Clerical abuse cover-ups? Did it happen? To what extent?

[Christianus_Dei]

Accusations are often made towards the clergy on the sexual abuse scandal. I am aware that it is severely overblown in the public eye, and the abuse rates are actually lower than society at large.
But the remaining argument on the opposition is that the Church covered all these cases up, moving the offenders to other parishes, etc. Given that I usually see this information on comments instead of actual news articles, I would like to know how much of this is true, which ways it is true, and how to react. Don’t hold back or whitewash it, I cannot debate without accurate information.

 

[Burdensome1]

Google. It’s search engine. It will help you find many, many articles on sexual abuse and bad behavior by Bishops.

Its basically over now, and if anything the Church in the USA is a little over-protective, but I think everyone can understand why.

 

[LEMAITRE]

Accusations are often made towards the clergy on the sexual abuse scandal. I am aware that it is severely overblown in the public eye, and the abuse rates are actually lower than society at large.
But the remaining argument on the opposition is that the Church covered all these cases up, moving the offenders to other parishes, etc. Given that I usually see this information on comments instead of actual news articles, I would like to know how much of this is true, which ways it is true, and how to react. Don’t hold back or whitewash it, I cannot debate without accurate information.

Here in Australia it’s all about to come out. They have set up a Royal Commission into the Church. I’m quite relieved, that way the victims and public can see what has been to address the situation and we can prepare/deal with what is about to be revealed. Hopefully it will bring some answers and provide some closure for the victims.

The only thing I am unhappy about is that Tony Abbott the Opposition Leader who is a practicing Catholic and ex-seminarian has stated that “Confession seals should be broken if a Priest has confessed his crime to another Priest”. I don’t see what that would achieve other than put Priests in jail for refusing to divulge Confessions they have received. Besides if you were a hebephile or pedophile and you were a Priest I highly doubt that you would be telling your fellow Priests but maybe I am ignorant to what is going on.

 

[onceablasphemer]

Here in Australia it’s all about to come out. They have set up a Royal Commission into the Church. I’m quite relieved, that way the victims and public can see what has been to address the situation and we can prepare/deal with what is about to be revealed. Hopefully it will bring some answers and provide some closure for the victims.

The only thing I am unhappy about is that Tony Abbott the Opposition Leader who is a practicing Catholic and ex-seminarian has stated that “Confession seals should be broken if a Priest has confessed his crime to another Priest”. I don’t see what that would achieve other than put Priests in jail for refusing to divulge Confessions they have received. Besides if you were a hebephile or pedophile and you were a Priest I highly doubt that you would be telling your fellow Priests but maybe I am ignorant to what is going on.

I wish I had a link but I read most priests involved in the abuse stopped praying and going to confession.

 

[Newbie2]

Yes, it’s clear now that there were cover-ups; such did happen. We don’t know to what extent, precisely because such events were covered up and some still may remained covered up.

So to answer your questions, full disclosure is needed, but will not likely happen IMHO.

I’d suggest reading the book “Before Dallas”:

amazon.com/Before-Dallas-Bishops-Response-Children/dp/0809105802/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1353644877&sr=8-1&keywords=before+dallas

The author, again IMHO, does a very good job of explaining what happened, how it happened and to some extent why it happened without an ageda on either side. This book may answer some of your questions, or at least give you some insight.

 

[Aboveallbereal]

It is interesting to note that in the UK cherished secular institutions such as the BBC and NHS are now under the spotlight and looking less than pristine due to failures in how abuse was historically dealt with.

Secularists have enjoyed open season on the Church in recent years but are discovering the discomforting reality that paedo/hebephile activity wheedles its way into every nook and cranny open to it. Such outcomes will become increasingly known elsewhere as well and whilst it is always gross to see such discovery at least he prurient and agenda driven targetting of the Church for special criticism may be somewhat tempered.