US priest accused of molesting 200 deaf boys

hosted ^ | Mar 26 | DINESH RAMDE and TODD RICHMOND

[JoeProBono]

ST. FRANCIS, Wis. (AP) -- Steven Geier says that four times in the mid-1960s, the Rev. Lawrence Murphy coaxed the then-14-year-old student into a closet at St. John's School for the Deaf just outside Milwaukee and molested him, using God to justify his actions.

Geier said when he told Murphy what was happening was wrong, the priest replied, "Oh, yes. God sent me. This is confession."

Geier, now 59 and living in Madison....

[ClearCase_guy]

Yes. I think it should.
And I am disappointed that the Catholic Church does not seem to be doing that as much as it should.

We're on the same page?

Now, I think it is quite obvious that a whole lot of people who are anti-Catholic, or even anti-Christian -- people who may even be pro-homosexual -- are using this sort of issue in a very disingenuous manner to bash the Catholic Church.

These threads usually strike me as "heavy on the anti-Catholic" position and very light on the "homosexuality has no place in decent society" position.

And I always find that very interesting and telling.

We're on the same page?

[Quix]

Too true.

[Venturer]

Then his Maker will punish him.

[Quix]

INTERESTING.

Sigh.

[Mrs. Don-o]

As for the "full penalty fof the law," your are right--- indisputably, vehemently, absolutely right--- except the priest died in 1998.

So: the disgusting predatory acts described by Bolger were done 45 years ago, in "the mid-60's," according to the article. Allegations raised a few years thereafter against the "esteemed" teacher, "beloved by the deaf," were apparently dropped, the community itself was divided, some not finding the accusations credible. In 1996 (30 years later!) the case comes to the attention of a Vatican office (I suppose, the CDF? --the article doesn't say which Vatican office), when the man is in poor health and residing in an assisted-living center.

This was handled by "a deputy" (unnamed) in that "Vatican office" (unnamed). The deputy decided it would be pointless convening a canonical court, perhaps -- I speculate--because such a court would have had no power to subpoena witnesses or get depositions from accusers/victims, there having been no official investigation, arrest, or criminal trial 45 years before, and therefore no record on which to make a canonical judicial determination.

The priest is censured and told to repent.

Two years later, he dies in Wisconsin.

Twelve years after he dies, someone finds a way to implicate the Pope, though there is no evidence presented in the article that he even knew about the case.

Thus, 14 years after the priest is told to repent of his sins and 12 years after he dies, this makes it into print and turns up as an AP "Hot Topics Feature" in Tampa Bay, FL.

Do I have that about right?

[ClearCase_guy]

Excellent post.

As I've said many times, these stories are not about getting justice for victims, they are not about punishing homosexual predators. These stories are just an excuse to bash the Catholic church.

I'm not Catholic, but this stuff really bothers me.

[calex59]

People are waging war against the Catholic Church. I would much prefer it if we waged war against homosexuals.

A priest who plugs some poor helpless boy in the a** IS A FRICKIN' HOMO. Wise up. The Catholic Church has hidden these queer priest and pedophiles for centuries in order to keep the name of Catholic from being smeared. That is a crime in itself and I hope every one who has been complicit in these crimes are now, or soon will be, burning in he**.

[JoeProBono]

>Twelve years after he dies, someone finds a way to implicate the Pope
The Pope - really?

[JoeProBono]

These stories are just an excuse to bash the Catholic church.

[VOA]

I’m not Catholic.

But I do get tired of the MSM’s general obsession with targeting
histories of sex crimes (true or false) in the Catholic Church.

Surely the Catholic Church doesn’t have the franchise on these sad stories...

[Mrs. Don-o]

FTA: "The New York Times showed Murphy was spared a defrocking in the mid-1990s because he was protected by the Vatican office led by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now the pope."

To unpack that:

• "Spared a defrocking" means there was no canonical trial. There having been no criminal trial, it's hard to see how there could have been a canonical trial for offenses alleged to have happened decades earlier.

• "Protected by" means even an old deaf queer priest has a right to due process: call it inconvenient, but you can't be sentenced without a trial.

• "The Vatican office led by Cardinal Ratzinger." That would be the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the CDF.

