With the whole Catholic world seemingly caught up with this sex scandal thing, the question that begs to be asked is - how much are these events really affecting Catholics outside North America?

I guess the answer to this will disappoint my American brothers and sisters - not very much. A lot of us outside the US view these events as part of the moral and sexual decadence that has become part and parcel of American culture. So, we view this not as a Church crisis - but an American one. It's only the inbred view of most Americans that the world revolves around them that makes this a Church issue. Yes, there are pederasts in every country - but it takes a society to make so many.

There, it's out. I've said it. I'm not arguing non-American Catholics are on morally higher ground. Or that they're correct. But this is the way we view these things.

Think about it.