The demonic origins of the priesthood scandals

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NguyenKimPhat

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I have been reflecting upon the priestly scandals and the overriding public opinion that many priests are pedophiles and child-molesters. Although I understand that there are so many good priests, it shocks me that there even does exist a bias that priests sexually abuse little children. How amazing and shocking is this reality? I am not shocked by the fact that some priests have fallen into the sin of sexual abuse: we are all sinful people . . . but i am shocked by the fact that the public image of a priest, in the mind of the media and the public, is seen as a pedophile. This over-riding bias, this over-riding opinion about the image of the priest hood… is so unbelievable shocking to me that I have come to suspect that there must be a demonic aspect to this whole situation. How did this entire situation begin in the first place? It seems as if it was the devil’s dream-come-true for this grotesque disaster to happen.

The respectable image of a priest, a man of God who sacrifices everything for the sake of the church, . . . this image of the priest is now reduced and belittled and destroyed … now he is seen as a man who sexually abuses little children. Can you ever in your wildest dreams imagine that this absolute disaster would happen to the image of the priest hood? How unbelievable strange and odd is this situation. The concept of a child molester and the concept of the priest seem to be from two totally different worlds, and yet, now, these two concepts are melded together within the eyes of the world. Isn’t this the most disgusting thing that would satisfy the dreams and hopes of Satan? to see the priests of god belittled to the level of a child sex abuser? this is so outrageous! this is so unbelievable! that, ever in the history of the world, the image of a priest is associated with the concept of a child rapist! through my words, can you guys see my sense of absolute awestruck and sadness? oh my goodness! this is entire situation is like an unending slap in the face. the degree of absolute grotesqueness is so intense that I have to suspect that the devil is so happy over this. you guys! isn’t this entire situation exactly what the devil wants? to see the entire image of the priest belittled to a monstrous pedophile ? wow wow wow
 
I have to be honest. I really think a lot of this comes from the idea of “how the mighty have fallen.” The church has always been a voice of morality and reason to a nation living with a guilty conscience. Once a few of the leaders of this great organization were led astray, it was blown wide apart, widely reported, and repeated ad nauseum to make a point. That point being:

“HA! HA! Look at them! Those hypocrites are no better than we are!”

This is why we all, as followers of christ, have to be vigilant. If we give in even a little bit, it ruins our reputation. They are looking for ways to justify their actions by saying “Well, they are no better than we are!”
 
Let me offer you a slightly different perspective on the question:

Obviously, on one level members of the general public know that not every priest is a child molester. Yet they have still allowed this image to affect their opinion of all priests. Why might that be?

My hypothesis would be that when the public began to learn of these abuses they were shocked and horrified, but limited that to the individual alone. As they became aware of the number of priests involved and the deliberate coverups in a number of dioceses they came to three conclusions:
  1. Priests and Bishops feel more solidarity with a “Father Kiddiediddler” than with the laity. In the vast majority of these cases, the Catholic hierarchy needed to be circumvented so that secular authorities could deal with the abuse. This created a sentiment akin to many Americans asking where the “moderate muslims” were after 9/11. This created a sense of suspicion that was levelled at all Catholic clergy, just as there was suspicion of muslims after 9/11.
  2. I can’t trust the Catholic clergy to tell me the truth. As the public learned of the shuffling of priests and the denials and untruths often employed to deter the abused from seeking justuce, that suspicion ripened into an overt sense of mistrust. Once again, the use of falsehoods by some in the hierarchy without clear repudiation and disassociation by the other members of the hierarchy led to all of them being viewed in the same light-as those who would lie to protect themselves and those they cared about.
  3. That this lack of repudiation and disassociation could be considered tantaount to “aiding and abetting” the actions of a “Father Kiddiediddler”. While there have been regulations passed, and some changes made that should lead to some improvement of the situation in the future, in many cases there was not a radical break between those found guilty of such crimes or of actively covering them up and the rest of the Catholic clergy. In only a rare number of cases were there calls for laicization or other punitive measures-often there was a recollection of the abusers’ “contributions” or in the case of some members of the hierarchy, a chance to continue their career elsewhere. This lack of separation from abusers is the prime reason all priests are getting tarred with this-they are perceived to be indifferent to abuse and therefore complicit in the abuse.
This builds on points 1 & 2 and has led to the public cynicism, mistrust and disrespect the OP has commented on. So, IMO, it isn’t the devil’s fault that this image has developed and it isn’t up to the devil to fix it. If the church is transparent, proactive and intolerant of abuse by clergy, this reputation will go away over time. If some parts of the hierarchy are slow to get the message and additional coverups come to light, the time required to live down the image will increase exponentially.

(my $0.02)
 
Non_Serviam said:
Let me offer you a slightly different perspective on the question:

Obviously, on one level members of the general public know that not every priest is a child molester. Yet they have still allowed this image to affect their opinion of all priests. Why might that be?

