Dismissing all abusive priests is ineffective strategy, Vatican told

Catholic News Service ^ | Apr-7-2003 | Cindy Wooden

[saradippity]

I think you are right about child rapists but the far greater majority of priests accused,and even guilty of abuse did not rape. Some fondled and some just brushed or touched a child in a way that the grown up child now remembers and concludes was hurtful and abusive.

I recall hating to see my Uncle Andy because he would always tickle my feet or my neck. As I sought to get away from him I think he may have even touched me in an embarrassing place,well,maybe not,but maybe he did. All remember is I hated to see him come over.

It is a serious problem and I don't want to minimize it but by the same token there needs to be an honest assessment and evaluation of the problems and exaggeration does not help get things resolved.

Incidentally,when my son was an infant,I had a Mexican,Penecostal,I believe,as a maid and babysitter a couple of days a week. One day i came in and she was playing with his penis,I really lit into her and told her it was wrong and she should never,ever do that again. She shrugged her shoulders and said okay but that her "people" always played with babies thingies,I said we didn't.

I remembered this when Elian Gonzales's grandmother came. in her interview she talked about examining his penis to see if it was growing right of some such thing. I am wondering if there may not be some cultural "traditions?" in some ethnic groups that view appropriate activities with little ones differently than we do and if that might not be part of the problem. I guess I think we need to really pursue some things and clear them up.

[eastsider]

The "island solution" reminds me of this article that you posted last August.

[saradippity]

Well,I didn't post it but I thought this priest was a particularly opprobrious one. The article about Father Brett shows that he used the island,to escape punihment and to continue his life of following his "passions". He remained on the payroll and was off the radar screen.

The article I referred to in my latest post suggested the island be used in a more Alcatrazish? fashion. All the perverted priests in the company of other like men under the supervision of nuns,I would suggest.

What do you think of the idea? Seriously>

[MikeAtTheShore]

Yes he did but he also said you should render to Caeser the things that are Ceaser's. They should all be prosecuted and thrown in jail instead of being reassigned. Open your eyes the Catholic Church is full of perverts. The worst offenses unfortunately are yet to become public.

[saradippity]

The worst offenses unfortunately are yet to become public.

Well,clue us in,I thought that's why Freepers'were cutting edge,they shared important information or theories.

Lately,I've seen an increase of rumor planters and a decrease of fact finders and truth tellers.

[CalvaryJohn]

Dismantling the RC Church IS God's work.

[MikeAtTheShore]

If you think every scandal has been brought out into the open you are only deluding yourself. This is only the tip of the iceberg. Being Catholic myself, I can no longer stand the knee jerk Liberal like defense of these pedophiles by other Catholics on these threads. It's embarassing. The perverts must be turned over to authorites and prosecuted with no second chances.

[Renatus]

Raping a child is the same as murder.

It is not.

[FreedomPoster]

>>I'm not Catholic, so I will keep my comments to myself.

I'm not either, and I won't. The way the church is handling this situation is morally bankrupt.

[FreedomPoster]

>>why aren't you spending your energy attacking the area where it is the biggest problem?

Perhaps people expect more of priests than they do of government employees. And I don't think anyone here would want pedophiles employed in child services, either.

[ladyjane]

But this topic has the tendcy to draw those who are more interested in attacking the Pope/Catholicism than they are in the plight of children.

Really? and you are here because...

[American Blood]

Truer words could not be spoken. The catholic church has defended child molesters here in the states and a murderous, rapist regime in Iraq, so this should not come as any suprise. You talk about an organization lacking credibility, the catholic church would be it.

[PuNcH]

Raping a child is the same as murder.

It is not.

When you consider the loss of a child's normal life, and then the corruption of their future life and then sometimes the spreading of that corruption to their own victims, it is just as serious as murder.

When a priest with position of authority in a child's life, corrupts a child and teaches him that being used in such a way is acceptable that greatly increases the chances the victim will being to live a fake life justifying what has happened and a greater chance of spreading that corruption to others.

