Posted on 09/08/2012 5:07:45 AM PDT by Renfield
New York - A prominent Catholic priest says he believes “youngsters” are often to blame for sexual abuse by priests and that priests who are first time offenders should not be jailed for their crime.
Father Benedict Groeschel, founder of Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, is well known as the host of Sunday Night Prime with Father Benedict Groeschel, a weekly show on Catholic television network EWTN. It was not what he said on his television show that has sparked controversy however, it is comments he made in an interview with the National Catholic Register that has outraged many. According to a UPI report, Groeschel told the newspaper
"People have this picture in their minds of a person planning to -- a psychopath. But that's not the case. Suppose you have a man having a nervous breakdown, and a youngster comes after him. A lot of the cases, the youngster -- 14, 16, 18 -- is the seducer."....
(Excerpt) Read more at digitaljournal.com ...
>>Father Benedict’s physical condition and mental clarity have deteriorated
Yeah, he basically said the same thing himself. I’m not Catholic (or Christian) so I don’t have any special sympathetic feelings about him, but it was obvious he was really broken up - embarrassed and ashamed about what he said and about his condition as well. It’s all here on FR if someone wants research it.
He literally has no control over some of what he says.
This isn’t an indecent that requires an apology(at least not to us, many to the clergy, but not to us). He did express himself clearly. This is what he believes. The problem is that he is supposed to know to keep his beliefs secret. It attracts attention because some people suspect these beliefs are common in the priesthood, but most priests know not to let the rest of us know what they really think.
“I did not intend to blame the victim,” Father Groeschel wrote in a statement published on The Catholic Register’s site. “A priest (or anyone else) who abuses a minor is always wrong and is always responsible. My mind and my way of expressing myself are not as clear as they used to be.”
(Catholic) haters gotta hate.
Well, if it’s taped, they can fix it, but that’s not good enough for some folks here who eagerly jump on board with the NYT for priest bashing purposes.
He is not just “ a man like that”. He does an interview show where he brings in people who are doing many good things woking against the current culture.
He has profoundly better speaking ability than our current president who can’t speak at all. Doesn’t know how to speak the truth and needs an electronic speaking aid but he’s running the country. Why don’t yougGo after that problem? The NYT sure could, but they choose to go after an old frail man, who, for the amount of truth he allows his guests to speak one hour every week, I would rather listen to thousands of times more than your friends at the NYT.
You - The man has severe brain damage and can’t control what he says.
Me - Wow, pretty irresponsible putting someone like that on TV.
You - STOP BASHING PRIESTS.
“He’s already apologized for that statement - said something about not being able to express himself properly. I think that was over a week ago.”
Excusing child molestation cannot be absolved with an “I’m sorry”.
In doing so you are excusing making excuses for child molestation.
Legitimate questions of “Did this guy molest anyone” can be raised, and at the very least should be investigated by those who actually care about the issue and identifying victims of this attitude, whatever the reason for it being expressed.
It was a thought that went through his head for a moment. His beliefs are well documented in his 70 years of service (he began his apostolate at the age of 7 (seven).
If his beliefs ore different from what he has been doing and writing about for lo these many years his cover up is fantastic.
He has written 30 boooks detailing his beliefs and has been on the boards and hs founded many organiziations which have helped the poor, the unborn, marriage and family, celibacy for homosexuals, the poor, dying and needy.
Check your facts, but you are showing loyalty to the press who is attacking a weak old man.
Statement of Michael P. Warsaw, President and Chief Executive Officer of EWTN Global Catholic Network regarding Father Benedict Groeschel:
The recent comments regarding clerical sexual abuse of minors made by Father Benedict Groeschel to a news editor of the National Catholic Register should never have been published. In no way do those comments reflect the views of the Register or EWTN. It should have been obvious to the editor that Father Benedict’s physical condition and mental clarity have deteriorated and that the comments were completely inconsistent with his life’s work and witness. We apologize that these remarks were published and ask for forgiveness for this error.
To regular viewers of EWTN, it has been evident for some time that Father Benedict’s health has been declining. For more than a year, the Network has been in discussions with both Father and his Community about his capacity to continue hosting Sunday Night Prime. This is the reason that the program moved from a live to a pre-recorded format last year. In more recent months Father Benedict’s decline has accelerated. After consultation with EWTN and the Community of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, Father Benedict has decided that it is now time to step away from the program. The Sunday Night Prime program will continue and will be hosted by other priests of the CFR community.
Father Benedict has led a life of tremendous compassion and service to others and his spiritual insights have been a great gift to the EWTN family for many years. We are profoundly grateful to him and assure him of our prayers. At the same time, we ask our EWTN family to pray for all those who have been affected by this painful situation and in particular those who have been victims of sexual abuse.
Monday, September 03, 2012
“(Catholic) haters gotta hate.”
Haters of children that seduce adults/priests gotta hate.
See how that works?
Do you even care to find out if this guy has any victims from his past postings, or are you prepared to eliminate this possibility without looking into it because he said “sorry”?
“Father Benedict has led a life of tremendous compassion and service to others and his spiritual insights have been a great gift... “
Did he molest someone in the past, and are his musings simply a manifestation of someone trying to justify past abhorrent actions. I think it’s worth checking on this, don’t you?
One glance at his bio should tellyou all you need to know and all you should know for making a statement on this thread.
I suggest being careful. When you are old and infirm, you’ll want others to take care to respect you and not to attack you, especially if, in your lifetime, you do one tenth of what Fr. Groeschel has done for the needy, the unborn, and the culture, has done in his.
I never said that, you just wish I had.
You are thinking the way the people at the NYT think - that what you wish someone said can be attributed to them for your use.
Sunday Times is $6 you might find cpmfort among your friends there.
You won’t find anything about all of the tremendous works Fr. Groeschel has done, but you will find many misquotes, as you just did to me there.
You depend on people not thinking, just reading headlines.
“I suggest being careful.”
“One glance at his bio should tellyou all you need to know and all you should know for making a statement on this thread.”
“When you are old and infirm...”
I suggest that a statement like this is so outrageous that it is worth looking into whether this man, despite his good works, has molested anyone in the past.
You are apparently saying (correct me if I am wrong) that this outrageous statement warrants no investigation and should be dismissed because he said “sorry”.
Telling those that disagree with you to check their facts is not helpful. He wouldn’t have been in his prominent position if he didn’t have the resume you list.
You think his statements do not reflect his true beliefs. I hope you are right.
see post 17, you are better than the insinuations you made.
This man has dedicated his life to God by protecting and defending the innocent.
Who gives someone like that a TV show?
Telling those that disagree with you to check their facts is not helpful. He wouldn’t have been in his prominent position if he didn’t have the resume you list.
You think his statements do not reflect his true beliefs. I hope you are right.
I suggest you don’t know what you are talking about so please check facts.
You can’t disagree with me because you can’t have an opinion without facts.
You know nothing about Fr. Groeschel whom you are spewing a lot of accusations about.
It’s what I expect from many Freepers on Catholic threads. Much ignorant blind hatred. Much.
Why are you trying to make it about the Catholic church? It isn’t. It’s about this individual and his remarks.
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