79 Year Old Nun convicted of sexual abuse

[JimR-OCDS]

I question the motive of the two males who brought the charges forward, at this time.

Were they really harmed emotionally, because of having sex with an older woman, back when they were teens, to the point that they had to prosecute her at her age now?

Jim

 

[GregoryPalamas]

I question the motive of the two males who brought the charges forward, at this time.

Were they really harmed emotionally, because of having sex with an older woman, back when they were teens, to the point that they had to prosecute her at her age now?

Jim

Good question. They probably are hoping for a payout. It’s hard to imagine much damage was done.

CDL

 

[rebusrms]

we might want to be careful. I would like to see the person who molested me as a child find justice today. My motives are vindication and justice, not money. I think I’m owed those two things. Even though I pray for the thoughts to disappear in my mind, I also pray for the one who perpetrated the act that he might come to a place of forgiveness. I’m 36 now and I don’t pursue the matter because I don’t want someone labeling me as a money grabber. My childhood was ripped away from me and the last thing I or anyone else deserve is too be questioned about our motives.

 

[Publisher]

I question the motive of the two males who brought the charges forward, at this time.

Were they really harmed emotionally, because of having sex with an older woman, back when they were teens, to the point that they had to prosecute her at her age now?

Jim

Do you also feel that the boys who were molested by priests were not harmed in any significan way?

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Do you also feel that the boys who were molested by priests were not harmed in any significan way?

Yes, but to varying degrees. First off we’re talking about teenage heterosexual boys, not prepubescent children. Second, heterosexual males don’t desire sex with other males, especially older males. When its forced on them by an older male, its damaging and the stigma that a young male has to endure, is horrible. Its one of the main reasons, the church and other officials in the past, kept sex abuse cases quiet. it was for to protect the victim.

In most of the sexual abuse cases involving priest, it was teen homosexual males, who engaged in sexual activity with a young homosexual priest. I’m not talking about the few cases of pedophilia, which is damaging, but again, it depends on the degree of abuse.

Were they emotionally damaged from the experience? I think it was less than what they make it out to be in their lawsuits and it probably varries. I have seen that they chose money over free psychological help, so you have to wonder. Also, I think if you were to investigate, these males, you would find that they had sex with other males other than the priest, during same time period. They don’t claim emotional damage in those encounters.

That being said, the spiritual damage is done to all.

Jim

 

[rebusrms]

You’re not implying that the abuse or degree of abuse varies based on the sexuality of the abused? No means no! Molestation is the same as rape. Do you tell a rape victim that they were not that traumatized because their abusive partner was of their sexual preference? No

 

[JimR-OCDS]

You’re not implying that the abuse or degree of abuse varies based on the sexuality of the abused? No means no! Molestation is the same as rape. Do you tell a rape victim that they were not that traumatized because their abusive partner was of their sexual preference? No

No means no and molestation is rape, but in the case of teenage heterosexual males, having sex with an older woman, few will refuse and few will be emotionally damaged afterwards.

Jim

 

[jazzbaby1]

Jim,

Respectfully, would you argue that a thirteen year old female groupie who offered herself to her favorite musician would not be emotionally damaged? Sin is still sin; the wages of sin is still death, no matter who the perp is. The fact remains that this sister was their principal, in a position of power over two young teens, and she abused that power.

I highly suggest that you look up some sites dedicated to the recovery of men who were sexually abused as children and teens. It might be eye opening for you. These men suffer, and they suffer all the more because of people who seem to think that they should not suffer because they were “chosen” by an older female. That’s being a common male fantasy doesn’t mean that these two individuals shared it. Frankly I hate living in a society that has more tolerance for the chastity of my daughters than for that of my son.

 

[Dempsey1919]

This is devastating news. I saddens me when I hear of these terrible crimes committed by Priests and other religious.

These are difficult times; Satan is doing his best to destroy the Church, and he’s doing it from within. Many people predicted that the Church would come under attack, most notably St John Bosco and Pope Leo XIII. I take comfort in the knowledge that the gates of Hell will not prevail.

