Sexual Attraction and Orientation – Kids Health

About Sexual Orientation

It's a natural part of life to have sexual feelings. As people pass from childhood, through adolescence, to adulthood, their sexual feelings develop and change.

During the teen years, sexual feelings are awakened in new ways because of the hormonal and physical changes of puberty. These changes involve both the body and the mind, and teens tend to wonder about new — and often intense — sexual feelings.

It takes time for many people to understand who they are and who they're becoming. Part of that understanding includes a person's sexual feelings and attractions…

Do People Choose Their Sexual Orientation?

Most medical professionals, including organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Psychological Association (APA), believe that sexual orientation involves a complex mixture of biology, psychology, and environmental factors. A person's genes and inborn hormonal factors may play a role as well. These medical professionals believe that — in most cases — sexual orientation, whatever its causes, is not simply chosen.

Catholic sex abuse scandals: Three key cases facing Pope Benedict – by Jason Walsh – CSMonitor.com

The latest Catholic sex abuse scandals are confronting Pope Benedict with what one Catholic newspaper calls the "largest institutional crisis in centuries." In Germany, the church announced a hotline for victims of abuse. A summary of key cases that happened on Benedict's watch.

Dublin, Ireland

Pope Benedict  XVI is confronting the greatest crisis the Roman Catholic Church has faced since at least 2002, when a wave of scandals and lawsuits in the US hit the church. At that time, the Boston Globe uncovered the abuse of children by priests in the Archdiocese of Boston and provided evidence that church superiors had covered up their crimes.

Now, evidence of sexual abuse is once more rocking the church. But this time, it's global in scope, with fresh claims of abuse of boys and girls by priests in the US, Ireland, Holland, Italy, and in Pope Benedict's home country of Germany. Photo - The Washington Post 

…This time around, there are allegations that Pope Benedict, who was known as Cardinal Josef Ratzinger until being named pontiff, either covered up for or was indifferent to allegations of abuse by priests under his authority. Church spokesmen have said the current pope never knowingly reassigned priests accused of sexual abuse to work with children again or otherwise covered up allegations of crimes.

The following cases are under scrutiny for their potential direct connection to the pope.

St. John's school for the deaf, USA

The Rev. Peter Hullermann, Germany

The Rev. Marciel Maciel, Spain and Italy

Read complete article – by Jason Walsh – CSMonitor.com

 Kids Are Being Hurt!!!

"Someday, maybe, there will exist a well-informed, well-considered, and yet fervent public conviction that the most deadly of all possible sins is the mutilation of a child's spirit." Erik Erikson

…But defensiveness and institutional self-protection are not Gospel values. "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." by E. J. Dionne

E. J. Dionne: Church's worldly weakness - Philadelphia Inquirer

The Vatican has dealt with the sexual abuse scandals as other institutions would. It should be relying on its Christian values.

How in the name of God can the Roman Catholic Church put the pedophilia scandal behind it?

I do not invoke God's name lightly. The church's problem is, above all, theological and religious. Its core difficulty is that, rather than drawing on its Christian resources, the church has acted almost entirely on the basis of this world's imperatives and standards.

It has worried about lawsuits. It has worried about its image. It has worried about itself as an institution and about protecting its leaders from public scandal. In so doing, it has made millions of Catholics righteously furious and aggravated every one of its problems.

So instead of going away, the scandal keeps coming back - lately, in a form that seems to challenge Pope Benedict XVI himself. It was sickening to read Thursday's New York Times story reporting that Vatican officials "did not defrock a priest who molested as many as 200 deaf boys, even though several American bishops repeatedly warned them that failure to act on the matter could embarrass the church."

In Germany, the pope's home country, more than 300 victims have come forward in recent weeks, and Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose party has Catholic roots, called the scandal "a major challenge for our society."

…The church needs to show it understands the flaws of its own internal culture by examining its own conscience, its own practices, its own reflexes when faced with challenge. As the church rightly teaches, acknowledging the true nature of our sin is the one and only path to redemption and forgiveness. Read complete article – Philadelphia Inquirer 

"For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it."

Kids Are Being Hurt!!!

"Someday, maybe, there will exist a well-informed, well-considered, and yet fervent public conviction that the most deadly of all possible sins is the mutilation of a child's spirit." Erik Erikson

SEX, LIES, & GENDER – The Story of the Intersex Soldier - Explorer / National Geographic Channel

"The gender of a newborn child is not always clearly male or female. For parents of gender variant children, the decisions they face have lifelong and sometimes horribly conflicting consequences. We'll investigate the science behind gender, how doctors and parents approach these decisions, and explore traditional and controversial therapies. Then, meet Alaniz, a Desert Storm veteran who found out from an MRI that he had two ovaries and a uterus." Video clip - Explorer / National Geographic Channel  Photo 

Related links:

Organisation Intersex International

Intersex News 

What does intersex mean? – American Psychological Association

Ricky Martin says he's 'a fortunate homosexual man' – CNN.com

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Pop singer Ricky Martin declared publicly this week what he avoided discussing for years: He is gay.

