Priest accused of sexual abuse [IN]

[LindaSK]

It is an unusual day when I have to admit that I agree with an atheist. Actually, Lynx, I think you make some very good points.

As Catholics, we have to face the reality of the horrible sin that was perpetrated in the form of child sexual abuse. ** Frankly, I don’t care if this occurs with ministers, Rabbis, other teachers, day care providers, etc.** The fact is a Catholic Priest has a special place and role in the formation of a human soul. That was betrayed not only by the perpetrators but by those who refused to remove them from harm’s way. It would be wrong to try to minimize the guilt by transferring the blame to the victims or even the media. If we are intellectually honest, we must accord the victims and the media the same benefit of the doubt we want for our priests.

The Church, must in humility confront this sin directly. We start by not making excuses and blaming others. Of course, there will be abuses. Of course some will take advantage of the Church. That is simply the price the Church must endure.

We must remove all priests who may be guilty of hurting young people. Some priests will be falsely condemned. Wasn’t Our Lord also falsely condemned? Perhaps what is needed is some real redemptive suffering. Maybe Father Terry’s call is to suffer for the Church he loves in perfect imitation of Christ.
**
I often wonder how any human being could be so depraved as to hurt a child, but especially our priests.** I believe that the Church is under attack, not only from the media, secular humanists and feminists but by Satan, himself. We are clearly in a spiritual war.

“** Frankly, I don’t care if this occurs with ministers, Rabbis, other teachers, day care providers, etc.**”

“I often wonder how any human being could be so depraved as to hurt a child, but especially our priests.”

Any time someone is victimized or sexually abused by someone in a position of trust and authority, it is equally as traumatic. It doesn’t matter if that person is a teacher, scout leader, parent or priest! Catholic priests seem to make better ‘press’, especially now.

“If we are intellectually honest, we must accord the victims and the media the same benefit of the doubt we want for our priests.” If we are being “intellectually honest”, we should expect the same degree of accountability from the media that we want from real victims and from our priests. Catholic media is not trying to sweep the scandal under the rug. The Pope has frequently and publicly addressed the issue of priestly abuses, and met with victims of that abuse.The Catholic Church has taken great steps to prevent such abuses from occurring in the present and in the future, and to address the abuses of the past. (This alleged abuse is to have happened 19 years ago.) How much do you read in the secular media about the positive efforts the Church has taken? As long as the story of a priest’s abuse is sensational and sells papers, secular media will ‘run’ with it. How many front page stories do you see when those same priests, whose reputations have been ruined, are found to be innocent? Until a priest(teacher, parent, etc.) is found to be guilty of sexual abuse, they should have the same right to the protection of their identity as does the alleged victim.

“We must remove all priests who may be guilty of hurting young people.” Yes, the diocese, school district, child services, etc. should be obligated to remove the alleged perpetrator from their current situation as discreetly as possible - for medical reasons, etc. - until a verdict is reached, not as a presumption of the individual’s guilt, but to protect the institution in case of that person’s guilt. Damage done to a person’s reputation is difficult to reverse, especially once the media has sensationalized an issue, and made it front-page news. People tend to remember the headlines and the initial accusations, not the retractions on back pages in small print. Those who are found to be innocent should ideally be able to return to their current position without shadows of guilt hanging over them.

Abuses have occurred. That is the truth. My prayers go out to those who have been abused, and to those who have been abusive. Both need healing. However, only those who are guilty should have to pay the consequences, including those who have made false accusations.

 

[cargau]

“** Frankly, I don’t care if this occurs with ministers, Rabbis, other teachers, day care providers, etc.**”

“I often wonder how any human being could be so depraved as to hurt a child, but especially our priests.”

Any time someone is victimized or sexually abused by someone in a position of trust and authority, it is equally as traumatic. It doesn’t matter if that person is a teacher, scout leader, parent or priest! Catholic priests seem to make better ‘press’, especially now.

“If we are intellectually honest, we must accord the victims and the media the same benefit of the doubt we want for our priests.” If we are being “intellectually honest”, we should expect the same degree of accountability from the media that we want from real victims and from our priests. Catholic media is not trying to sweep the scandal under the rug. The Pope has frequently and publicly addressed the issue of priestly abuses, and met with victims of that abuse.The Catholic Church has taken great steps to prevent such abuses from occurring in the present and in the future, and to address the abuses of the past. (This alleged abuse is to have happened 19 years ago.) How much do you read in the secular media about the positive efforts the Church has taken? As long as the story of a priest’s abuse is sensational and sells papers, secular media will ‘run’ with it. How many front page stories do you see when those same priests, whose reputations have been ruined, are found to be innocent? Until a priest(teacher, parent, etc.) is found to be guilty of sexual abuse, they should have the same right to the protection of their identity as does the alleged victim.