The child would have been far better off being raped by some random person off the street. These priests having committed just about the greatest kind of evil they can. To allow them to continue being priests is disgusting beyond belief. They deserve a life in prison or death.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

As a Catholic, I can no longer reconcile the "peace at any price" stance with the atrocities committed on the people of Iraq for three decades, no more than I can understand calling together psychiatrists and sociologists to opine on the moral failings of the hierarchy.

"... We know well that peace is not possible at any price. But we all know how great is this responsibility. Therefore, prayer and penance."
Pope John Paul II, Angelus of 16 March 2003

[KeyWest]

There is no "child molesting wing" of the church. Any incidence of pedophilia is unacceptable. But the rate among priests is lower than the population in general (very small).

There is a wing of the church that is homosexual and actively recruits - the seminarys. They are the ones that have caused the problem, but the article says that homosexuals in the priesthood are not a problem. At least the Boy Scouts recognize that it is. Sorry the Church does not.

[WaveThatFlag]

The worst offenses unfortunately are yet to become public.

How do you know this?

[WaveThatFlag]

I refer you to post #66:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/893032/posts?page=66#66

I am here because most of these idiots are not fit to sit at the same table with every single Catholic priest I have ever met. I was schooled by priests for sixteen years without incident. As a matter of fact, I can say that I don't know a single person who ever had a complaint about a Catholic priest. Laypeople, sure. But no priests. This whole "scandal" is awful, but it has been blown way out of proportion by the media and bigots who hate Catholicism for no good reason. The Catholic Church is the most benevolent charitible and Christian organization in the history of God's universe. If you disagree with some of its rituals, that is your right. Nobody if forcing you to join.

[eastsider]

Well,I didn't post it ...

Ooops ... quite right, it was NYer's post.: )

All the perverted priests in the company of other like men under the supervision of nuns, I would suggest. What do you think of the idea? Seriously

Personally, I think it's more of a palliative than a cure, albeit a curiously appealing one. (I defer to Polycarp to post his picture of the nuns with guns when his FReep fast is complete : )

To me, the radical problem is how to keep these perversely intemperate men out of the clergy from the get-go. IMO, the surest way to accomplish that is the prospect of their facing a strictly enforced, zero-tolerance policy if caught, not exile to an isolated penal colony where they can all "flock" together. If formally accused, immediate suspension of all pastoral duties pending final disposition by the civil authorities. And if convicted and all legal appeals exhausted, immediate laicization and public registration as a sex offender. JMO.

[saradippity]

I think there is room for your plan and mine dependent on the circumstances.Now is not the time to give you my history with homosexuals in the priesthood. But I have for years written to pastors and the bishop about the problem amd received some interesting replies in response. It was clear that in this diocese,at least,the problem was going to be ignored,buried,spun and twisted.

I was at the point that I believed all homosexual priests should be stripped naked and sent on cattle cars throughout the country to be mocked and jeered at in public.

When this scandal first broke last year I immediately believed that it was necessary to have a plan and I suggested on Free Republic that the dioceses buy a couple of old monasteries and seminaries and isolate abusers and other sexual miscreants from society. I thought nuns,as I remember them in the fifties,would be great supervisors and governors. I continue to think that it is an idea whose time has come.

It would be particularly appropriate for those that either had a one time fall from grace for which they are truly repentent as well as those who have had several unproven accusations which may or may not be true. It would permit the bishops,priests and the laity to exercise justice and mercy which ,in fact,encourages honesty and truth telling.As you can see this in no way negates a much improved system of selection and formation,nor immediate action on receipt of a complaint,nor removal from the priesthood,nor civil action.

[ZULU]

Aren't these same psychiatrists the same people who are called in to excuse murderers on the insanity defense??

Aren't these guys the same people who follow that fruitcake Freud who had all kinds of perverted ideas???

No homosexuals and no perverts = no child molesters.


Simple equation (except to a psychiatrist!)