I found this canon when I was looking for the one, (can. 915), that pertains to not receiving the Eucharist while persisting in grave sin.  That would be all the pro-abortion Catholics.  But I digress. 

Canon 916 refers specifically to priests.  “A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to celebrate mass or receive the Body of the Lord without prior sacramental confession unless a grave reason is present and there is no opportunity  of confessing; in this case the person is to be mindful of the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, including the intention as confessing as soon as possible.

It is of course possible that this did indeed take place with all the priests who abused children, however the cynic in me doubts that it took place.  I believe it is common knowledge that so many people who have had sexual encounter with children, (not only priests), are not sorry because they think that the sexual aspect of the relationship was born out of love.  The fact that it is illegal and immoral is not factored in, nor is the harm done to the victim.

That is further proof of sickness that is very real within molesters.  If/When outrage is overcome for the real and true victims, children, then we need to look at perpetrators and try to experience some pity. 

Doing that does in no way excuse the heinous actions of molesters.  The damage they do and wreckage that they leave in their wake must never be minimized even if/when that makes us feel better. (Again I’m not just talking of priests but priests should be judged more harshly because of what they purport to believe and stand for.)

It is both sick and sad that this goes on in every walk of life and happens to both genders.  It is even sadder that silence and shame are heaped on victims.  The fallout for victims of sexual abuse, any abuse, is life-long.  I would like to know the percentage of men and women in prison who have suffered abuse.