[MadIvan]

I think she's a lefty, but overall, not bad. The Church does have to be more aggressive in smashing the homosexual subculture and paedophilia, however.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

Enforce the 1961 ban and clean out the seminaries and episcopacy.

[WaveThatFlag]

Call a spade a spade Ivan. The media hates the Church, and reacts with glee every time they get the chance to make their not-so-subtle dig.

[Stone Mountain]

Sex abuse is just an excuse to attack the Church

Maybe... but it's a darn good reason...

[MonroeDNA]

http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_rcc.htm

[MonroeDNA]

Richard Sipe, a psychotherapist and former priest, has studied celibacy and sexuality in the priesthood for four decades. He has authored three books on the topic. He once estimated that 30% of the priesthood is homosexually oriented. 3 Elsewhere, he is quoted as estimating that between 25% and 45% of American priests are homosexual in orientation. 4 He told the Boston Globe: "If they were to eliminate all those who were homosexually oriented, the number would be so staggering that it would be like an atomic bomb; it would do the same damage to the church's operation...It would mean the resignation of at least a third of the bishops of the world. And it's very much against the tradition of the church; many saints had a gay orientation, and many popes had gay orientations. Discriminating against orientation is not going to solve the problem."

[MonroeDNA]

I attended a Caholic school, in grades 7-9. My best friend at the time, William Morisette (Farmington, Michigan), was an alter boy.

Bill "accidentally" shot himself in the forehead with a .22 rifle, while "cleaning it," shortly after this period. We were devestated.

Years later, I was informed that a certain priest at the parish, the head priest, actually, was doing alter boys for years. Right at the time Bill was an alter boy.

One of his lay-persons was outed, too, and once showed me and my friends porno flicks that you would not believe. This guy was also a boy scout volunteer.

[2sheep]

>Sex abuse is just an excuse to attack the Church

No, it is just G~d revealing everything that is hidden -- in this case, He is hewing down the bad FRUIT of false teachers in order to warn the flock to stop following them.  He has done it in Protestant Churches and Catholic.  Ye shall know them by their fruits.  Who?  False teachers and false prophets. Anyone practicing paedophilia and preying on the flock is false!  Stop following them.  Follow the L~rd!

Mt 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Joh 10:3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

Run like Joseph ran from Potiphar's wife! Gen. 39.

[For the Unborn]

After I read the first paragraph, I seriously needed a barf bag.

[VOA]

The Church does have to be more aggressive in smashing the homosexual subculture and paedophilia, however.

Agreed, BUT...
the recent moves by the bishops of the USA (If I understand this correctly)
is a SAD, GIGANTIC step backwards for the Catholic church hierarchy to regain not
only the trust of their flock, but of the general USA public.

If the bishops proceed down this path...they will risk losing ALL the trust most of
America feels about Catholic institutions/charities/hospitals.
And make a lot of the USA think "hmmm.....now we understand why places like
Mexico put the kabosh on the Catholic Church."

Now I am admittedly shooting a bit from the hip...but I think I've probabl captured about
95% of the "zeitgeist" of the situation here in the USA.

And I freely say this as a Protestant who hopes the Catholic institutions
find their way again...
not that they become "protestant"...but that they live up to their original Catholic vision.

[NYer]

A poll by Newsweek this year found that most Americans think the celibacy rule should be scrapped.

Yet one more example of media"itis" - pumped up and proud. Can you imagine the reaction if Newsweek were to run a poll on whether or not Hassidic males should shave their beards? Or, should the Amish abandon their horse drawn buggies in favor of a motorized vehicle?

Attack the catholics ... they won't retaliate.

[js1138]

there is no evidence that Catholic clergy offend at a higher rate than other clergy or non-clergy who deal with children. So why has the priesthood become society’s whipping boy?

Possibly because those who are caught are not removed from positions of authority.