Tom McMahon's commentary today explains the difficulty in discussing the clerical abuse issie. Not so much what has occurred but why it has occurred. As Tom writes: "There is no priest I know willing or able to share his story of maturity and growth." Perhaps it is challenge all people face in discussing in public their sexual development?

Leadership need be open to truth lest the institution perish...

I have always been intrigued by World War Two stories of resistance forces who lived and worked among the Germans as they occupied conquered countries. These were the heroic patriots that gambled their lives as they resisted their conquers and fought back to regain freedom. Today the Catholic Church to which I was ordained in 1954 and served well for 26 years pretends I don't exist while my inside the church position as a married priest has become invaluable. I am a resistance fighter, totally immune to Vatican anger and mistreatment. I am free, a follower of Jesus who hopefully reports truth as I see the situation. I wish the Roman Catholic church well, its people deserve our support. Leadership need be open to truth lest the institution perish.

Rev Juanita Cordero, Roman Catholic Women Priest. romancatholicwomenpriests.org

Today at our Senior History Club, the membership had invited the Reverend Juanita Cordero, woman American priest to present her cause and dialogue with 25 persons of mixed religious background. One of my major contribution was that history was being made. I saw the woman's movement pushing forward, joining the ranks of Susan B. Anthony, Florence Nightingale and the myriad of other females who have championed the rights and dignity of women. My version of "God is on their side".

After I have had a chance to interview club members I shall offer in a week or so a summary of how Juanita went over with her audience, some old time Catholics, Jews, denominational Christians, and Arabic. That history was underway was my main focus; there were numbers of issues introduced that could take many hours and meetings to understand this radical experience. Woman have become outspoken in all levels of modern life, especially the work place and university. How their power will bring about change will be of major interest to me. Again I repeat that this camel's nose movement of women priests is making its inroad into history and daily life. I sense they are here to stay ... with lots of maturity and learning needed.

Last night at our monthly Civil War Round Table meeting I won a book entitled The Civil War as a Theological Crisis. I am reading with interest. "What side was God on?", and "what role did the Bible play?" have center stage. Along with a Ken Burns' film on the radical newness of death and burial during the American Civil War we plan an intense study of religion and war. I am also into Appreciative Inquiry in the Catholic Church by Susan Star Paddock, a book whose theme is to look for the good done in religion today.

The dark tunnel of human sexuality...

Presently I am floundering as I re-enter the dark tunnel of human sexuality of my early days as child, seminarian and young priest. I find myself dreaming of violent suppression and the want for human freedom. There is no priest I know willing or able to share his story of maturity and growth. I am the lone wolf little boy from 15th street, San Francisco who is on his own to flesh out a clerical mentality that lies suppressed in a world glaring with tinselly cheap imitation sex, an apparent contradiction to the Creator's plan of nature. One of these weeks I will send forth my investigative thinking. Keep in mind my long held motto: "there are no experts!" Our post-Victorian age is slow at appreciating the Creator's idea of human sexuality. I'm into a book on male sexuality from 1978 and the issue of touching. I'm also prejudiced from my early training by my widowed mother.

The following is a piece I wrote for myself just a few years ago, one of many on clerical abuse. I forward it on for the message of hope I have had difficulty in putting my finger on while reviewing the substantial material concerning abuse. On the revelatory side we have had recent expose of a local Jesuit brother and his years ago criminality at Bellarmine High School; the newspapers seem to be searching in the dark and victims' group howling for annihilation of the entire priesthood. The air is filled with confusion, enough to make one ready to turn it all off. Here's what I wrote – with a couple of updates at the end...

Tom McMahon, San Jose, Ca.. In my secret hideaway sending out messages of hope from the underground. 26Sep2012

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