The hypocrites in the Catholic Church

[Scott_Waddell]

That was why I asked for the stats in the first place, because I suspect abuse is not a uniquely Catholic trend. The difference I see, and we may know more about other denoms as victims in other Churches come forward, is that the Bishops were so complicit by moving priests around so much and failing to disclose to their new parishes. Had the Bishops just taken the time to tell St. Barnabas (for instance) that the priest he was assigning to them was an accused pedophile who had received counseling, then the parents might have been more vigilant with their children or people might have taken the opportunity to parish shop. Would have saved a lot of victims.

No disagreement there. If bishops had done what they were supposed to do and permanently removed the abusers from priestly duties instead of listening to secular psychologists (notice hardly anyone wants to hold them accountable for dishing out grossly irresponsible advice.) we would not be in this mess.

At this point the reposting of these stories is an exercise in detraction.

 

[YinYangMom]

Because the people who did it have to pay, including the higher-ups who covered up the abuses. And most of them haven’t.

Ok…here’s what I’m wondering…

As a fellow Catholic, don’t we believe in the justice and mercy of Our Lord?

Don’t we also have **absolute **confidence in Him?

If so…
then, as with all other crimes committed by mankind on earth, including:

• those which come under the light of investigation, result in conviction and time served here on earth yet the perpetrator never feels remorse or repents in his heart
• those which never come under the light of investigation during the perpetrator’s lifetime
• those which were investigated but not tried due to lack of evidence or whatever
• those which were investigated, brought to trial but acquitted
  Have we no faith that in the end, real justice will be served by Christ on those perpetrators who did not repent before their death whether they served their time on earth or were never caught?

Have we closed off the possibility that real mercy will be granted to the perpetrators who did repent before their death yet never paid for their crime in an earthly manner because they didn’t turn themselves in?

Even in that situation, have we no faith that God’s mercy **and **justice will be properly dispensed on those perpetrators?

Where is our Catholic confidence in the most important system of all???

So some bishops and priests will ‘get away’ with this horrific crime while on earth. Why despair? Why be angry? Cries for justice will be answered - in God’s time, in God’s way.

Certainly continue to pray for justice against the perpetrators and for the healing comfort of Our Lord on the victims, but enough dragging down of the Whole Church already for the crimes of a few, is my thinking.

Let the victims continue to press charges. Let the system continue to pursue and rule on those investigations. But once the case is closed - it’s closed. It is not forgotten. It is **not **over for the perpetrator and those who shielded him. **Trust in that **and move on.

Now, if you’re not Catholic, then perhaps I’ve shed a little light on why Catholics, in general, are not as upset as you are about so many cases not being pursued or convicted. There have been many, many horrific injustices during humanity’s existence and there will be many more. In the grand scheme of things, many will never be answered for adequately on this earth, but we Catholics know with absolute certainty that all will be adequately dealt with in the end.

 

[kevinfraser]

I love the OP’s classic knee-jerk (mis)reasoning: Wolves are among them as Jesus promised, therefore ‘they’ are all hypocrites.

Here’s another one sporting the same “logic”: The My-Laiy (?sp) Massacre was carried out by American Soldiers therefore America is evil.

issue of pedophile priests

Holly, with all due respect, your thinking has been conditioned by the media. There is no “issue of pedophile priests.” Where do you think the expression “pedophile priest” came from? A headline writer looking to sell papers. There has been a sad “issue of sexual abuse” but if you want to narrow the field it’s an “issue of homosexual priests.”

A few facts for perspective:

*** 78% of the abuses studied involved males aged 16 or 17. ** Read that over and over until you truly grasp what it means. Actual instances of pedophilia - (medical definition: involving prepubescents) are a tiny fraction of the total abuses.

Given this fact, if there is an “issue” that needs headlining, it’s clearly an “issue of homosexual priests,” but there is SIMPLY NO WAY that the media will ever print that. Facts or no. Such is the entrenched pro-homosexual, anti-Catholic bias of the media. Don’t expect any truth to be reported there.

The incidence of child abuse among priests is among the lowest, if not THE lowest of any group studied. The incidence of pedophilia is WAY higher among the general male population than it has ever been among priests, while the percentage of homosexual priests - and proportion of abuses - VASTLY exceeds that in the general population. How clear can this picture get?

