Catholic priest Pennsylvania scandal

[phil19034]

1. this is really just a continuation of what happened in the early 2000s. Enemies of the Church deliberately did not launch investigations into all Diocese at the same time because they wanted this to go on for a long time.
2. you will notice that Philadelphia was not part of this. Why? Because Philly already had their day in court.
3. if people would spend the time to investigate the public school system for the same time periods, I wonder what they would find? But no one wants to turn over that stone.
4. this is a “perfect storm” if you will. We have the coverup of mistakes committed in the past by bishops who screwed up, we had an environment of lay people (back in the 1950s & 1960s) who never believe such an action by a priest would happen, we have pro-abortion lobbyists seeing this as a way to since the Church, we have anti-Catholics seeing this as a way to end the Church, we have Catholics who are angry & pissed, and we have victims who are right to speak out.

All of these factors are coming together.

But you know what it proves? That the Church has ALWAYS had Judases

When Christ was alive, 1 out of 12 Apostles were croupt. And a few others had a shaky background or simply failed.

As of today, there are 5498 bishops around the world. If we stick to the 1/12 unfaithful ratio, that means we have 458 bishops around the world who are truely unfaithful- which is way too many. And if we look at Peter’s denial and Thomas’ doubt, that adds another 916 who have make huge mistakes.

So right there alone, by looking at the actions of the Apostles, we can be assured that at least 1374 Bishops are screwing up on a regular basis.

And that doesn’t include how the rest of the apostles all had their moments of being gullible or weak.

The Catholic Church does not protect us from bad priests and bad bishops. We will always have Judases. But she does give us a standard to know the truth and to be able to recognize when our leaders fail.

God Bless

 

[Prodigal_Son]

You do know girls were molested, too, don’t you? I didn’t know that myself till this morning.

Of course. But in society, girls are more commonly assaulted than boys. Among priests, it was much lopsided the other way.

 

[ConstantLearner]

The Church brought this on itself, entirely of its own making.

I agree with you. Whatever the Church suffers because of this, it deserves.

 

[Prodigal_Son]

if most victims are boys, how does one explain female victims, of which there are many

Huh? There’s no contradiction there.

 

[Loud-living-dogma]

Really? You think public school teachers were exposed in the 1940s, 50s, 60s, 70s? I think it’s only in the past couple decades that teachers’ crimes have been publicly exposed.

 

[Roseeurekacross]

I thought you were making the argument that most paedophiles were homosexual

 

[phil19034]

phil19034:

They have just as many incidents.

They have just as many coverups? And as many coverups regarding the abuse of boys?

I would have a very hard time believing that. Moreover, it isn’t relevant. Our shepherds failed, and our shepherds must take responsibility. Failing that, there is no (institutional) Church worth saving.

Protestants do have cover ups. But they are coverup by the “lay” board members or elders of the community when they fire their preacher and hire another one.

Do you honestly think that Evangelical churches volunteerly tell the world that they are firing Pastor Bob for sinful sexual behavior (whether criminal or not)? Of course they don’t.

 

[Loud-living-dogma]

Also after Larry Nassar / USA gymnastics, do we belittle parents who let their children do youth sports? Parents who take their kids to the doctor? Of course not!

 

[KevinK]

They have just as many incidents.

Your source for this claim?

 

[ConstantLearner]

I thought you were making the argument that most paedophiles were homosexual

I thought that, too, and of course that isn’t the case.

 

[Loud-living-dogma]

This stuff isn’t unique to the Church people! Predators seek out children wherever they can. This is happening now all over:

"The Tribune reported that the state board often took years to suspend or revoke the licenses of educators found to have committed sexual misconduct. In most cases, details about the educator’s misconduct are not made public by the board.’

