Posted on 04/15/2002 12:11:55 PM PDT by history_matters
The Vatican says the meeting with American cardinals will probably take place next week.
Demonstrators have been calling for Archbishop Law to go
|
The Archbishops of New York and Boston - traditionally the two most important posts in the Catholic church in the US - have been under pressure to resign because of their alleged role in covering up cases of abuse involving priests.
The Archbishop of Milwaukee has also been accused of suppressing information about cases of alleged abuse.
The Catholic Church has also faced similar allegations in a number of other countries.
The Pope last month made his first public denunciation of guilty priests.
Time for action
Boston Archbishop Cardinal Bernard Law, 70, has been at the epicentre of a scandal in which he is accused of knowing that a few priests in his archdiocese were serial child molesters, but he did not discipline them - he simply moved them from parish to parish where they preyed on new victims.
The affair is similar to problems in St Louis, Florida, California, Philadelphia and Detroit.
Our correspondent says it has severely undermined the credibility of the church and clearly the Vatican now believes it has to take action.
Cardinal Law did not turn up to mass at his cathedral on Sunday because there were protesters outside the cathedral and he thought they would disrupt the service.
Heavy criticism
Across the whole country, 3,000 priests face allegations of child abuse.
Archbishop Bernard Law: Under pressure
|
Cardinal Law has been heavily criticised since former priest John Geoghan was convicted of child molesting.
He has acknowledged that he transferred Geoghan to another parish despite knowing of sexual misconduct allegations against the now-defrocked Boston priest.
Geoghan is believed to have abused more than 100 people over a 20-year period.
The scandals are also a huge financial burden for the church. They have settled out of court in many instances and the cost of that has been more than $1bn.
There is talk that some archdioceses will be bankrupted by the scandals.
Commentators suspect that the Pope will have to get rid of a layer of the Catholic hierarchy, starting with Cardinal Law.
The Church will survive this scandal no matter what, but its faithful do need strong leadership. I listened to a priest on this topic, and he stated the problem well. "We live in an age where there are no secrets anymore." He aslo suggested that those priests with this problem should be moved to a monastaic atmosphere, where they can pray and do penance for the rest of their lives. Although not accused, I do hope that this is the fate of Cardinal Law. He appears in denial and defiant, unappreciative to the severe harm his decisions have damaged so many victims.
There is one issue that I have feared from the outset, and that is there will be a sort of witch hunt, along with many who will take advantage of the situation for financial gain. After all, lawyers are now involved.
This meeting brings great hope to me.
The Church cannot be healed with out our help! This is not just "The Church" we all are the Church and we all must do our part to Heal it.
Amen.
I believe that God intended for people to hear and read His Word in the language they are most comfortable in. The purpose of the Catholic Church is to convert all sinners to Christianity, to worship our Lord, to teach the commandments and show the infinite love and grace and mercy of our Lord. It would be difficult to do so if no one understands Mass.
God bless.
God bless.
God bless.
I don't know what the situation is now, but I recall reading that when Vatican II opened, the "normal" bishops were still getting used to the Latin that would be used, while the left pushed their pre-planned agenda through.
But, as I said, I don't know what it is now -- maybe translators.
Thanks. :-)
Amen! And, we want OUR Church BACK.
St. Michael the Archangel, intercede for us. Send your holy angels to do battle for this Church.
The Cabana Club catered to homosexuals who were invited to have sex out in the open, by the pool, in the gardens, anywhere the mood struck them. Nudity was the norm. At the same time he was running and living at this Sodomite Playground, Paul Shanley was saying Mass on weekends at St. Anne's in San Bernardino, and was running "youth retreats".
After White sold the Cabana Club for $185,000, Shanley and his "longtime companion", Dale Lagace, 20 years his junior, moved to a pricey neighborhood in San Diego, Santa Fe Villas, paying $900 a month rent. It is assumed that Shanley was still receiving his stipend from the archdiocese at this time.
Shanley has disappeared from San Diego with Lagace, and is said to be hiding out in Thailand.
How about THAT, Montalvo???
Facts from an article by Nick Madigan in today's New York Times. Madigan investigated Shanley out in Palm Springs, where Shanley was very much a part of the gay scene.
Copyright © 1999 by Kevin Knight
Friends, how about some resources for marajade's question?
Pope Linus is mentioned in the canon of the Mass ("Linus, Cletus, Clement, Sixtus...") so they must be pretty darn sure now (with modern scholarship) or they would never include it. This encyclopedia is from 1910, and further scholarship
Irenaeus
"The blessed apostles [Peter and Paul], having founded and built up the church [of Rome] . . . handed over the office of the episcopate to Linus" (Against Heresies 3:3:3 [A.D. 189]).
Eusebius of Caesarea
"Paul testifies that Crescens was sent to Gaul [2 Tim. 4:10], but Linus, whom he mentions in the Second Epistle to Timothy [2 Tim. 4:21] as his companion at Rome, was Peter's successor in the episcopate of the church there, as has already been shown. Clement also, who was appointed third bishop of the church at Rome, was, as Paul testifies, his co-laborer and fellow-soldier [Phil. 4:3]" (Church History 3:4:9-10 [A.D. 312]).
Epiphanius of Salamis
"At Rome the first apostles and bishops were Peter and Paul, then Linus, then Cletus, then Clement, the contemporary of Peter and Paul" (Medicine Chest Against All Heresies 27:6 [A.D. 375]).
Augustine
If all men throughout the world were such as you most vainly accuse them of having been, what has the chair of the Roman church done to you, in which Peter sat, and in which Anastasius sits today?" (Against the Letters of Petilani 2:118 [A.D. 402]). "If the very order of episcopal succession is to be considered, how much more surely, truly, and safely do we number them from Peter himself, to whom, as to one representing the whole Church, the Lord said, 'Upon this rock I will build my Church' . . . [Matt. 16:18]. Peter was succeeded by Linus, Linus by Clement, Clement by Anacletus, Anacletus by Evaristus . . . " (Letters 53:1:2 [A.D. 412]).
And the other 263 ? ;-)
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.