AP: Nearly 1,700 accused priests living free in US

[Divine3]

A news agency is part of social media. No matter how respected it is all over the globe it can twist words and choose photos that are not factual.
"When others are portrayed in hostile terms, seeds of conflict are sown which can all too easily escalate into violence, war, or even genocide. Instead of building unity and understanding, the media can be used to demonize other social, ethnic and religious groups, fomenting fear and hatred. Those responsible for the style and content of what is communicated have a grave duty to ensure that this does not happen. Indeed, the media have enormous potential for promoting peace and building bridges between peoples, breaking the fatal cycle of violence, reprisal, and fresh violence that is so widespread today. In the words of Saint Paul, which formed the basis of this year’s Message for the World Day of Peace: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom 12:21 " 39th World Communications Day, 2005 - The Communications Media: At the Service of Understanding Among Peoples | John Paul II

And: “In the world of today as it is, the instruments of social communications in their many forms - press, cinema, radio, television - are the principal makers of public opinion. Great, then, is the moral responsibility of all those who have these instruments in their employ, or who are the guiding forces behind them. The media of social communications ought to be put at the service of humanity, and therefore of truth and goodness which constitute humanity’s most important and necessary values. Those, therefore, who work professionally in the field of social communications should feel themselves under obligation to form and to make widespread a public opinion which conforms with truth and goodness.”
http://w2.vatican.va/content/john-p...ii_mes_24011986_world-communications-day.html
Quotes from Saint John Paul ll

 

[Genesis315]

What is the responsibility of an employer for the actions of an employee who was terminated based on credible accusations (of any crime, really), but ultimately not convicted of anything? Even law enforcement can’t really directly monitor such people.

This is why it is important for new employers to check references and for former employers to give honest appraisals on reference checks.

 

[LtTony]

Wow. Some great replies. Thanks everyone.

This is similar to what crossed my mind when reading the story: ‘What is the responsibility of an employer for the actions of an employee who was terminated based on credible accusations (of any crime, really), but ultimately not convicted of anything? Even law enforcement can’t really directly monitor such people.’

Thanks ‘commenter’ for providing some insight to the numbers. Years ago, the Seattle Times ran a series on how accused teachers were passed on by agreement to other districts in the state. With letters of recommendation!

As I mentioned, the story got a lot of play around the country. I would suggest commenting on the stories and sharing your perspective. I saw it at OregonLive.com.

 

[Londoner]

A news agency is part of social media.

But a news agency really isn’t part of social media. It will probably have a presence on social media (e.g. accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram), but that doesn’t mean that a news agency is part of social media. Social media means something quite specific: Social media - Wikipedia When you talk about “the social media of the secular USA” you mean things like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, not a conventional news source such as Associated Press.

 

[JimG]

There are a lot of accused people of many sorts living free in the U.S. Because the standard of conviction and incarceration is proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

 

[Divine3]

No, I don’t mean Facebook etc. ( but yes, face book is included as social media) The Church uses the term for media in a more general term.

 

[poche]

A credible accusation is not the same thing as a conviction in a court of law.
You can’t have it both ways. You can’t expect the Catholic Church to throw wayward priests out of the priesthood and then expect them to be controlled by that same Church.