What are your thoughts on this very personal story of one man and his family's confrontation with the church that betrayed them?

Dear FRONTLINE,

I watched the program Tuesday evening and couldn't help thinking how different things would have been if women were in leadership roles in the Catholic Church when the pedophilia crisis surfaced. I believe women would approach the situation from a perspective that would be more sensitive to the children. Pedophilia would not have become a crisis in the Catholic Church that it is today.

Bill Cordaro
Kansas City, MO

Dear FRONTLINE,

Frontline should be ashamed of itself for airing this insult to Holy Mother Church. While I understand this victims anger at that priest and those that chose to cover it up, this documentary went far beyond exposing the abuse scandal. How dare you insult Christ's church and moreover millions of peoples faith. His belief that lay Catholics are just "sheep" and that we contribute to the culture of corruption is not only insulting, but a reflection on Paul & Joe's arrogance.

Frontline is an anti-Catholic, bigoted program and I will never watch another episode.

St. Louis, MO

Dear FRONTLINE,

I thank you for your courage in presenting this piece in an honest, forthright way. I wouldn't want a thing changed and am amazed at any call for editing by Frontline. Why must we insist everyone else hold items and icons in the same esteem and reverence that we do? Why are we so afraid to question (or see others question) mankind, institutions, faith, yes, even the very existence of a god itself? One cannot "inherit" a true faith in anything. He must be allowed the freedom to accept or reject it...to use logic, reason, questions. I'm afraid the abuses (intentional or not) of forced religion are not just limited to the physical realm. This is not a story of "just" physical abuse, as tragic and spotlight worthy as that is. May we understand it in it's broader sense. Bravo and thank you.

Upstate, NY

Dear FRONTLINE,

I was a Chicago alter boy and served mass in the days of the latin liturgy. The pomp and ceremony was hypnotic. I served for two Cardinals. Unmolested I fell away from the Church.

It's time for a Catholic reformation - a schism. Follow by 500 years the lead of Martin Luther. Thanks Frontline! We needed that.

Robert Guzauskas
West Palm Beach, Florida

Dear FRONTLINE,

My heart goes out to you and your family as you continue to struggle to find where God is in all of this.

I have my own personal story of clergy sexual abuse within the United Methodist Church. My soul is still grieving how my story was received when I shared it with the Bishop. There are no words to adequately capture my inner response to the patriarchal response that I received. Yes, I believed that the Bishop tried to offer some compassion; however I believe he was afraid to really meet me where I was spiritually. I am still pondering how to come to a full measure of peace regarding this part of my life. It has changed my life forever.

I don't have to be Catholic to understand what this type of abuse does to the soul. It is alright to ask those questions of the Catholic Church when there has been such incredulous spiritual damage in this case. Taking responsibility hurts sometimes.

Only the victim really can know the terrible damage to the soul when clergy sexual abuse happens. The Church, including all denominations, is going to have to gain more consciousness about this matter; or I fear that the Church will be headed for a major rift.

May the Spirit of God be with you and your family. May you receive healing through this avenue of sharing your heart.

Lancaster, Ohio

Dear FRONTLINE,

The program "The Hand of god" opened up some very old wounds and some very deep anger in me. I was born into and raised in the Catholic Church, in my case, an Irish Catholic community. It wasn't the priest doing the molesting in my particular case. It was his best buddy in the parish, my next door neighbor, a man old enough to be my father, who really messed me up, and both my sisters, as well as most of the other girls in our neighborhood (and, I've heard since, some of the boys too). Since I wasn't an alter boy, I don't know what the succession of parish priests might also have done to the boys. I can only imagine! I do know that the priests that were sent to our parish, in the boonies of parish-hood, were usually being repremanded for having run afoul of the churches' political heirarchy. I can also tell you that a number of them exhibited the same behaviors as described, ie: Taking the kids to the beach, to Boston, on Camp outs, etc. As Joe described, how could these boys have told anyone? Who would have listened? In those days, No One! In my case, with the neighbor, when I tried to tell my parents what he was up to, I was told, with outrage, never to say such things about a neighbor who had been so nice to us! And to go to confession!And of course, the parish priest told me that I was the one to blame for "putting temptation in his way". Same verdict for the man up the road (he had horses, I love horses, you do the math), who raped me at age 11. My fault again! Through the brainwashing in guilt and the authority of the church, it has taken me most of my life and 5 failed marriages to come to terms with the damage. I am still, and probably always will be a "recovering catholic". Joe's story hit me deep! I feel for him on so many different levels! But let it be said that it wasn't just the alter boys who got wrecked by the complicity of the church! A lot of women raised catholic had bad things done to them, with the perpetrators in league with the priests.