"I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man," Martin wrote on his official Web site. "I am very blessed to be who I am."

…Now, Martin wrote, "these years in silence and reflection made me stronger and reminded me that acceptance has to come from within and that this kind of truth gives me the power to conquer emotions I didn't even know existed."

The 39-year-old Puerto Rican native started off with the Latin boy band Menudo before launching his solo career in 1991. Photo 

His song "Livin' La Vida Loca" rose to the top of the music charts in 1999 and propelled Martin to stardom.

Martin said he decided years ago to not share "my entire truth" with the world because people he loved warned him that "everything you've built will collapse."

"Allowing myself to be seduced by fear and insecurity became a self-fulfilling prophecy of sabotage," he wrote. "Today I take full responsibility for my decisions and my actions." Read complete article – CNN.com

Ricky Martin Comes Out: 'I Am a Fortunate Homosexual Man' - ABC News – Read more

“I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am.” Ricky Martin – Read more

Ricky Martin,

In deep appreciation for your courage and kindness to children, with all best wishes to you and your family, Fr. Marty Kurylowicz 

Parishioners supportive of gay priest, March 29, 1997, The Grand Rapids Press

The Rev. Martin Kurylowicz got lots of hugs after Good Friday services at Sparta's Holy Family Catholic Church. But he expects others soon will react less lovingly to news that he is gay.

"I was just filled with tears, there were so many hugs," said Kurylowicz, 47, following Friday's well-attended afternoon service. "It means more now, because they know the real me." But he added there are "a lot of people hurting and confused" and anticipates some hostile reaction in the days ahead. Photo 

"There's going to be some hate," Kurylowicz said. "I think the worst is coming."

Kurylowicz told the 550-member church this week -- in a newsletter and at Holy Thursday services -- that he is a celibate homosexual. He said he met with concerned parishioners following services Thursday night, Friday afternoon and again Friday evening. Read complete article – by Charles Honey - Religion Editor - The Grand Rapids Press – Archives

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest – Read more

SEX, LIES, & GENDER – The Story of the Intersex Soldier - Explorer / National Geographic Channel –Read more

  

Marriage Equality -> Restores “Hope of Love” To Children In Early Childhood

It is not about me.  Like Galileo, all I have is a little piece of truth about the facts of growing up gay. Marriage Equality will not become a reality until people learn that its most vital purpose is that it restores the “hope of love” to children in early childhood – essential to their development and well-being for life. Without Marriage Equality we teach children how to hate love and how to be mean and indifferent to people as adults. With all due respect, without Marriage Equality we would teach them in much the same way as has been shown by Benedict XVI and the hierarchy, especially in their lack of care and protection of children for decades. 

Same calculated systematic approach used in the child sexual abuse cover-ups – employed to cover-up Benedict XVI cover-ups of the child sexual abuse?

March 26, 2010 - Canada's top cardinal defends Pope – CBC News – Read more

March 27, 2010 - Top Vatican Cardinal Defends Pope Amid Scandal - By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS – Read more

March 28, 2010 - Faith & Reason: A conversation about religion, spirituality & ethics – USA Today – Read more

March 28, 2010 - Quebec cardinal defends pope -  Reuters – Read more 

March 29, 2010 - Austrian cardinal defends Pope over Church abuse – BBC NEWS – Read more

  

March 29, 2010 - Archbishop of Westminster hits out over Catholic church child abuse but defends Pope – The Daily Record – Read more

March 29, 2010 - Pope John Paul II ignored Ratzinger's pleas to pursue sex abuse cardinal – Telegraph.co.uk – Read more

March 29, 2010 - Vatican Officials Say Focus on Pope in Sex Abuse Crisis is Unfair – ABC NEWS – Read more

March 29, 2010 - Polish Catholic chief defends pope over abuse - Agence France-Presse – Read more 

Support - But No Facts

All Politics - Watergate 1973 - Ripping Open An Incredible Scandal

(TIME, April 30, 1973) -- The denials, the evasions, the secretiveness, and, yes, the lies, all had failed. The Watergate case was breaking wide open. A 10-month campaign by some of the highest past and present officials of the Nixon Administration to cover up their involvement was crumbling. Read more - CNN TIME

Kids Are being Hurt!!!

"Someday, maybe, there will exist a well-informed, well-considered, and yet fervent public conviction that the most deadly of all possible sins is the mutilation of a child's spirit." Erik Erikson

“Petty” ?!? Gossip? …Decades Global Child Sexual Abuse Victims…Coverups – - - “Petty”!?! Conspiracy!?! …with all due respect – Insensitive? Kids Are Being Hurt!!!

Pope Benedict condemns 'petty gossip' over child sexual abuse scandal - Mark Tran and agencies – guardian.co.uk – Read more 

Kids Are Being Hurt!!!