Nonetheless, the media will NEVER report that the problems of the priesthood are caused by homosexual activity, because that would suggest that there might be something unwholesome about homosexuality–and the media simply will never say that. It doesn’t matter how true it is.

Imagine if on September 11, 2001, CNN and the New York Times had begun reporting that the cause of the attacks was Hollywood. Imagine if they would NEVER AIR any of the video of the attacks, but instead insisted all the deaths were caused by Hollywood.

In 2002, the Christian Science Monitor reported that the insurance industry was sounding an alarm because they were paying out sexual abuse settlements at the rate of 20 a week, and had been for years – against instances of abuse by NON-CATHOLIC CHRISTIAN LAYPERSONS. I’m pretty sure you never saw that reported anywhere.

I have heard it suggested that the percentage of pedophilia attacks is most alarming among professions lke teachers, counsellors, ministries, even–God protect us–firefighters, and police.

The media is guilty of demonstrating its callous disregard for the plight of such children. If they cared, they would start focusing on the source of the problem instead of obsessing over the already-admitted abuses within the priesthood.

People don’t love reading about a secular professional abusing children. But for some reason, they love reading about ANY trouble a priest causes or is subjected to.

It’s like a desire to desecrate. They love to juxtapose filth against a roman collar, and they will be as selective as it takes to maximize the initial impact of the headline because that’s where the purchase impulse is.

 

[mary_bobo]

Tell me please, Etienne, why post a two year old article like it’s news?

John

Don’t think I have much confidence in the source either.

 

[MonicaC]

Admittedly, some of us have a difficulty overlooking the fact that thus far the Church in the United States has paid out close to a billion dollars in legal costs and settlements with victims. And this doesn’t take into account the large sums of money lost through embezzlement and fraud by some members of the clergy.

And the crisis is far from over. What can we expect to come out of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in terms of further monetary settlements and expenditures? Some speculate that it may be far worse than what has already transpired in Boston and Covington.

It’s really hard not to lose focus.

I guess what I don’t understand is why is it that the catholic chruch is only group having to pay in money for these horrible action, but I have yet to have seen the goverment pay for the horrible action of their state employees. I have a sister who was sexually assulted by a school teacher. He was found guilty for sexually abusing many young girls and was charged with not being able to teach in the state again. He was able to teach though in the neighbering state with a clean slate. My sister never saw settlement money, she never got an apology, she was however snubbed by the school.

I guess it really makes me upset when I see that people are making such a big ordeal about the PP. With actions of never letting their children around a priest. I have yet to see a parent get all in arms about letting their child be around school teachers.

Catholic were very upset about these PP, just as they should be but what I don’t understand is when we have such a good opportunity to now expose all pediphlors all we have done is blame one group.

Pediphellia is a horrible crime, and I am, as should everybody, be very concerned with this crime. We need to get at the root of it. We need to start protecting our children from conception to death. When the world starts to see this as a real issue and not just a Catholic Priest issue than and only than can we get to the bottom of it.

God Bless,

Monica

PS I am not using my computer right and cannot find the spell check so I am sorry for any misspelling.

 

[Liberalsaved]

Now, if you’re not Catholic, then perhaps I’ve shed a little light on why Catholics, in general, are not as upset as you are about so many cases not being pursued or convicted. There have been many, many horrific injustices during humanity’s existence and there will be many more. In the grand scheme of things, many will never be answered for adequately on this earth, but we Catholics know with absolute certainty that all will be adequately dealt with in the end.

I am not Catholic, but have been. More than that, respectfully, is for me to know and you not to find out.

Ultimately, those people hurt others, right here. It’s not about revenge, it’s about justice, and I do find it a tad hypocritical that if these were not Church figures, many posters here would be howling for their heads, or at least making the reasonable demand that they face justice.

 

[estesbob]

I guess what I don’t understand is why is it that the catholic chruch is only group having to pay in money for these horrible action, but I have yet to have seen the goverment pay for the horrible action of their state employees…

In Colorado they tried to shove through a law that eliminated the Staute of limitaions for sexual abuse of a child by Priests but let it remain in effect for teachers in Public schools. When the Diocese opposed it becuae of its uneven application they were accused of wanting to cover up abuse!