Fairbanks, Alaska

Dear FRONTLINE,

Paul's family and Catholic upbringing are as familiar to me as my own, because I was brought up the same way. Only a person who was brought up like we were, to look at the priests and nuns in that particular way that we did then can know the power and hypocrisy of it all.

They were supposed to be our MORAL authority, telling us how to live, forgiving our sins...and THIS is what they were doing. ! ...to say it's a shock does not even do it justice. It makes it very hard to take any of it seriously anymore, and I used to enjoy going to mass. In some ways it makes your life seem like a lie, because the fact is, what they did was CRIMINAL, and why aren't more of them being punished...I don't know.

It seems to pass down from one generation to the next, and if there is one thing Catholics are taught, it's repression.

Brooklyn, NY

Dear FRONTLINE,

I was touched deeply by the bravery and tremendous honesty of the Cultera family. We've come to expect corruption in politics but when we discover filth and corruption in religion it becomes all the more reprehensible because of its claim to represent God. This topic has caused many to wonder - 'how would Jesus react to what has been done by those who claim to represent him'.

We needn't wonder. His words from the Sermon on the Mount were recorded for us. In part he said: "Be on the watch for false prophets that come to you in sheep's covering, but inside they are ravenous wolves. ..." Mathew 7:15-23A Francis/Portland, OR

Alice Francis
portland, OR

Dear FRONTLINE,

I have always made a distinction between my Catholic faith and the people who run the Catholic Church. Though many priests and bishops do not practice what they preach, we all don't always practice what we preach, either. But the messenger is not the message.

"Hand of God" blames the message as well as the messenger for these terrible crimes. Joe Caltrera's mother points out to him at the end of the film that he is blaming God. And it's true. After all, he didn't name the film, "Hand of Man."

My hope is that this film does not cause anyone to turn away from Catholic doctrine and from God because of the corruption of some (not all) of the clergy.

Charles Arnett
Portland, Oregon

Dear FRONTLINE,

What a powerful and moving film. Brilliantly done. Long overdue. So glad someone persevered and took this tragedy on. My heart broke for the family featured in the film and for all of the families affected by this tragedy.

The Catholic Church is one of the largest and longest-running pyramid schemes in the world, and frankly, a lot like a cult.

Katy, Texas

Dear FRONTLINE,

I was very touched by this very personal documentary. The subject was not new for me as it has been a while in the news, but having this personal story, this family and community story, really touched me.

What makes me feel sad about Catholic Church is the fact that they were aware of these abuses and just tried to quiet it, not even following what the Bible says about not hurting the innocent kids. Really sad. As the director says, this institution as become just another corporation, losing its North, its mission.

Vladimir Sanchez
San Francisco, CA

Dear FRONTLINE,

Joe did a great job on this film for his brother..This was a film not of Catholicism & not our faith, but of perverts who pick on innocent little children while hiding from within the church. It was & may well continue to be ignorned by the powers that be in the church. Those men were & are cowards who hide behind a collar, as well as those in higher positions in the church. I feel they're not even men...they couldn't begin to have the name of "a man", as Paul & his brother Joe are.....God will deal with all of them, I'm convinced of that....I'm so happy that Paul expressed himself.

I cried even more when Paul mentioned St. Columbkille's in Brighton, because I was born in Boston & went to grade school at St. Columbkille's... How very sad I feel for Paul & all the young children that this has happened too...I can only hope Paul can be happy & finally content in beautiful Sacramento - where I lived for several years. He deserves to be happy.

Calimesa, CA

Dear FRONTLINE,

Outstanding! This is a most important documentary. That the maker of the film is the victim's brother provides the most intimate view into their lives, their family, their community, the role of the church, and the victimization.

This is a powerful piece of work. "Hand of God" is a great achievement, both as a statement of truth and as an artistict creation.

Jay Mower
Portland, Oregon

Dear FRONTLINE,

I loved the film. The Catholic symbology was creatively expressed and made such a strong visual impact as the story was told. I am so glad I saw this film. I am grateful to this family for having the courage to confront these evil and corrupt people. It felt good to see them finally exposed for the arrogant, dismissive cruel human beings that I too experienced them as when I was in Catholic school. They abused their power and instilled Fear in so many people. I experienced fear not love. I learned about relinquising self authority not gainingself confidence. I know how long it takes to work all that negative programming out. I can't imagine adding sexual abuse to all that. This film should be shown everywhere.

Eugene , Oregon

Dear FRONTLINE,

The fact that the Catholic Church still has so called "leaders" like Cardinal Law, Bishop McCormack and Bishop Lennon in positions of authority is abusive to all Catholics.

The Church has migrated so far from what Jesus offered that one has to wonder if he would recognize it as the one He started.

Dennis McCartin
Medford, Oregon