‘I’m sick to my stomach’ — Chicago schools CEO Janice Jackson on sexual violence against students

In a burst of tweets Friday morning, Chicago schools CEO Janice Jackson said she was “sick to my stomach” to learn of the Chicago Tribune’s investigative findings on sexual violen…

www.chicagotribune.com

 

[Roseeurekacross]

there is a bishop here, of non catholic persuasion, who covered up incidents of sexual abuse. People are now baying for his blood. Its about time that this found its level across the board.

 

[spockrates]

So, I don’t know what it’s like to be sexually abused, but I can’t get the words of Christ out of my mind:

16 You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17 So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So then, you will know them by their fruits.
(Matthew 7)

I mean, this is a reason I struggle with returning to Catholicism. I don’t see such wide-spread sin of this kind in Christian denominations I’ve considered (just isolated incidents) so…

 

[Jeanne_S]

I feel bad for the huge majoity of priests who have never done these horrible things, we can expect them to suffer greatly because of the scandal of their brothers who betrayed their vocation and Lord.

We need to pray without ceasing for our priests and young seminarians.ray:The devil hates our priests and will do everything to discourage young men considering or already n the priesthood.Without priests we have no Mass,without the amass we have no Eucharist.

 

[Loud-living-dogma]

The media is so happy to focus especially on any problems of the Catholic Church.

 

[phil19034]

phil19034:

They have just as many incidents.

Your source for this claim?

Here is just one source from Psychology Today.

Six Myths About Clergy Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church | Psychology Today

 

[phil19034]

I mean, this is a reason I struggle with returning to Catholicism. I don’t see such wide-spread sin of this kind in Christian denominations I’ve considered (just isolated incidents) so…

It is just as wide-spread in other Christian denominations… but they are simply not getting the attention

Here is an article from GetReligion

Sex abuse in Protestant life: Is Rachael Denhollander the tip of a newsworthy iceberg? — GetReligion

When former gymnast Rachael Denhollander stood up in court at the end of January and stunned the country with her speech to her abuser, Larry Nasser, she was a media star. Here she was the first woman to publicly accuse Nasser and the last -- after a long string of some of America’s best-known gymna

www.getreligion.org

Six Myths About Clergy Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church | Psychology Today

 

[pensmama87]

Of course. But in society, girls are more commonly assaulted than boys. Among priests, it was much lopsided the other way.

I live in Pennsylvania and I read all of the report that pertains to my diocese. I was astonished at how many cases involved teen boys. The details (which are really disturbing) indicate very much that homosexuality was a huge factor. I don’t want to scapegoat gay clergy, but I don’t think we can ignore that factor. People were up in arms about not ordaining men with “deep seated homosexual tendencies,” but I think you’ve got a reason, here. A man who cannot control himself, who will be around a lot of other men and boys, has no place in the priesthood.

I am really bothered by what I read. I was not Catholic in 2002 (and I was a kid then anyway), so I haven’t had 16 years to process the original news from Boston and other areas. I know priests mentioned in the report. I learned that one priest I really respected was involved in covering up some of the cases. I’m not going to leave the Church, because I still believe Jesus died, rose from the dead, and appointed Peter to lead the faithful. I know that members of the clergy have behaved badly before. That doesn’t justify any of it. This whole thing is atrocious, and the response from my bishop and many other people has been, frankly, disappointing. There should be sackcloth and ashes. Their job is to shepherd. The sheep are angry, and the shepherds are hiding behind legalese. It’s shameful.

 

[ConstantLearner]

I mean, this is a reason I struggle with returning to Catholicism. I don’t see such wide-spread sin of this kind in Christian denominations I’ve considered (just isolated incidents) so…

I think it happens in all denominations, but is more widespread in the Catholic Church. Nevertheless, I think of that biblical passage, and I’m about ready to leave the Church. Not over this alone. I’ve been thinking of it for some time. This is just the last straw…I think.

 

[Loud-living-dogma]

You’re going to let the work of Satan drive you out of Christ’s Church? That is sad – it makes me feel like Satan used this very well.
Don’t you see all the good fruit of the Church? This scandal is not the only fruit of the Church!!