Posted on 07/07/2014 10:16:41 AM PDT by Welchie25
Asking for forgiveness, Pope Francis told abuse survivors that “despicable actions” caused by clergy have been hidden for too long and had been “camouflaged with a complicity that cannot be explained.”
“There is no place in the church’s ministry for those who commit these abuses, and I commit myself not to tolerate harm done to a minor by any individual, whether a cleric or not,” and to hold all bishops accountable for protecting young people, the pope said during a special early morning Mass for six survivors of abuse by clergy. The Mass and private meetings held later with each individual took place in the Domus Sanctae Marthae - the pope’s residence and a Vatican guesthouse where the survivors also stayed.
In a lengthy, off-the-cuff homily in Spanish July 7, the pope thanked the six men and six women - two each from Ireland, the United Kingdom and Germany, for coming to the Vatican to meet with him. The Vatican provided its own translations of the unscripted homily.
The pope praised their courage for speaking out about their abuse, saying that telling the truth “was a service of love, since for us it shed light on a terrible darkness in the life of the church.”
The pope said the scandal of abuse caused him “deep pain and suffering. So much time hidden, camouflaged with a complicity that cannot be explained.”
He called sex abuse a “crime and grave sin,” that was made even worse when carried out by clergy.
“This is what causes me distress and pain at the fact that some priests and bishops, by sexually abusing minors” violated the innocence of children and their own vocation to God, he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at catholicreview.org ...
**Until I see the words “rigorous screening of those entering the seminary”, or similar words conveying that meaning, **
This has happened, thanks to Pope Benedict XVI who sent emissaries to the seminaries to inspect them.
Now applicants must take a two day psychological exam, parents are interviewed, parish priest is interviewed, friends are interviewed.
More interviews for the applicant.
And hopefully he is approved.
It's been proven so.
| In a comprehensive study of more than 20 years of data on clerical abuse, Philip Jenkins, the Distinguished Professor of History at Baylor, and author of Pedophiles and Priests, found no evidence that Catholic or other celibate clergy are any more likely to be involved in misconduct or abuse than clergy of any other denomination." IN fact, clergy in general had lower abuse rates than many other professions (teachers, hotel-motel-restaurant workers, athletes, social workers!). Jenkins said there has been no formal study comparing denominations for rates of child abuse. However, insurers have been assessing the risks since they began offering riders on liability policies in the 1980s. Two of the largest insurers report no higher risks in covering Catholic churches than Protestant denominations (Jenkins, Pedophiles and Priests). |
| Wisconsin-based Church Mutual Insurance Co. has 100,000 client churches and has seen a steady filing of about five sexual molestation cases a week for more than a decade, even though its client base has grown. “It would be incorrect to call it a Catholic problem,” said Church Mutual’s risk control manager, Rick Schaber. “We do not see one denomination above another. It’s equal. It’s also equal among large metropolitan churches and small rural churches.” Iowa-based Guide One Center for Risk Management, which insures more than 40,000 congregations, also said Catholic churches are not considered a greater risk or charged higher premiums. “Our claims experience shows this happens evenly across denominations,” said spokeswoman Melanie Stonewall. |
So your argument does not rest on evidence, but rather runs against evidence.
Second, you are incorrect about priests being "allowed to marry" in the East. East or West, Orthodox, Byzantine or Western Catholic, 2,000 years, priests have never been allowed to marry.
However, in the West for 1,000 years, and in the East for always, married men have been allowed to become priests.
"Huh? So what?" you may say: but there's a difference.
Here's the deal: once ordained,priests and deacons cannot get married.
But once married, men can become deacons and (sometimes) priests.
What I'm pointing out here, is the order in which they do it. If you want to be a married priest, first you get married. Then find a part of the Catholic Church that will ordain you (either a deacon or a priest.)
Your statements show that you didn't understand this. I'm trying to clarify. I hope this is helpful.
You’re guessing that bishops are being blackmailed? Yes, I’d guess, some. That seems probable to me.
I’d say we hear about teachers diddling students all the time. The implication that teacher-student relations are being covered up doesn’t jive.
Why couldn’t Christ stop the abuse in the first place? What’s the point of praying afterwards? That’s the problem I and others have with religion. No all powerful god should sit idly by while a child gets buggered by an evil man. Then he provides “healing” through prayer afterwards? Just doesn’t make sense.
the pope should remove the ban on priest being married.
Strider, if there were no God, why would you even think this buggering was morally objectionable? Bonobo monkeys do it.
The bonobos don’t mind. Why should you?
But God doesn’t want us to be bonobos. He wants us to be free rational creatures -— not witless animals, not pets, not sock puppets, not robots, not venriloqueists’ dummies.
That means He has to leave our behavior in our own hands. not overwhelm and control us at every point. Or we’d be CGIs. Like in the Matrix. Would want that?
Christian radio host admits to sexual assault of a boy
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
By Martin Barillas
John Balyo, 35, has admitted to raping a 12-year-old boy, a prosecutors said on June 24. A former Christian radio host, Balyo was arrested on June 20 at the Big Ticket Christian music festival in Gaylord, Michigan. He was a morning show host on Christian station WCSG in Grand Rapids MI. A Calhoun County prosecutor said at Balyo’s arraignment that the disgraced radio personality freely admitted to the rape of a child. Balyo was denied bail after being charged with first- and second-degree criminal sexual conduct. For his crimes, he may spend the rest of his life in prison. He is a resident of Caledonia MI.