We must pray for the Church and for all of the victims of the abuse scandal.

My heart is with the victims and I hope that they have not lost faith in our Lord Jesus Christ because of this. It is in times like this that we must cling to Jesus all the more.

 

[whatevergirl]

I question the motive of the two males who brought the charges forward, at this time.

Were they really harmed emotionally, because of having sex with an older woman, back when they were teens, to the point that they had to prosecute her at her age now?

Jim

I think they were in middle school…yeah, I guess that could border teen years…14 years old someone is in grade school.

Would we question it if it were two women coming forward claiming a man violated them? Let’s give the same respect to men who come forward. Why do we have double standards when it comes to men claiming sexual abuse against women?

 

[whatevergirl]

No means no and molestation is rape, but in the case of teenage heterosexual males, having sex with an older woman, few will refuse and few will be emotionally damaged afterwards.

Jim

few will refuse? what? in her position of power, they chose to satisfy her needs (and demands) We don’t know the details…but, it doesn’t matter if she was the hottest teacher on earth–she abused her power as a teacher over these students. I will say that prosecuting her at age 79 is a bit of a head scratcher, but maybe they were embarassed and over time, they decided to come forward?

 

[system]

No means no and molestation is rape, but in the case of teenage heterosexual males, having sex with an older woman, few will refuse and few will be emotionally damaged afterwards.

Jim

Jim, you sound like you are speaking as if this opinion of yours is FACT.

I think the other poster’s advice to look into the subject further is good advice. I think you’ll find long-term effects like depression, adictions, divorces, and more. Compounded all the more by the attitudes like "hey, you’re a guy. you were lucky! she gave it to you! etc etc…

 

[JimR-OCDS]

I think there is some dishonesty here, especially from males.

If they looked back to when they were 14-18 years of age, having sex with an attractive female was a fantasy, an they often fantasied about having sex with older women. In fact, many attempted to have sex with willing females.

Now, I’m not saying this isn’t sin or that it should be condoned.
Please don’t misunderstand.

Also, I’m not saying that an older female taking advantage of the situation isn’t wrong.

What I’m saying is, this is real desires of adolescent males, and those who have experienced sex with older females at this age in their life, hardly suffered emotional damage to the degree that it warranted a lawsuit and criminal charges brought against the person, some 40 years later, especially when that person is 79 years of age.

Jim

 

[jazzbaby1]

Criminal charges were brought because she committed a crime. Sexual contact with a minor child is a crime. Is it frustrating that the Catholic Church tends to be singled out about child sexual assalt when it is frankly rampant in this country? Yes, it is. But that does not mitigate the fact that THIS woman committed a crime against two children in her care.

If they looked back to when they were 14-18 years of age, having sex with an attractive female was a fantasy, an they often fantasied about having sex with older women. In fact, many attempted to have sex with willing females.

First of all, these were not adolescents of 14-18 years of age. It’s been my experience that boys who are 12 or 13 are still in the stage of thinking girls are pretty icky. Also, God calls all of us to be chaste, not just girls. Boy children are as deserving of our protection and the blessings of their virginity as girls are. Dismissing the damage that is done when a boy is violated just because the sinful world has trained us to believe that all teenaged boys are sex machines with Mrs. Robinson on the brain just perpetuates the pain of men and keeps them from the healing God wants them to experience.

Please visit this website. Prayerfully read the stories of these survivors.

malesurvivor.org/

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Criminal charges were brought because she committed a crime. Sexual contact with a minor child is a crime. Is it frustrating that the Catholic Church tends to be singled out about child sexual assalt when it is frankly rampant in this country? Yes, it is. But that does not mitigate the fact that THIS woman committed a crime against two children in her care.

