I am sometimes surprised at the examples Pope Benedict gives when discussing certain topics. I don’t think child pornography has become accepted in any society, however, it is certainly rampant in some societies. ( ours). AND in light of the Penn State scandal, I was horrified when many people didn’t scream about it on facebook. I see people on Facebook who say, “Save the abandoned animals” and they will have 30 people agree and “like” it. I put something on Facebook about how they should all be fired, and several of them go to jail over this, and would people please report any abuse, and only 3 people agreed. WHAT!?
I am a Catholic educator and have been to the Diocese’s new classes we must take concerning how to work with children within the church. I was horrified the first year, when the entire class was…Don’t touch the kids, it is the only way to protect yourself. HUH? Seriously, that is what the entire class was about. I complained about it. We should not be focusing on US, but rather how to recognize the signs and help children who have been abused by anyone. That was about 3 years ago. Finally, the diocese this year started a program for teachers on how to recognize abuse and report it.
The Church’s new rules on “don’t touch the children”, bother me a lot. If a kid needs a hug, I’m giving him or her one. If a kid runs up to me and throws his or her arms around me, I’m not going to stand there like a tree. Jesus hugged, I am sure. The problem has been with pedophile priests, not calling the authorities when it was needed, and moving around these sick men, so let’s not confuse the issue.
I am not really feeling too good about the focus on the 60’s, 70’s etc. This is evil behavior, pure and simple. AND it cannot be rehabilitated. ( Have they ever tried an exorcist? And I am not kidding).