My hypothesis would be that when the public began to learn of these abuses they were shocked and horrified, but limited that to the individual alone. As they became aware of the number of priests involved and the deliberate coverups in a number of dioceses they came to three conclusions:
  1. Priests and Bishops feel more solidarity with a “Father Kiddiediddler” than with the laity. In the vast majority of these cases, the Catholic hierarchy needed to be circumvented so that secular authorities could deal with the abuse. This created a sentiment akin to many Americans asking where the “moderate muslims” were after 9/11. This created a sense of suspicion that was levelled at all Catholic clergy, just as there was suspicion of muslims after 9/11.
  2. I can’t trust the Catholic clergy to tell me the truth. As the public learned of the shuffling of priests and the denials and untruths often employed to deter the abused from seeking justuce, that suspicion ripened into an overt sense of mistrust. Once again, the use of falsehoods by some in the hierarchy without clear repudiation and disassociation by the other members of the hierarchy led to all of them being viewed in the same light-as those who would lie to protect themselves and those they cared about.
  3. That this lack of repudiation and disassociation could be considered tantaount to “aiding and abetting” the actions of a “Father Kiddiediddler”. While there have been regulations passed, and some changes made that should lead to some improvement of the situation in the future, in many cases there was not a radical break between those found guilty of such crimes or of actively covering them up and the rest of the Catholic clergy. In only a rare number of cases were there calls for laicization or other punitive measures-often there was a recollection of the abusers’ “contributions” or in the case of some members of the hierarchy, a chance to continue their career elsewhere. This lack of separation from abusers is the prime reason all priests are getting tarred with this-they are perceived to be indifferent to abuse and therefore complicit in the abuse.
This builds on points 1 & 2 and has led to the public cynicism, mistrust and disrespect the OP has commented on. So, IMO, it isn’t the devil’s fault that this image has developed and it isn’t up to the devil to fix it. If the church is transparent, proactive and intolerant of abuse by clergy, this reputation will go away over time. If some parts of the hierarchy are slow to get the message and additional coverups come to light, the time required to live down the image will increase exponentially.

(my $0.02)
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Good post.
 
WE MUST be vigilant. I too find the “melding together” of the priestly image and the pedophile image disgusting and terrible, but we can’t let it damage our faith. All men have sinned and fallen short of God. We aren’t perfect.
 
Jesus told Peter and His apostles that “…satan wishes to sift you like the wheat…” paraphrase, so yes Non Serviam, satan’s hand is indeed behind the priestly disgrace, for he has sifted and found some who were lacking.

And NguyenKimPhat you need to steel ourself as we are next to be sifted. I would advise you obtain the booklet IN THE END MY IMMACULATE HEART WILL TRIUMPH, from www.queenship.org. This is a 33 day prayer in which you consecrate your heart to Jesus through Mary.
 
NguyenKimPhat said:
isn’t this entire situation exactly what the devil wants? to see the entire image of the priest belittled to a monstrous pedophile ? wow wow wow
Click to expand...
OF course it is; consider:

Since our LORD Himself is beyond Old Scratch’ ability to harm anymore, HIS representaitves in the black collars will be furiously attacked. Remember how He was treated, and what happened to Padre Pio?

But physical attacks are counterproductive in that they lead to belief in spiritual warfare, something the spirits do not want. Better to change what the masses think of priests.

This is a culture that values sex more than life itself; consider that it allows abortion and euthanasia, while spending gigabucks annually on Viagra and other sexual potions. So the best way to damage the priesthood in the public eye is to connect it with aberrant sex.

When non-priests fall into pedophilia, these cases “go away” swiftly. When Catholic clergy is involved, the matter can be seen from Mars, so to speak.

IMNAAHO, this is too perfectly damaging to be just the result of human venality; there is a spiritual dimension involved. Don’t forget to pray for the priests.

ICXC NIKA.
 
I would also like to add yet another perspective which is pretty much known to those who work in the field of child sexual predators and that is this type of crime or behavior starts in adolescence…and for many years they were never caught. So it is not unusual for these predators to go into fields in which they are trusted, admired and have access to children and becoming a priest up until a few years ago was a pedofile’s playground. They were most likely in fact molesting before becoming priests…they did not have background checks back then nor did they have pysch tests.

Who would ever believe a child against an adult…especially a priest. I am from the New England area and the man who started this all with Fr Porter is from my hometown.

I would also like to add another person who was a tremendous help for a couple of boys back when this was beginning to come to light was a priest himself. He paid a heavy price in his effort to get a pedofile priest brought to justice and the bishop at that time was against him and defending the guilty party…The good priest had to write to the Pope in order to get the bishop to stop performing some injustices against him.

This particular bishop who is now retired is under fire again and will probably be going to court to answer to files that have been released that the diocease did not want release and these documents are quite condemning to the actions that bishop had taken. I am myself very disgusted with the way most bishops and cardinals have handled this whole situation.

Didn’t St Thomas Aquinas state in some many words that it is better to bring to light any injustice than it is to try to hide it from the world?
 
this entire situation is mind-boggling, overwhelming, and unbelievable. oh my goodness, how could this happen! this is grotesque and monstrous.
 
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