[GOPJ]

It's just as easy for the Pope to forgive a child rapist while he sits in prison as when he sits in a rent-free church rectory 40 feet from a children's playground.

It's not the Church's place to 'forgive' crimes... or cover for criminals. That's the job of the State - our court systems and laws.

Matthew 22:21 Jesus said "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's." Romans 13:1 "Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God and those which exist are established by God."

The Church can offer spiritual assistance... and like I said, that can be offered just as easily to a person in prison as any other place.

What's odd is Catholics wonder why their numbers get smaller every year as Church congregations age and young families don't replace the grandmothers and grandfathers who are dying out...

[HamiltonJay]

What's odd is Catholics Christians wonder why their numbers get smaller every year as Church congregations age and young families don't replace the grandmothers and grandfathers who are dying out... Sorry, I am all for holding the church accountable, but every christian denomination across the US and Europe is in decline... believing that is purely a Catholic problem related to this is disingenuous.