Generally when I have a theory about Bible or Christian history related issues, I run it past one or more of my favorite Bible scholars, most of whom are remarkably accessible over the internet via email or Facebook, and are happy to answer questions. The following theory of mine I have not done that with, but I still think it's correct.
The question I always wonder about is "When did this pedophilia phenomenon begin in the Catholic church? Is it a recent development? How far back does it go?
My theory is that is goes ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE BEGINNING.
In New Testament times, the Roman world had no concept of "homosexuality". They didn't think of sexuality the way we do today. In the Roman world, pederasty was the norm!
Pederasty, of course, in sex between a man and a boy. HERE is the Wiki page on it, including some info on Greek and Roman pederasty. I know it seems hard for us to believe in our day, but to them man/boy sex, under certain conditions, was widely accepted and practiced.
The Christian church began as a mostly Jewish-Christian phenomena, but over a period of just a few decades the gentile (Roman) converts far outnumbered the Jewish ones. These new converts would have been used to practicing pederasty, and many probably carried it with them into the Christian practice. As the church became Catholic and celibacy became mandatory, it seems reasonable to suppose that some in the priesthood would resort to pederasty to get their physical needs met, justifying it in a variety of ways.
There is a very old book that almost made it into the New Testament, but didn't quite make the cut. It's called the Didache, probably written earlier than some of the books that DID make it into the canon. The Didache contains an interesting prohibition:
Didache 2:2: ...thou shalt not corrupt young boys [literally "though shalt not commit pederasty"]
I find it amazing that even back then, this was a problem. Now of course, Catholic apologists are quick to point out that this is a prohibition, not a approval of the practice, and that is true. But most prohibitions only arise in situations where there is a problem requiring such a prohibition. And there are many instances of pederasty within the Catholic church throughout the centuries going all the way back, despite repeated official prohibitions. There has always been a wide gap between what Catholicism teaches and what Catholics actually practice. As an example, every Catholic wedding I've ever been to ends up being a huge drinking fest, with even the priest partaking! You don't see that in evangelical weddings.
I think pedophilia in the Catholic church has it's roots in ancient pederasty, and somehow that Catholic priestly subculture never died out.