“We must remove all priests who may be guilty of hurting young people.” Yes, the diocese, school district, child services, etc. should be obligated to remove the alleged perpetrator from their current situation as discreetly as possible - for medical reasons, etc. - until a verdict is reached, not as a presumption of the individual’s guilt, but to protect the institution in case of that person’s guilt. Damage done to a person’s reputation is difficult to reverse, especially once the media has sensationalized an issue, and made it front-page news. People tend to remember the headlines and the initial accusations, not the retractions on back pages in small print. Those who are found to be innocent should ideally be able to return to their current position without shadows of guilt hanging over them.

Abuses have occurred. That is the truth. My prayers go out to those who have been abused, and to those who have been abusive. Both need healing. However, only those who are guilty should have to pay the consequences, including those who have made false accusations.

Sorry about the confusion, allow me to clear things up a bit. The truth is I do care whenever a vulnerable child is mistreated or abused by anyone. I have heard in the past a defense of our priests using the argument that others do it too. I don’t buy that defense. Number one, it doesn’t excuse anyone and No 2, I do hold our beloved priests to a higher standard. After all, they have received the graces associated with thge Sacrament of Holy Orders and I believe trhe damage is much deeper as they could well be doing irreparable harm to an infinite soul.

Your point about equal accountability, no argument here. As long as we understand that the first sin was perpetrated by the priests, not the media, not the victims. We must be on guard for any slander and expose it immediately. Again, blaming the victims/media without sufficient proof is a poor and dubious defense. My comments are really in response to many of the responders to this thread. I simply believe that the Church is in for some suffering. I don’t think it is useful to make excuses or attempt to minimize the nature of the crimes by using weak defenses.

 

[lynx]

It is an unusual day when I have to admit that I agree with an atheist. Actually, Lynx, I think you make some very good points.

If it makes you feel any better, often times I’m not practicing when I participate in discussions

 

[St_Francis]

I want to know why no criminal or civil charges were filed if they found the allegation to have merit. I wish they would have said why. I’m sure I’m not the only one who hates incomplete reporting.

No criminal or civil charges were filed because the alleged victim has not taken the steps to do so. S/he has apparently asked the Church for confidentiality regarding identity and the Church is respecting that.

Also, it disturbs me that alleged crimes that happen here are required by the Vatican to be all released to the Vatican for review. I hope the local authorities made copies and took pictures of the relevant documentation in case they do decide to file charges locally.

I am sure that only copies were sent to the Vatican, which is reviewing the cases to oversee the bishops, some of whom were complicit in merely moving some of the accused priests around, sometimes without telling those where they were going why they were being moved. The local diocese will have copies of all the information, and it seems that the only reason police have not opened an investigation is that the alleged *victim *has not requested it.

 

[Teelynn]

I appreciate the posts, I really do. Please keep it up. This is a Parish not a half a mile away where the city wide ash-wednesday was last year. We’ve been there, attended the 7:30 Mass there when we wanted to get out of town early. There is a school attached to this Parish. The damage is gonna be bad. It won’t matter whether or not Fr. Terry is not-guilty. This community is only about 30,000. This is satan and my gut hurts.

Yes, we need to pray MUCH!!! The fallout from this has many facets…priests being falsley accused as well as priest predators. You hit the nail on the head when you said this IS SATAN. Yep, it is exactly HIM. When Pope Paul Xl said that “the smoke of Satan has entered the santuary” in 1963 that is exactly what he meant! Pedophilia is a culmination of the fallen angels rite, according to experts. Satan is out to destroy the Church of Christ, and I must say He is doing a great job. Abortion is also directly from Satan himself. A blood sacrifice to the King of Darkness. The Church of Christ is under attack like never before. Not that Satan didn’t have his dirty hand in things throughout history in the Catholic Church, but this I truly believe is his final battle. He’s pretty much giving it all he’s got.

PRAY MUCH, PRAY THE ROSARY, AND ASK THE BLESSED MOTHER TO HELP US! She is the one who will eventually CRUSH HIS HEAD.