Massachusetts priest calls on Pope Benedict to step down

[Scoobyshme]

One might argue that Cardinal Ratzinger’s handling of sexual abuse cases exhibits a failure to grasp basic moral theology…

I would’ve hoped that, as a Catholic, you’d be a little smarter than to swallow every drop of vitriol coming out of the anti-Catholic, gay-worshipping, abortion-loving media when it speaks of the Church and the Pope.

The Pope has done nothing wrong. He was the one, in fact, that instituted stricter rules after his department was put in charge of the problem. The problems the media is reporting are distorted to the point of being lies.

For example, when they accuse him of “purposely delaying defrocking a priest, and, therefore, endangering children to pedophiles” they leave out the pertinent information:

1. It is the local bishop who, upon his own authority, can suspend a priest from public ministry. He does NOT need permission from the Vatican to do this. Yet, that’s what the media has implied in its lies.
2. The CDF (then Cardinal Ratziner’s office) was not put in charge of the abuse scandals until 2001. After he was put in charge, he tightened the procedures that had actually been written in 1922, including a “zero-tolerance” policy.
3. The vast majority of cases being currently reported in the media happened in the 1960’s-1980’s. Since about 2004, there have been exactly six (6) priests accused of child abuse of the 40,000+ priests and tens of thousands of other religious in this country. I’d say he did an outstanding job!

You cannot serve two masters. You can either serve Jesus Christ and His Mystical Body, the Church. Or you can serve Satan and his minions who work at the Associated Press and other anti-Catholic media outlets. Life is all about choices…and consequences.

 

[Dylpickleh8]

Can a pope even resign?
I thought that they were stuck there until they passed away.

 

[CatholicFireman]

As Catholics, this is a part of our faith. If you’re not, who cares?

Exactly. Why does he post…to stir the pot?

 

[CatholicFireman]

Unfortunately, during this whole scandal…especially where we read about catholics against catholics…I can’t help but think of the lyric from The Day the Music Died:

“…I saw Satan laughing with delight…”. Didn’t anybody tell him that in the end God (and we) win?

Pax†

 

[Ahimsa]

Can a pope even resign?
I thought that they were stuck there until they passed away.

Pope Gregory XII resigned in 1415, leading to election of Pope Martin V.

 

[baylee]

Personally, I do not want to hear any priest in my diocese calling for the Pope’s resignation. On the other hand, I do wish there was some talk of the current events. However, I can understand why there may not be…because here in America we’ve been there done that…we’ve been through the ringer once already…and there’s just so much of this that we can handle.

 

[takers]

In an interview, Scahill sounded exhausted but firm as he reasserted his critique of the pope: "The right thing is to be truthful, and if he is not up to dealing with this, then he should have the integrity to resign.’’

Scahill has been an outspoken critic of the church’s handling of sexual abuse cases since shortly after he arrived at St. Michael’s church in 2002, the year the clergy abuse scandal exploded in Massachusetts.

He infuriated the local church hierarchy by withholding payments to the Springfield Diocese until it did away with a fund to assist dismissed priests.

He made national news by pressing for a fuller investigation of the 1972 killing of a Springfield boy whose parents attribute their son’s death to an abusive priest.

And he helped to reveal the sexual misconduct of former Springfield Bishop Thomas L. Dupre, who abruptly resigned after he was confronted with accusations that he had abused children as a parish priest.

I’m not seeing anything wrong here. The Priest is saying that IF Pope Benedict cannot handle this scandle with truth and honesty THEN he should resign. I didn’t see anywhere where this Priest stated outright that Pope Benedict should resign as of this moment. If anything the following statements where it demonstrates that this Priest fought abuse as much as he could would make him an example to other Priests to follow. Now, if this Priest started saying that Pope Benedict should hand in his resignation as he was to blame for this scandal, then I’d be singing a different tune, but right now I’m seeing a Priest who has been trying to fight the abuse scandal for a long time and is expecting those higher up than him to do the same.

 

[anode]

Personally, I do not want to hear any priest in my diocese calling for the Pope’s resignation. On the other hand, I do wish there was some talk of the current events. However, I can understand why there may not be…because here in America we’ve been there done that…we’ve been through the ringer once already…and there’s just so much of this that we can handle.

I think that a pope with chronic ill health which impedes his ability to perform his office should be able to retire if he so desires.

If I were a member of that Massachusetts congregation, I would not want my hard-earned dollars to go to a fund for dismissed priests.

I would not want my bishop to be a former sex abuser.

If any CEO of any major company in the US exhibited the sort of foot-dragging that Ratzinger exhibited when he was head of the CDF, without any explanation whatsoever (such as “this case is not in my jurisdiction nor does it require my interference”)-- he would have been dismissed by the directors of the board and the shareholders.

The very fact that this sort of foot-dragging is not longer practiced is evidence that it was determined to have been unacceptable.