  I am no canon lawyer, but as I understand it, "defrocking" (not a Church term, but a popular usage) means being forbidden to exercise ministerial functions. If the priest were already in failing health and in a nursing facility, it would seem he was not by that time "exercising ministerial functions" in any case.

  Why the CDF would be involved anyway, being the office in charge of doctrinal disputes and heresy, I don't know. But like I said, I am no canonist.

But it does provide the opportunity to pull in the name of Ratzinger in an indirect and insinuating manner, just the way the NYT likes it: in a case which it would be impossible to either verify or falsify, the accused person being now 12 years dead. But that's never been known to get in the way of prosecution by the press.

[count-your-change]

When Jesus gave illustrations about shepherds caring for his sheep and told Peter to act as a shepherd, he also set a standard of care and concern for shepherds at John chapter 10.

The Catholic Church claims it has inherited the mantle of Peter to shepherd God's flock, a unique position in the world. Thus the Catholic Church does not claim to be in the same relationship to God as the Boy Scouts, Home Depot or any other group.

Indeed, Jesus said at Luke 12:48 that those to whom much was given it was proper that more than usual be demanded of them so demanding more from the Catholic Church since it says it was given so much more than others is proper.

And making excuses that school teachers, etc. represent a greater number of offenders just doesn't cut it. They are not “the mystical body of Christ” by anyone’s reckoning.

If this be called “Catholic bashing” I would say that those who have done the most “bashing” and harm to the Catholic church are those within not those without.

The homosexuals in the seminaries (homosexuality is a way of thinking as well as action), the predatory priests and their protectors and apologists, these are the “bashers”.

And what of that unique position of “one true and Apostolic Church”?

The Pharisees and Sadducee's claimed to have as a spiritual and physical forefather Abraham and yet John the Baptist told them not to presume that this was of importance to God as He was able to raise children to Abraham from the stones and the ax was ready to cut down the tree not producing fine fruit. (Matt. 3:7-12)

But what of the sincere, honest, hard working priests? What of the sincere, honest, hard working Pharisees and Sadducees in Jerusalem, 70 A.D.?

Are we on the same page?

If “homosexuality has no place in decent society” how much less so among those asserting they are the “body of Christ”.

[ClearCase_guy]

That's a lot of words to say "I don't like the Catholic Church".

I don't think I see any words saying "I don't like homosexuals".

Your agenda is clear.

[count-your-change]

If thinking so is a comfort in some way to you...so be it.

[Greenbow]

“That’s a lot of words to say “I don’t like the Catholic Church”.”

With all of the transgressions committed by the Catholic Church’s representatives, why is that so bad?

[count-your-change]

It may not be so bad but that just wasn't what I was saying and to ignore what was being said demonstrates a certain level of denial that is astounding.

[Venturer]

You tell me. Evidently you know more about it than I do, My comment still stands, Any Priest guilty of doing this to kids needs to be turned over to the authorities, and punished.

[Mrs. Don-o]

And in that, I still say you are right: indisputably, vehemently, absolutely right.

I always say that if I had suspicions of such things happening, I would go first to the police, then to the Bishop.

[onyx]

((((( Mrs. Don-o )))))

Your serene comments on this thread will be sent to a grieving, elderly lady. Her heart will heal immediately. Thank you. You’re are a blessing! God bless you.

[Mrs. Don-o]

"The homosexuals in the seminaries (homosexuality is a way of thinking as well as action), the predatory priests and their protectors and apologists, these are the “bashers”."

This is quite true. In the late 1960's-early 1970, a significant number of priests broke with the Church--- that is to say, broke with historic Christianity --- on matters of sexual ethics, and were determined to do as they wished rather than remain faithful to their vows. The heterosexuals who broke their vows mostly left, but the homosexual who broke their vows mostly stayed.

The result was that some seminaries became homosexual-dominated. See (Link) Goodbye, Good Men, by Michael Rose.

The fallout from that is still registering on the moral Geiger counter.

Get out your Bible and read the words of heartbreaking sorrow and hot outrage which the Prophets spoke about Israel, God's Chosen People. Then think (during Holy Week especially) of the Lord Jesus being denied, betrayed, and abandoned by most of the Apostles, Christ's Chosen Men. Doesn't it happen over and over? Lord have mercy. The same can be spoken of His Church.