Posted on 03/25/2010 6:51:30 AM PDT by marshmallow
Questions are being raised about whether Pope Benedict was personally involved in covering up a case of child sex abuse by a Roman Catholic priest.
Documents seen by the New York Times newspaper allege that in the 1990s, long before he became Pope, he failed to respond to letters about a US case.
Fr Lawrence Murphy, of Wisconsin, was accused of abusing up to 200 deaf boys.
Defending itself, the Vatican said US civil authorities had investigated and dropped the case.
For more than 20 years before he was made Pope, Joseph Ratzinger led the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith - the Vatican office with responsibility, among other issues, for the Church's response to child abuse cases.
Allegations that the Church sought to cover up child abuse by Catholic priests in Europe have haunted the Vatican for months.
'He was so friendly'
The documents seen by the New York Times suggest that in 1996, the then Cardinal Ratzinger twice failed to respond to letters sent to him personally.
They concerned the Rev Lawrence Murphy, who worked at a Wisconsin school for deaf children from the 1950s.
Three archbishops of Wisconsin were told Fr Murphy was sexually abusing boys but those allegations were not reported to civil authorities at the time.
Alleged victims quoted by the New York Times gave accounts of the priest pulling down their trousers and touching them in his office, his car, his mother's country house, on class excursions and fund-raising trips, and in their dormitory beds at night.
"If he was a real mean guy, I would have stayed away," said Arthur Budzinski, 61, a former pupil of at St John's School for the Deaf, in .......
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
I can understand the then Cardinal Ratzinger not responding to Weakland who was one of the foremost modernists in the American Church. In effect, he was saying "this is your mess..........clean it up yourself".
Well, well, well....the swamp gets deeper.
I tweeted this last night just as the story broke. The NYT is doing an in depth investigation and more shocking details are yet to come.
Being in Milwaukee, our local media has been deeply involved in the abuse scandal. The local media is just starting to dig into the Milwaukee connection here.
tell that to all the victims!
The Catholic church will never free itself from this problem they have of so many homosexuals and pedophiles in their ranks until they allow normal males to be priests. Yes, normal males who want sex with adult women, get married, and have a normal life.
As of now, the priesthood just attracts too many deviants. Presumably deviants who know they have sick thoughts and join the church to avoid temptation, only to wind up around lots of like-minded sickos who encourage that disgusting behavior.
I respect the Catholic church, but they really need to get rid of this dumb policy of priests not being married. Yeah, I know it’s is not that simple, but it really does have to be done to really end the homosexual/pedophilia problems.
Wow I never new my female parts were a cure for pedophilia, homosexuality and other deviant sexual behaviors. Good thing I got one. Iz can save victims by a simple lowering of the ole delicates.
The chattering classes, secularists, the lavender mafia and assorted non-Catholic "Christians" of various stripes just loathe this Pope.
This is from the BBC. Just sayin’.
I think we're getting ready to find out.
Incoming du jour.
and on THIS subject they are credible? that's SHOCKING.
I read that this information was forwarded to the Vatican 20 years after the complaints in question. That civil authorities did not take action (not sure of the time table with that). That the priest in question was very ill by the time it was reported to the Vatican. And that Weakland never did anything under his watch to discipline this priest. But none of that matters.
I suppose we will have to start digging up the bones of any priest anywhere accused (not convicted) of any abuse and try him and burn the bones and scatter them to the winds. And we will have to start blessing abortion and deviant behavior and stop that whole blathering on about Jesus being Savior. Only full assimilation into the borg will shut these hatemongering, ignorant, pissants up.
bump
The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
Always funny to see a Freeper suddenly embrace the NY Times when it suits him.
The the then Cardinal Ratzinger wasn't getting involved in Weakland's mess.
Good for him.
Hey, and remember that the Enquirer broke the Edwards scandal. Just because a rag is a rag doesn't mean they are always wrong.
I don't think killing the messenger is going to go much further in the coming weeks my Friend.
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