 

[NPC]

Canon Law tells us what the pulpit is for, and it is NOT for preaching dissent, political messages, or anything else which is contrary to the Catholic faith. When the priest in question gets up to preach at Mass, he is not speaking as James Scahill, but as a teacher in union with his bishop, in union with the Holy Father, in union with the Universal Church. If he has views which detract from this unity, then as Fr Scahill, he is bound to leave these views at the church door. This doesn’t mean defending wrongdoing, but it certainly involves having one’s story straight - in this case, it appears that the media have successfully pulled the wool over Fr Scahill’s eyes. We must pray for him.

We have too many preachers who are trying to get “with it”, leaving Christ at the door, and following the norms of the media rather than the norms of their bishop!

Can. 772 §1. In the exercise of preaching, moreover, all are to observe the norms issued by the diocesan bishop.

I would be inclined to agree with Religion_Ninja’s suggestion that Fr Scahill’s problem is not Pope Benedict’s handling of the abuse situation, but rather his remarks are borne out of a dislike of some of the Holy Father’s teachings - perhaps, for example, he sees Summorum Pontificum as a backward step; there are a whole lot of Church teachings that he could be annoyed by…who knows - but the bottom line is, as I said earlier, that when he preaches, he is not there as James Scahill, but as Father James Scahill.

His parishioners deserve better.

 

[Adeodatus]

One might argue that Cardinal Ratzinger’s handling of sexual abuse cases exhibits a failure to grasp basic moral theology…

I guess if they wanted to commit the mortal sin of calumny. I hope someone wouldn’t do that.

 

[baylee]

Perhaps homilies should focus on rash judgment.

 

[dmorgan]

Several other posters have aluded to this, but I want to say it out loud;
THIS IS THE WORK OF SATAN! Divide and destroy.

We all need to spend as much time as possible on our knees praying for the Holy Father and Mother Church. This was predicted by Christ, and we have the Power of Prayer to use to defeat this evil. I couldn’t care less about news reports or modernist "c"atholic whining. I Can Pray, so can You. Pray for a return to our traditional faith and we can regain our Church.

 

[DianeGee]

Oh, how many people have forgotten…Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor!

 

[RobbyS]

One might argue that Cardinal Ratzinger’s handling of sexual abuse cases exhibits a failure to grasp basic moral theology…

One might argue that, if one had any evidence.

 

[smcl345]

This is very serious situation. I hope the Bishop takes immediate action. All the faithful need to know the real facts. I am fairly sure most people who have strong opinions about this newest assault on our Holy Catholic Church have never read any of the Pope Benedict’s writings and they just don’t know who he really is and what he really stands for. I will continue to pray for him and our church and I am deeply grateful for this forum and like minded souls. susan

 

[jilly4ski]

Maybe this priest is just trying to find out how fast the “defrockment” process actually is.

 

[timotheos]

Mt 7:2 For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.

I wrote up a couple of paragraphs, but then erased them. Sacred Scripture says it better than I ever will.

-Tim

 

[CatholicFireman]

maybe this priest is just trying to find out how fast the “defrockment” process actually is. :d

lol

 

[Michael_Forrest]

I’m not seeing anything wrong here. The Priest is saying that IF Pope Benedict cannot handle this scandle with truth and honesty THEN he should resign. I didn’t see anywhere where this Priest stated outright that Pope Benedict should resign as of this moment. If anything the following statements where it demonstrates that this Priest fought abuse as much as he could would make him an example to other Priests to follow. Now, if this Priest started saying that Pope Benedict should hand in his resignation as he was to blame for this scandal, then I’d be singing a different tune, but right now I’m seeing a Priest who has been trying to fight the abuse scandal for a long time and is expecting those higher up than him to do the same.

First, Fr. Scahill went beyond that. He publicly stated that he didn’t believe the pope was being honest. Second, based upon the “evidence” to date, there is no basis to even begin saying that the Pope needs to resign “if” - especially from the pulpit and to various outlets of the main stream news media.

 

[True_Believer_1]

No, the Pope was elected to his position by men - the College of Cardinals, to be specific.

Okay, so I see that you are a “fallen Catholic”. Judging from your response, you are also ignorant of Catholic beliefs, and therefore probably never were a real Catholic.

Yes, elected by the College of Cardinals, inspired by God to select God’s chosen one, the direct decendent to Peter, the leader of the ONE TRUE CHURCH! STARTED BY CHRIST!

Therefore, only GOD. The Big Guy, The Creator, The Almighty. Perhaps you have heard of Him. The Great “I AM”, can remove the true Pope from office.

And, again as Christ stated, Not even the gates of hell will prevail against His Church!

One question, Why does a “fallen” Catholic spend so much time hanging out on a Catholic web sight? Perhaps deep down you do realize that among His people, THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, is where you really desire to be!

May the Good Lord Bless You and Bring You Home!

**NOT JUST STRONG…CATHOLIC STRONG!!! **