Priests, Criminal Punishment and Scripture

[randybako]

Dear friends, I can remember back in the late 80’s when my mother in law told me about a catholic priest who ( he had been gone from our parish for about 2 yrs) was at a place to receive treatment for molesting children. I was sternly warned by my mother -in- law to " keep it quiet". This morning, as I am having breakfast with my father, I ask him, " when did our priests become above the law". My dad just shook his head, we both did.What does scripture say about the ordained facing up to the authorities? Are not the authorities put there by God? Respectfully, Randy.

 

[robinn]

I don’t know what the laws of the vatican are concerning pedophilia. But in my opinion, the ones who aided and protected them should also be punished. This all could of been avoided
by being honest, and in recognizing the problem and reassigning them to,not another Parish but to a monestery up in the mountains to pray for forgiveness and also all those with the same problem. Because the ones who were their superiors didn’t want to have their reputations tarnished they would cover it up and reassign them. therefore we have the mess the church is in now. There is more to be said on this subject,but my time has run out.

 

[MarcoPolo]

What does scripture say about the ordained facing up to the authorities? Are not the authorities put there by God? Respectfully, Randy.

Off the top of my head, there’s the passage about making sure there are witnesses that can attest to the minister’s offense, so as to curb false accusations. *1 Tim 5:19 Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses.
*The Church has improved policing its own in the last decade. A recent story from this past week involved the revocation of a Cardinal Mahony’s privilege to serve in public as documentation is released to the public.