Fascinating conclusion of Australian Inquiry into Child Abuse - Clericalism

[FiveLinden]

Hey @Roseeurekacross just let me ask this: Any fortunate coincidence these findings (and I suppose the findings were published exactly today, because I was awaiting the echoes here on CAF) were published on Holy Friday? Because I was (I am) thinking about sending this to some friends of mine who are priests just to remind them what the cost of inaction exactly looks like.

They were not published today. They have been around for a while. The report is so comprehensive bits work their way out as people consider them.

 

[adgloriam]

FiveLinden:

The theological notion that the priest undergoes an ‘ontological change’ at ordination, so that he is different to ordinary human beings and permanently a priest, is a dangerous component of the culture of clericalism.

This straightforward attack on the doctrine of the Church should make it clear that the Commission should not be regarded as any sort of ally, but as a hostile opponent of the Church. Taking advice from them would be as insane for the Church as if the US military during WWII had taken advice from Japan’s Emperor.

Apart one or the other detail, they are right. Now, where is the part about squeezing the bishops over their inaction and understanding what the hell went through their minds to ignore the abuse when they came to know about it. Because the bishops don’t have any excuse, they ought to have known better.