Catholic Priest warns parents to stop sending their sons and daughters to live with priests - "Mistakes Happen"

Monday, January 05, 2025 - Catholic Priest Chidi Philip has urged parents to rethink the practice of sending young sons and daughters to live with priests “for training.”

He warns that such arrangements, though often well‑intentioned, can expose children, priests, and the church to unnecessary risks and painful misunderstandings.

In a heartfelt reflection, Fr. Philip explained that the parish rectory is not a seminary, nor a boarding house, and priests are not substitute parents.

While mentorship and occasional visits are healthy, permanent residence in a priest’s home can blur boundaries and create emotional or spiritual harm.

He cited a recent case where a priest was falsely accused simply for hosting a boy, noting the trauma that comes from such allegations even when proven untrue.

“Priests are human, families are human, mistakes happen,” he wrote, emphasizing that the rectory is a battlefield - spiritually, emotionally, and socially - where scandals, rumors, or unhealthy attachments can easily arise.

For decades, the Catholic Church has faced global scrutiny over scandals involving priests and young men.

Investigations revealed systemic patterns of misconduct, often concealed by church authorities who transferred accused clergy rather than confronting allegations.

The Kenyan DAILY POST