 

[Carrie_Andrews]

Why do people post a topic then themselves disappear when questioned? Is it to simply start arguments and fan flames?

This was my thought also, and wondering what the point of the post is? Are we supposed to be shocked? I’d be more shocked at a loveing post then a gruesome one. At a point in history when Catholics are being gunned down in cold blood, who needs to dredge this stuff up. Maybe I should make a post “Newsflash–Catholics aren’t perfect”. Then I’d have to follow it with one on every know religion on earth. By the way, every time I sin, I am a “hypocrite in the Catholic church” unfortunately I number myself among them quite often. He who says he is without sin is a hypocrite and a liar. May God bless and enlighten this poster and all of us!!!

 

[maggiec]

The hypocrites in the Catholic Church

By Sharon Smith | March 5, 2004 | Page 7

ON FEBRUARY 23, Patrick McSorley died in a Boston apartment at the age of 29. McSorley had been unable to kick the heroin addiction that killed him. “The memories of what had happened to him he had to battle continuously,” a friend described. “He would do almost anything to escape the pain.”

As a 12-year-old boy, McSorley went out for ice cream with Father John J. Geoghan, who offered the comfort and trust of a priest after the boy’s father committed suicide. Instead, Father Geoghan molested the boy in his car.

McSorley was just one of 85 victims of serial predator Father Geoghan, who was shuffled from parish to parish for two decades while Catholic Church leaders silenced his accusers. Geoghan was defrocked only after his arrest in 1998 for molesting a 10-year old boy. socialistworker.org/2004-1/489/489_07_CatholicChurch.shtml

I believe that the evil that happened to our youth (my son included) was carried on by men who brought shame to the church. I believe satan is trying hard to destroy our church by this continued media coverage that distorts and magnifies truth . What value is this? It feeds the desires of those who’s only goal is to destroy our faith.
Yes there has been much pain because of what has happened but it is a private pain that is offered to God as reperation for sinners, which I believe includes us all.
…And Jesus Wept.
God bless,
maggiec

 

[The_Augustinian]

Certainly this is a problem not unique to the Church, but is a social problem. But, let us not pat ourselves on the back for this. Even one percent is bad enough. A little leaven indeed affects the whole batch. These wicked men have corrupted youth and broken the trust of many families, to be sure. We will always have the wheat and the tares growing side by side, but it seems to me that the weeds can choke out the true harvest.

Nevertheless, we should not be hasty, nor should we be too vocal about these problems. This is an internal matter of the Church, and recourse to media would only serve to aggravate problems. Any structural problems that allowed such abusive men to take authority ought to be rectified.

How exactly to solve the problem, I’m not sure. I’m no priest.

 

[InnocentIII]

I am not Catholic, but have been. More than that, respectfully, is for me to know and you not to find out.

Then your earlier comment about calling it quits was misleading and deceptive implying as it did that your were a Catholic and this issue was pushing you out of the Church when in fact you had already by your own choice left the Church. Sad.

 

[MonicaC]

In Colorado they tried to shove through a law that eliminated the Staute of limitaions for sexual abuse of a child by Priests but let it remain in effect for teachers in Public schools. When the Diocese opposed it becuae of its uneven application they were accused of wanting to cover up abuse!

That is sad since the teacher I was speaking of actually went on to teach in the Colorado. He is now retired and living happily off the state.

God Bless,

Monica

 

[Liberalsaved]

Then your earlier comment about calling it quits was misleading and deceptive implying as it did that your were a Catholic and this issue was pushing you out of the Church when in fact you had already by your own choice left the Church. Sad.

A: Don’t presume to know my religious ups and downs from a comment on the internet.

B: That post was made many months ago. Check the date.

 

[KathleenElsie]

Liberalsaved :

Justice is about punishing those that did the wrong. Finding a remedy to make the victim whole that does not punish and/or do an injustice to people not involved or in control.

I firmly believe that those that are found guilty according to our laws should be defrocked, go to jail and never be allow to be near children again.