- Status
L
Linusthe2nd
Guest
Are we going to have any bishops left? Or will there be any willing to accept the episcopate because of all this unrest?
Linus2nd
A
Abynissa
Guest
Another perspective on what the rest of the world will hear from the AP
Archbishop of St. Paul resigns over church sex scandal
2015 The Associated Press
VATICAN CITY – The archbishop of St. Paul, Minnesota, and a deputy bishop resigned Monday after prosecutors there charged the archdiocese with having failed to protect children from unspeakable harm from a pedophile priest.
The Vatican said Pope Francis accepted the resignations of Archbishop John Nienstedt and Auxiliary Bishop Lee Anthony Piche
…Earlier this month, prosecutors charged the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis as a corporation of having “turned a blind eye” to repeated reports of inappropriate behavior by a priest who was later convicted of molesting two boys. No individual was named in the indictment…
Archbishop of St. Paul resigns over church sex scandal
2015 The Associated Press
VATICAN CITY – The archbishop of St. Paul, Minnesota, and a deputy bishop resigned Monday after prosecutors there charged the archdiocese with having failed to protect children from unspeakable harm from a pedophile priest.
The Vatican said Pope Francis accepted the resignations of Archbishop John Nienstedt and Auxiliary Bishop Lee Anthony Piche
…Earlier this month, prosecutors charged the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis as a corporation of having “turned a blind eye” to repeated reports of inappropriate behavior by a priest who was later convicted of molesting two boys. No individual was named in the indictment…
T
The_Rock
Guest
This is a great loss for my Archdiocese. In particular auxiliary Bishop Piché is a true man of God, with the heart of Jesus.
M
Megan7
Guest
Below is a comment from the article:
"Posted by: ElizabethD - Today 9:21 AM ET USA
We live in strange times. Archbishop Neinstadt didn’t do the cover-ups, it was his predecessors."
I hope that someone from the area will post.
G
GiveTheTruth
Guest
Last year the archdiocese of Trenton, upon receiving a report of a priest who sexually molested a 16 year old boy, immediately called the authorities and let them handle the situation. This should be protocol for all bishops upon any such reports. There have been priests who have even been cleared by the use of this method, the correct procedure in my opinion. Not only can the minor or young adult be damaged for life, but the parish suffers tremendously. I am a parish member of the church of which the above-mentioned priest was arrested. It was a shock to the whole parish. Upon driving home after receiving the news by a guest priest speaking openly to the congregation about this priest’s arrest, I was in such a daze and confused that I even accidently ran a red light going home with my two kids in car. I could have caused a major accident due to the shock and confusion. I should also add that the arrested priest was very much loved by everyone.
It is unbelievable in this day and age that anyone can think they can get away with molestation or covering up any form of molestation. The word needs to get out to all clergy in all churches and denominations throughout the world that if they have these types of tendencies and feel that they cannot control themselves they need to step down immediately. They have a snow ball’s chance in hell of getting away with these heinous acts.
I once saw an episode of Mother Angelica Classics (who I love dearly) in which she commented that gay men, because of their not being attracted to women, have been called to lead a life of celibacy and may even be called to the priesthood. While I agree with the celibacy part, I totally disagree with the second part. That is a preposterous position to take, leaving the door open to possible scandal and the destruction of the lives of children. I am a witness to the type of destruction that this selfish behavior can cause to a parish a well.
It is unbelievable in this day and age that anyone can think they can get away with molestation or covering up any form of molestation. The word needs to get out to all clergy in all churches and denominations throughout the world that if they have these types of tendencies and feel that they cannot control themselves they need to step down immediately. They have a snow ball’s chance in hell of getting away with these heinous acts.
I once saw an episode of Mother Angelica Classics (who I love dearly) in which she commented that gay men, because of their not being attracted to women, have been called to lead a life of celibacy and may even be called to the priesthood. While I agree with the celibacy part, I totally disagree with the second part. That is a preposterous position to take, leaving the door open to possible scandal and the destruction of the lives of children. I am a witness to the type of destruction that this selfish behavior can cause to a parish a well.
J
johnnykins
Guest
Here’s an interesting news report on His Excellency’s handling of the abuse allegations…not to mention the recent indictment of the Archdiocese.Below is a comment from the article:
"Posted by: ElizabethD - Today 9:21 AM ET USA
We live in strange times. Archbishop Neinstadt didn’t do the cover-ups, it was his predecessors."
I hope that someone from the area will post.
minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2013/09/clergy-abuse/
Something tells me, maybe, just maybe, between allegations that he knew about problem priests, moved them around, and the Archdiocese was itself indicted, there may be a problem.
A
Antegin
Guest
Blessed be the Lord God of all creation and the one true judge of a man.
R
rfournier103
Guest
uugghh…
When will this end???
When will this end???
D
davidv
Guest
At the end of time.
All are sinners, some grievously so. Some of these are in the Church. Some of these are in positions of authority.
A
Auntie_A
Guest
The key word in Mother Angelica’s quote is “MAY even be called to the priesthood”. Being homosexual or having homosexual tendencies is different than one who must act on their sexual inclinations, as is true with heterosexual people; acting on those inclinations with children is something more tragic and disordered.
The problems in child abuse by priests, as I have understood it, are not different from other situations, religious or secular; the issue in the Catholic Church has not been so much the amount of priests who are abusers but the amount of repeated abuses by one abusive priest and the neglect of authorities to stop that abusive priest.
Many, but not all cases, have been priests abusing young men and boys. There are also cases of priests abusing young women and girls. There are people, both heterosexual and homosexual, who think this kind of abuse is natural. They enable the atmosphere of abuse, rape, sexual assault in this world by justifying, making excuses, or turning away and neglecting to stop the abusers. A judge in Orange County, California recently lessened a sentence for a man who raped a four year old girl. The judge seemed to think it was natural for a man to both feel and act on his sexual feelings with this innocent child. We need to screen out people for dangerous beliefs and behaviors. Attraction to an adult person would not be disordered; perseverating, justifying or rationalizing yours or others’ inappropriate actions in a celibate priesthood or order would be just cause to avoid allowing them in to the priesthood.
G
GiveTheTruth
Guest
Thanks for you insight and clarification. Not to lessen the responsibility of the Catholic Church, but Billy Graham’s grandson Boz T. states the situation is far worse in evangelical circles. It is disheartening though. Once you thought it couldn’t get any worse, we see these shenanigans. Hopefully, with the Pope and the Vatican taking a stronger stance some of the chaff will be separating voluntarily from the wheat.
Y
Yarb
Guest
So Bernard Hebda, coadjutor bishop of Newark, has been appointed the “apostolic administrator” of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Wikipedia’s article titled “apostolic administrator” says:
“An apostolic administration can either be an area that is not yet a diocese (a stable apostolic administration) or for a diocese that either has no bishop (an apostolic administrator sede vacante) or, in very rare cases, has an incapacitated bishop (apostolic administrator sede plena).”
If the apostolic administrator of a diocese is himself a bishop, can it be said that the diocese has no bishop? Could it be that this just means it has no permanent bishop, and the very temporary nature of the assignment is the only difference between having a regular bishop and having a bishop who is an apostolic administrator? Is the temporary nature expressed by having a specified term limit? Or is the boundary between an apostolic administrator and a regular bishop fuzzier than that?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostolic_Administrator
- Status