I’m convinced that the church has always seen the molestation of boys as a recruitment strategy. Most go on with their lives after being abused, but some probably learn to like it, and they stay in the church, and then do it themselves. This has probably been a pattern for literally centuries, and is responsible for a significant number of recruits.

Celibacy has never been a strong draw, any other strategy that brings in recruits can’t be easily dismissed.