Rules that the Catholic Church prides itself on include forbidding all types of birth control, and refusing gays the right to marry and adopt children. (Heaven forbids that they might harm the children in their care.)

Yet, the worldwide scandal that this church is facing has afflicted millions of innocent children.

From the Pope down to the parish priest, when they take the vow of celibacy, they believe that magically, all their sexual desires leave their bodies. Priests are men. Many have been sexually involved with nuns, divorced women, their housekeepers and — unfortunately — with children.

This church has many therapeutic and rehab centers where the clergy (including nuns) are sent for their alcoholic and drug addictions. I’m surprised they never thought of opening one for their sex offenders.

Oops. That was before the Tiger Woods fiasco. Sex addiction was not in our vocabulary.

The Pope is asking Catholics to pray for forgiveness. Sorry. The only one who should be repenting is the Pope.

So, Pope Benedict XVI, for your penance, please recite three Hail Marys and four Our Fathers. Now go and sin no more.

The rules on birth control and gay marriages are outdated. Please get with the reality of today’s world and change them.

Rolande Caron, South Paris