologist is trained solely in matters related to human behavior and correcting measures. In the case of a catholic pedophile, the necessity of both is paramount. 
Yes, grace builds upon nature, and the moral virtues are the foundation for the theological virtues. We begin to practice the moral virtues by redirecting, disciplining and reforming our natural passions and concupiscence so they are capable of cooperating and corresponding with grace.
Priests are human also, and when they are dealing with any kind of emotional or psychological trauma or disorder,…More
Yes, grace builds upon nature, and the moral virtues are the foundation for the theological virtues. We begin to practice the moral virtues by redirecting, disciplining and reforming our natural passions and concupiscence so they are capable of cooperating and corresponding with grace.
Priests are human also, and when they are dealing with any kind of emotional or psychological trauma or disorder, a good psychologist can help them reorder their confused impulses by self-awareness, coping mechanisms, insights about their behaviors, etc.. Once these most fundamental foundations are addressed and healthier, then the soul can progress in developing the moral virtues and correspond with grace.
Priests are human also, and when they are dealing with any kind of emotional or psychological trauma or disorder, a good psychologist can help them reorder their confused impulses by self-awareness, coping mechanisms, insights about their behaviors, etc.. Once these most fundamental foundations are addressed and healthier, then the soul can progress in developing the moral virtues and correspond with grace.
At least he's taken the first step of acknowledging his sins! - For the next step, he should place himself in the hands of a good phycologist; and it goes without saying, he should avoid the occasions of sin, eg; Keeping well away from young people. I'm sure his bishop would ensure that be a requirement. A Monastery would be ideal for offering a life of prayer and penance. The road ahead of him will …More
At least he's taken the first step of acknowledging his sins! - For the next step, he should place himself in the hands of a good phycologist; and it goes without saying, he should avoid the occasions of sin, eg; Keeping well away from young people. I'm sure his bishop would ensure that be a requirement. A Monastery would be ideal for offering a life of prayer and penance. The road ahead of him will be long and arduous with no guarantee of a positive outcome! 
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Please pray also for his victims - he may not have physically abused other children, but the ones on those videos he watched were abused, and are still victims. Please pray also for his FSSP confreres. It must be quite traumatic to discover that one has been innocently working alongside someone who has been found guilty and convicted of such crimes.
I agree with all you say.
"he should place himself in the hands of a good phycologist;" I agree, but could someone wise please help me understand? I thought good psychologists should place themselves in the hands of good priests, not the other way around. Somewhere on the way we ended up thinking that the advice of a good psychologist is better for us than the advice of a good priest? How is that …More
I agree with all you say.
"he should place himself in the hands of a good phycologist;" I agree, but could someone wise please help me understand? I thought good psychologists should place themselves in the hands of good priests, not the other way around. Somewhere on the way we ended up thinking that the advice of a good psychologist is better for us than the advice of a good priest? How is that possible?
"he should place himself in the hands of a good phycologist;" I agree, but could someone wise please help me understand? I thought good psychologists should place themselves in the hands of good priests, not the other way around. Somewhere on the way we ended up thinking that the advice of a good psychologist is better for us than the advice of a good priest? How is that possible?
If the good priest I go for confession and direction puts himself in the hands of a good psychologist, what am I doing there going for advice to him? I should go to the psychologist directly :(.
The first time I heard the priest in the homily say that he did something good and decided to go to therapy I got confused in my head about all this. Call me old school.More
If the good priest I go for confession and direction puts himself in the hands of a good psychologist, what am I doing there going for advice to him? I should go to the psychologist directly :(.
The first time I heard the priest in the homily say that he did something good and decided to go to therapy I got confused in my head about all this. Call me old school.
The first time I heard the priest in the homily say that he did something good and decided to go to therapy I got confused in my head about all this. Call me old school.
One more comment from U S Spacy
In the end I would trust more the spiritual advice than the psychological advice. I believe that the first can fix the second but the second can only cover or patch the first. Of course that is just what my conscience tells me, I do not pretend to tell others what to believe.
@U S Spacy Please see my comment above on this. Grace builds upon nature and Priests are also human beings who may have had many life's experiences that cause a conflict emotionally and psychologically.
Before they can advance in the moral virtues sometimes all it takes is speaking about their moral struggles with a good Catholic psychologist . It's nothing to be ashamed of as our soul is very much …More
@U S Spacy Please see my comment above on this. Grace builds upon nature and Priests are also human beings who may have had many life's experiences that cause a conflict emotionally and psychologically.
Before they can advance in the moral virtues sometimes all it takes is speaking about their moral struggles with a good Catholic psychologist . It's nothing to be ashamed of as our soul is very much impacted by our nature and whatever traumas we have experienced in life.
When one's emotions and psychology are not healthy for whatever reasons life may have brought to bear upon a Priest then the first steps they should take is to heal those.
We go to God first, but often speaking with someone trained to help resolved such issues can be of assistance. So Priests may need to begin to work that out so they are more capable of advancing in the moral virtues and corresponding with grace in the later stages .
Before they can advance in the moral virtues sometimes all it takes is speaking about their moral struggles with a good Catholic psychologist . It's nothing to be ashamed of as our soul is very much impacted by our nature and whatever traumas we have experienced in life.
When one's emotions and psychology are not healthy for whatever reasons life may have brought to bear upon a Priest then the first steps they should take is to heal those.
We go to God first, but often speaking with someone trained to help resolved such issues can be of assistance. So Priests may need to begin to work that out so they are more capable of advancing in the moral virtues and corresponding with grace in the later stages .
@U S Spacy P.S. And you are absolutely right that in order to become and be a good Catholic psychologist who can counsel souls in the light of grace and the moral virtues, the psychologist should also put themselves into the hands of good Priests, and then recognize the limits of their own medical science and defer to Priestly guidance in matters more spiritual.