First of all, these were not adolescents of 14-18 years of age. It’s been my experience that boys who are 12 or 13 are still in the stage of thinking girls are pretty icky. Also, God calls all of us to be chaste, not just girls. Boy children are as deserving of our protection and the blessings of their virginity as girls are. Dismissing the damage that is done when a boy is violated just because the sinful world has trained us to believe that all teenaged boys are sex machines with Mrs. Robinson on the brain just perpetuates the pain of men and keeps them from the healing God wants them to experience.

Please visit this website. Prayerfully read the stories of these survivors.

malesurvivor.org/

I agree except that, 12 to 13 year old boys, from my experience, are well into the desire for girls. Some mature at different levels, but from what I remember about myself and my junior high friends, we all desired girls by this age.

Also, an older female, I would think would’ve seen the boys as being on the sexually mature side of the scale, for her to have an interest with them.

And yes, this was a criminal act on her part. But what will it serve for her to go to jail, at age 79?

Jim

 

[thechrismyster]

I do not understand how bringing up something that happened 40+ years ago (which is still just as wrong now as it was then) will solve anything. Pray for the nun, pray for the men, pray for all who are sexually abused- especially by those sexually abused by clergy and religious- and especially for the clergy and religious who abuse.

its justice served.

can you understand why bringing nazi war criminals to trial 40 years after the war was right?

then you can understand this too.

and to those defending the nun, you’re defending a child molester. nice.

 

[thechrismyster]

. But what will it serve for her to go to jail, at age 79?

Jim

as payment of a debt to society as prescribed by society’s laws.

time for her to render to Caesar what Caesar demands.

even if she was 100. the debt to society must be paid.

Evil can be offered no excuses. to do so is to be complicit with evil.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

as payment of a debt to society as prescribed by society’s laws.

time for her to render to Caesar what Caesar demands.

even if she was 100. the debt to society must be paid.

Evil can be offered no excuses. to do so is to be complicit with evil.

The disgrace and humiliation I would think would be payment enough.

Besides, now the taxpayers will be supporting her through her convalescent years. So, who’s really being punished?

Jim

 

[TMC]

I agree except that, 12 to 13 year old boys, from my experience, are well into the desire for girls. Some mature at different levels, but from what I remember about myself and my junior high friends, we all desired girls by this age.

Also, an older female, I would think would’ve seen the boys as being on the sexually mature side of the scale, for her to have an interest with them.

And yes, this was a criminal act on her part. But what will it serve for her to go to jail, at age 79?

Jim

I have some sympathy for this viewpoint, but we don’t really know enough about what happened to tell for sure. There may have been some serious emotional scarring, she may have been physically or emotionally abusive in other ways. But 40 years is a very long time, abuse claims that old are often fabricated, imagined or partially imagined. In this case she is not fighting it so we should assume it is true, of course.

The tolling of the statute of limitations for 40 years is disturbing to me, really. Their is a trend toward lengthening and limiting the statute, which serves a real and important purpose. Exceptions like the one used here are gaining in use, too.

I don’t know that the article exhibits any Catholic bashing. It happened, which is newsworthy. The fact that she is a nun is newsworthy. The mention of other abuse cases seemed measured and appropriate. I also appreciated that the article pointed out that the Church removed her from working with minors as soon as one of the men came forward, which was fifteen years ago. Not the Church’s fault that Minnesota took 15 years to bring in charges.

 

[thechrismyster]

JimR-OCDS wrote: The disgrace and humiliation I would think would be payment enough.

this opinion would matter if you were a policy maker or a judge, otherwise, it’s a moot point. disgrace and humilitation are transitory. sitting your day in an 8’x10’ cell with no freedom is the prescription by law. and since we are a lawful society, she must pay the price the society demands.

JimR-OCDS wrote: Besides, now the taxpayers will be supporting her through her convalescent years. So, who’s really being punished?

So we shouldn’t render justice based on the cost involved? perhaps the same should apply for prisoners with mental illness since treatment for the mental illness can get costly. should we discontinue education programs too? murderers are being educated on our dime.

sometimes, society must share the burden even if the burden is financial. Justice, in the end, must always be served, or the society fails.