Posted on 12/15/2002 8:34:40 PM PST by Notwithstanding
Their so-called smoking gun theory boils down to this: the pope in 1999 recommended that a defrocked priest ought not return to the area where he committed his offenses. They take this eminently sensible advice and use it as a hammer to bludgeon the pope. Just so everyone understands what’s going on here, what the pope did was to say that a former priest—someone who had been returned to the status of a layman—ought to start a new life in a new location. Isn’t this what parole boards recommend to released inmates—that they not return to the neighborhood that nurtured their maladies? Shame on Massachusetts Attorney General Thomas Reilly and others for disseminating this mindless charge.
(Excerpt) Read more at catholicleague.org ...
“Most Catholics are greeting the resignation of Cardinal Law with a sigh of relief and sadness. While no one blames Cardinal Law for the entire scandal in the Church, his departure nonetheless represents an important step towards recapturing the trust of the laity. Now the mending process can proceed with alacrity.
“There is a small, but vocal, minority for whom nothing will ever satisfy. SNAP president Barbara Blaine, ex-priest and psychotherapist Richard Sipe and victims’ attorney Mitchell Garabedian are already whining and making new demands. Worse, some are given to reckless charges against the Church. Take, for example, the recent remarks of a radical group called the Coalition of Catholics and Survivors. They have accused the pope of ordering a coverup of the sex-abuse allegations.
“Their so-called smoking gun theory boils down to this: the pope in 1999 recommended that a defrocked priest ought not return to the area where he committed his offenses. They take this eminently sensible advice and use it as a hammer to bludgeon the pope. Just so everyone understands what’s going on here, what the pope did was to say that a former priest—someone who had been returned to the status of a layman—ought to start a new life in a new location. Isn’t this what parole boards recommend to released inmates—that they not return to the neighborhood that nurtured their maladies? Shame on Massachusetts Attorney General Thomas Reilly and others for disseminating this mindless charge.
“Finally, some are already beating the war drums going after bishops of other dioceses. This is absurd: everyone knows that no other diocese in the nation was qualitatively or quantitatively comparable to Boston. To suggest otherwise is to play into the hands of Fifth-Column Catholics.”
The pope has nothing to fear from FR. BUT, he might take a hard look at the homosexual subculture in the Catholic Church. Apparently, he is unable or unwilling to control it...
I have no quibble with your rebuke of these people--I'm sure you're right; they likely won't ever be satisfied, just as the "civil rights" folks will never admit that they've won the fight because the fight becomes an end in itself, not a means to an end--but at least you can use a more accurate and less incendiary term than "bigot."
Me thinks thou doest protest too much.
Perhaps Mr Donohue should stick to harassing some more Radio Shock Jocks...his sympathy and commitment to the victims of the abuse by Church leaders is underwhelming!
But, isn't it interesting that he is in that "it's only a SMALL number of Priests offending" crowd...
Mr. Donohue, and anyone else who shares his view...what side of this would Jesus be on?
Would he be defending the RCC against what they have done, or would he be on the side of the victims.
Before answering, think Gesthemmene...and remember that "Camel and Needle" thing...oh, and let's not forget "millstone"...
Isn’t this what parole boards recommend to released inmates—that they not return to the neighborhood that nurtured their maladies?
The 'neighborhood' did not nurture his maladies. Something else did. He needs to be monitored as he will certainly assault again. Sending the abuser away is either an attempt to keep him away from his victims, keep him away from authorities, or prevent news of his abuses from getting to the press.
Not really, no.
If you must demonstrate your ignorance, try not to do it under the name of a Catholic knight.
Jail Law for obstruction of justice. Jail the miscreant pedophile ex-priests. Lay off the pope.
I honestly think that some of JP II's critics fantasize on the one hand that the pope has infinite power over anyone ever baptized Catholic and OTOH is a miserable failure precisely to the extent that he does not wave his imagined magic wand in line with the desires of the malcontent posting.
This is a species of vicarious exercise of imagined infinite earthly power backed by genuinely infinite divine power and a snug and comfy pretension of the poster but bears no relation to the day-to-day reality of the papal office and the myriad of varied responsibilities that are the burden of this or any pope.
What about the victims...and what about having the guilty held accountable under the rule of Law?
Isn’t this what parole boards recommend to released inmates—that they not return to the neighborhood that nurtured their maladies? Shame on Massachusetts Attorney General Thomas Reilly and others for disseminating this mindless charge.
Again, you confuse the situation...these Priests were never held accountable, and their crimes were hidden! Law and the RCC HID THEM from the public, the Law, and the congregations they shuffled them to and from!
Remember that Law recommended one pedophile/homo Priest to be a Chaplain in the Air Force, and stated in his letter of recommendation that there "was nothing in the Priest's background that would prevent him from working with children"?
How do you answer this, o Blinders-MK I wearer? And while you are answering that, answer this...
Would YOU let YOUR kid alone with a Priest now...especially a "new transfer"?
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