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Catholic priest blames children for sexual abuse
Digital Journal ^ | 8-31-2012 | Greta McClain

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 ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: agendadrivenfreeper; groeschel; pedophilia; priests; yellowjournalism
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To: A.A. Cunningham

“Groeschel made a mistake, admitted it and apologized for it and lost his gig. However, if you think that there aren’t some homosexual opportunists, who haven’t reached the age of 18 and are thus legally considered children, who act just like Groeschel said they do then you’re more naive than you’ve already exposed yourself as on numerous occasions here in the past. “

So it’s the kids fault after all, is that what you are saying?

If this is the case, why did he apologize in the first place?

Kids are kids and adults are adults - anyone who attempts to justify molestation of kids by adults is crazy. That includes you, if you really think that any adult can possibly be a victim of seduction by a minor.


61 posted on 09/08/2012 9:15:16 AM PDT by RFEngineer
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To: Renfield

Father Groeschel is a very holy man. Something is out of context here.


62 posted on 09/08/2012 9:55:25 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: stanne; RFEngineer

No one is above reproach. And you are nobody to hand out certificates of good behaviour to anyone.

RFEngineer actually made a good point, whether his past ‘good behaviour’ could have been motivated by remorse for prior acts of crime, almost as a way of atonement. Following such a path does not grant one an innocence card, no matter how ‘good’ the good works.

Even the most saintly human can find the fraction of time it takes to commit the most heinous crime. Temptation is a dangerous force.


63 posted on 09/08/2012 9:55:25 AM PDT by James C. Bennett (An Australian.)
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To: HereInTheHeartland

Why do you wish to take an eye for an eye, a hand for a hand? Are you Muslim?


64 posted on 09/08/2012 9:56:51 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: A.A. Cunningham

LOL, you should stop thinking your own thoughts out loud.


65 posted on 09/08/2012 9:57:53 AM PDT by James C. Bennett (An Australian.)
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To: Lazamataz; Adder

Please read up on Father Groeschel.

The piciture is not as you paint it.


66 posted on 09/08/2012 9:59:49 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Renfield

Toddlers are just too sexy. They are asking for it.

Sheesh


67 posted on 09/08/2012 10:05:26 AM PDT by Yaelle
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To: conejo99

Has anyone mentioned that priests hear confessions?


68 posted on 09/08/2012 10:08:37 AM PDT by firebrand
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To: Yaelle
"Toddlers are just too sexy. They are asking for it.

Sheesh."

LOL!

69 posted on 09/08/2012 10:12:28 AM PDT by James C. Bennett (An Australian.)
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To: Salvation
Anyone sexually victimizing a child should be put to death. Do you feel differently?
70 posted on 09/08/2012 10:36:19 AM PDT by HereInTheHeartland (Encourage all of your Democrat friends to get out and vote on November 7th, the stakes are high.)
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To: stanne
If you want to say something against the man...

I'm not criticizing him. He deserves a smile, shake of the hands, and a thanks for the past 20 years of service.

I have a issue with the show's producers who would put on a brain damaged octogenarian to explain such things.

71 posted on 09/08/2012 11:03:28 AM PDT by Last Dakotan
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To: RFEngineer

Really? A witch hunt based on what evidence?


72 posted on 09/08/2012 11:06:53 AM PDT by narses
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To: James C. Bennett
Even the most saintly human can find the fraction of time it takes to commit the most heinous crime. Temptation is a dangerous force.
And your evidence that a crime was involved is?
73 posted on 09/08/2012 11:18:44 AM PDT by narses
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To: narses

“Really? A witch hunt based on what evidence?”

A wildly out-of-whack understanding of appropriate and expected behavior by witches, and his defense of witches who had previously been convicted - and his presumption that said witches were actually victims of children who seduced them and should not be punished if it only happened “one time”.

It is typical sexual predator psychology, unfortunately.

Is that not enough?


74 posted on 09/08/2012 11:20:40 AM PDT by RFEngineer
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To: Salvation

I learned. My mistake. Easy to make what with the quote.


75 posted on 09/08/2012 12:34:37 PM PDT by Lazamataz (Communist Party = Democrats. Socialist Party = Republicans. WE NEED A CAPITALIST FREEDOM PARTY!)
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To: RFEngineer

Witches? “It is typical sexual predator psychology, unfortunately.” And your expertise is?


76 posted on 09/08/2012 1:39:17 PM PDT by narses
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To: narses

That was a point made, not an accusation. Read the earlier comments for context.


77 posted on 09/08/2012 1:46:21 PM PDT by James C. Bennett (An Australian.)
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To: narses

“Witches? “It is typical sexual predator psychology, unfortunately.” And your expertise is?”

I used your term - witches

My expertise is personally knowing victims, the impact on victims and unfortunately also perpetrators (in this case a former Protestant pastor) and how they justify their heinous criminal acts and attempt to evade responsibility, and also speaking to many professionals about it - including criminal psychologists, including at least one FBI criminal psychologist with specific expertise.


78 posted on 09/08/2012 1:47:19 PM PDT by RFEngineer
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To: Last Dakotan; stanne; RFEngineer; DManA

Before everyone takes this ‘brain damaged’ diagnosis and runs with it, what evidence do we have here that the kind of damage the man has incurred causes him to speak about things without volition?

Or is ‘brain damaged’ being used as a convenient vehicle to excuse the man’s absurd rationalisations regarding paedophilia?


79 posted on 09/08/2012 1:50:36 PM PDT by James C. Bennett (An Australian.)
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To: RFEngineer

LOL, so you have zero reason to call for this “investigation” except you know people. Sad.


80 posted on 09/08/2012 1:59:15 PM PDT by narses
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