Ratzinger, Hurley, Maida & Accomplices - Kids Are Being Hurt!!! (Sequential Order of Reactions) Read more

"Someday, maybe, there will exist a well-informed, well-considered, and yet fervent public conviction that the most deadly of all possible sins is the mutilation of a child's spirit." Erik Erikson

Child Protection Service of the Archdiocese of Dublin,

November 2009 – Report by Commission of Investigation into the handling by Church and State authorities of allegations and suspicions of child abuse against clerics of the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin.

Read complete report->Report by Commission of Investigation into Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin

“…man can sometimes ‘fall to the lowest, vulgar levels’ and ‘sink into the swamp of sin and dishonesty’” -> Benedict XVI and the Hierarchy - Child Sexual Abuse Coverups - Confession? for Decades Harming Children - with all due respect

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. Read more

KIDS ARE BEING HURT!!!

Pope condemns critics over abuse scandal 'gossip' – by Jerome Taylor – The Independent – Read more 


"Someday, maybe, there will exist a well-informed, well-considered, and yet fervent public conviction that the most deadly of all possible sins is the mutilation of a child's spirit." Erik Erikson

"Rose Mary Stretch” 18½-minute gap tape – Watergate Tapes & Focused on Doctrine – Benedict XVI?

Rose Mary Woods

On November 8, 1973, Nixon’s secretary, Rose Mary Woods, testified

The buttons said on and off, forward and backward. I caught on to that fairly fast. I don't think I'm so stupid as to erase what's on a tape.

Later that month, she testified she had made "a terrible mistake" during transcription. Read more - Watergate tapes

Watergate Tape Gap Still A Mystery – by Dan Collins – CBS NEWS – Read more

As Archbishop, Benedict Focused on Doctrine - By KATRIN BENNHOLD and NICHOLAS KULISH – The New York Times

MUNICH — When Pope Benedict XVI was archbishop of Munich and Freising, he was broadly described as a theologian more concerned with doctrinal debates than personnel matters. That, say his defenders, helps explain why he did not keep close tabs on a pedophile priest sent to his archdiocese in 1980 and allowed to work in a parish. Read more   Photo 

A Nope for Pope – by Maureen Dowd – The New York Times – Read more 

Kids Are Being Hurt!!!

"Someday, maybe, there will exist a well-informed, well-considered, and yet fervent public conviction that the most deadly of all possible sins is the mutilation of a child's spirit." Erik Erikson

SEX, LIES, & GENDER – The Story of the Intersex Soldier - Explorer / National Geographic Channel

"The gender of a newborn child is not always clearly male or female. For parents of gender variant children, the decisions they face have lifelong and sometimes horribly conflicting consequences. We'll investigate the science behind gender, how doctors and parents approach these decisions, and explore traditional and controversial therapies. Then, meet Alaniz, a Desert Storm veteran who found out from an MRI that he had two ovaries and a uterus." Video clip - Explorer / National Geographic Channel  Photo 


Related links:

Organisation Intersex International

Intersex News 

What does intersex mean? – American Psychological Association

Marriage Equality -> Restores "Hope of Love" To Children In Early Childhood

Marriage Equality, like Galileo, is the truth about the facts of growing up gay. Marriage Equality will not become a reality until people learn that its most vital purpose is that it restores the “hope of love” to children in early childhood – essential to their development and well-being for life. Without Marriage Equality we teach children how to hate love and how to be mean and indifferent to people as adults. With all due respect, without Marriage Equality we would teach them in much the same way as has been shown by Benedict XVI and the hierarchy, especially in their lack of care and protection of children for decades. 

A vast anti-Catholic conspiracy? – By Michael McGough – Los Angeles Times

No doubt some anti-Catholics are reveling in reports that the future Pope Benedict XVI was aware that a pedophile priest in Germany had been returned to ministry and that then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger succumbed to a plea by an American abuser that he be allowed "to live out the time that I have left in the dignity of my priesthood." But it's wrongheaded for defenders of the church to portray media interest in these questions as the result of prejudice.

…the best defense for the Vatican and its supporters is to contest the accuracy of these and other reports, not to accuse journalists (or activists) of selective criticism, let alone an ignoble conspiracy. Playing the anti-Catholic card just won't work. The sex-abuse scandal in the United States should have demonstrated that.

Credibility gap: Pope needs to answer questions – National Catholic Reporter

We now face the largest institutional crisis in centuries, possibly in church history

The Holy Father needs to directly answer questions, in a credible forum, about his role -- as archbishop of Munich (1977-82), as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (1982-2005), and as pope (2005-present) -- in the mismanagement of the clergy sex abuse crisis.

We urge this not primarily as journalists seeking a story, but as Catholics who appreciate that extraordinary circumstances require an extraordinary response. Nothing less than a full, personal and public accounting will begin to address the crisis that is engulfing the worldwide church. It is that serious.

To date, as revelations about administrative actions resulting in the shifting of clergy abusers from parish to parish emerge throughout Europe, Pope Benedict XVI's personal response has been limited to a letter to the Irish church. Such epistles are customary and necessary, but insufficient. 

Photo - “People have got to know whether or not their President is a crook. Well, I'm not a crook. I've earned everything I've got”