Balyo, who was recently married to a woman, has a stepson.
Caledonia County prosecutor David Gilbert said the accused has admitted to 'some' charges which police said related to a single incident that allegedly occurred at a residence in Battle Creek MI on May 17. Balyo allegedly paid 41-year-old Ronald Moser to have unnatural relations with a young boy. It was during a June 5 raid on Moser’s property that Balyo was found at the home with a 12-year-old boy. Moser allegedly posted an online photo album that displayed ten images of a hog-tied young boy. The boy’s buttocks were exposed, according to a federal law enforcement officer. Albums posted by Moser were entitled ‘very cute boy’ and ‘sexy boys’, according to police.
Calhoun County is home to Battle Creek, which is known as ‘Cereal City’ since it was there that Kellogg’s Post cereals originated in western Michigan. The west side of the Mitten State is otherwise known for its conservative lifestyle.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation alleges that Moser posted the online images in order to trade in pornography. It further alleged that Moser ran a website providing unnatural relations with underage boys for money. A number of different law enforcement agencies, including Homeland Security, discovered Moser’s operations in a larger probe called 'Operation Predator'.
Radio station WCSG has fired Balyo and has asked for prayers for victims, Balyo and his family. Balyo had worked for WCSG for eight years. “We sincerely grieve over these recent events, in particular the tragic impact on victims and their parents. The trafficking and exploitation of minors is absolutely deplorable,” said a statement by the radio station. “The WCSG family is deeply aching and know you may be hurting as well.”
A WCSG spokesman added, “'We know that no one, absolutely no one, is immune from falling into the darkness of sin. And yet, we have hope. Those who truly follow and live for Jesus Christ know He alone has the power to restore broken lives and broken trust.”
Balyo will face the court on July 7 and will have a trial on August 18.
The ban on the “priests” being married is non-biblical and should be lifted.
But I'm suspecting that you think people should not be allowed, of their own free will and for the sake of the Kingdom, to take vows of celibacy? Perhaps you could explain that.
And... do you even believe in the priesthood? Does your church have married priests?
And on the other hand, does your church have any provision for vowed celibates, whose way of life is recommended by St. Paul?
Knowing this would help me understand your position better.
You've said the exact same thing about the Blessed Mother's Perpetual Virginity: "it's not in the Bible".
Why even bother claiming to be a Catholic?
Second Lataran Council 1139
Canons 6, 7, 11: Condemnation and repression of marriage and concubinage among priests, deacons, subdeacons, monks, and nuns.
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09017a.htm
6. We also decree that those in the orders of subdeacon and above who have taken wives or concubines are to be deprived of their position and ecclesiastical benefice. For since they ought to be in fact and in name temples of God, vessels of the Lord and sanctuaries of the holy Spirit, it is unbecoming that they give themselves up to marriage and impurity.
http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Councils/ecum10.htm
It would be unsurprising if a majority were being blackmailed or were actual perpetrators of the overall conspiracy.
Jesus picked 12 of which one was a complete traitor, 10 more were abject cowards, and only one who stayed by Him to the end.
I doubt the ratio has improved markedly since then.
sitetest
In other words, they are not compelled to be priests, deacons, subdeacons, monks, and nuns.
If people have a celibate vocation --- a calling from the Lord to be celibate --- then they may ("may") also be called to be a cleric or religious monastic. But nobody is required to accept this vocation.
Of course, all Catholics are expected to be celibate and abstinent unless they are married.
So my point stands. If you don't have a celibate vocation, nobody is going to coerce you into a celibate vocation. Or into a married vocation, for that matter.
But again, I'm suspecting that you think people should not be allowed, of their own free will and for the sake of the Kingdom, to take vows of celibacy? Perhaps you could explain that.
And... do you even believe in the priesthood? Does your church have married priests?
And on the other hand, does your church have any provision for vowed celibates, whose way of life is recommended (but, as I said, not required) by St. Paul?
Knowing this would help me understand your position better.
Your quote from Canon Law misses the point. The Catholic Church does not impose celibate vocations on people. If they choose it, it is their choice.
Exactly.
Nope...when this edict/rule, whatever you want to call it, was issued in 1139, it said those of subdeacon and up with wives or concubines are to be deprived of their position and ecclesiastical benefice. This was being imposed on people by the RCC.
When you tell me you're depriving me of something you're telling me I cannot do it. That is what the Council said in 1139. You want to continue to be a priest? You can't be married or you lose your job. I wonder if these priests divorced in order to keep their jobs?
If so, the RCC was responsible for divorce.
This is what happens when you start instituting man-made rules verses what the Bible has said was clearly ok. And that it is ok for elders, bishops, and deacons to be married if they wanted to.
Do individuals who want to be "priests" in the RCC know this going into the job? Yes they do. Can they get married? Not according to this Council's ruling they can't.
The actual wording of Canon 6 from Second Lateran Council 1139 6. We also decree that those in the orders of subdeacon and above who have taken wives or concubines are to be deprived of their position and ecclesiastical benefice. For since they ought to be in fact and in name temples of God, vessels of the Lord and sanctuaries of the holy Spirit, it is unbecoming that they give themselves up to marriage and impurity. http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Councils/ecum10.htm
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.