Vatican: U.S. Catholic Sex Scandal Was Overstated

Washington Post ^ | Friday, October 10, 2003; 4:16 PM | Reuters

[RaceBannon]

Vatican: U.S. Catholic Sex Scandal Was Overstated Reuters Friday, October 10, 2003; 4:16 PM VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The media has exaggerated a sex scandal that has shaken the U.S. Roman Catholic Church and unfairly tainted thousands of priests with overzealous coverage, Pope John Paul II's top aide said Friday. "The scandals in the United States received disproportionate attention from the media," Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano told Reuters in an interview. "There are thieves in every country, but it's hard to say that everyone is a thief."

[Right_Rev]

lose war = lose the war

Keep fighting the good fight though.

[grania]

I'm not anti-Catholic, having been raised Catholic and being given a wonderful education at a Catholic college.

You don't serve your cause, not at all, if you say that somehow this was a witch-hunt or given too much coverage by an over-zealous press, or not that many children (statistically) were involved.

Until the Church can say that every pervert is out of the priesthood, that every claim has been investigated, and that any priest with links to homosexuality and/or pedophilia is removed from the priesthood and the parents of the children he had contact with are informed of his behaviors, it's an issue.

Even one child being abused is too many. Accept that and accept the fact that the press about this horrible situation is justified. Until that happens, these attitudes are part of the problem, still.

[Dave S]

It's not the numbers, it's that the Vatican and its fellow travelers covered up the abuse, further victimized the victims by refusing to acknowledge that damage was done, and allowed pedophile priests continued access to children by moving them to new locations where they could start their predatory behavior anew.

[grania]

Actually, the Church did as much to prevent the problem as any other institution was doing at the time

A Church should be doing the most, as much as it can do, to stop crimes and sins committed on children. Parents were more likely to believe an accusation against a teacher or counselor than a priest. That trust was violated.

EVEN ONE psycho and coverup was too many!!

[Dave S]

Because some African Americans are brutal rapists it does not follow that all or most African Americans are. Because some CEOs are crooks, it does not follow that all or most are. Because some priests are creepy predators, it does not follow that all or most priests are. Except in the New York Times."

Because some popes (like this one) act like Mafiosi and cover up the abuse of children doesnt mean that all Catholics are bad. What's your point? The hierarchy of the Catholic Church has failed you. If Christ returned today I would not want to be the Pope or most of the American Cardinals as not protecting the children in their charge is one of the worst sins that the Vatican could commit.

[sitetest]

Dear sinkspur,

"The issue was the systematic cover-up by the American hierarchy. How many children were abused because bishops didn't take action at the first accusation?"

Right. Precisely. Exactly.

No one, at least not any devout Catholic, is going to blame the Church for the misdeeds of an aberrant priest. But when bishops protect these perps time after time after time, then we are right to be enraged at the likes of Cardinal Law and Cardinal Egan, and the rest of the molestor-protectors.

Most devout Catholics would even be forgiving of a bishop, who, advised by jacka** "mental health professionals," made this mistake once or twice, or even three times.

But the scandal is, the horror is, the thing that the Vatican ISN'T getting, is that some of the bishops did this time after time after time after time, often with the same bastard perp. How many children did Shanley rape and mutilate? Geoghan? What would those numbers be if the likes of Cardinal Law and his ignominious predecessors had put a stop to it after the first offense?? Or even the second or third offense?? How many hundreds of children would have been saved if the cardinals, in these cases, had acted like Catholics instead of like satanists?

THAT is the scandal!! That these evildoers could so disregard the well-being of their flocks, THE FLOCKS WHICH GOD ENTRUSTED TO THEM, and permit the predators to rape over and over and over again.

On this issue, an issue of prudential judgement, those muttering these words from Rome are way off-base. I hope that these do not represent the real sentiments of our Holy Father. If they do, on this matter of prudential judgement, he is badly informed.


sitetest

[Dog Gone]

Whether or not the Vatican is correct about misleading news coverage, I can assure them that this statement will be perceived by the general public as more denial of the problem.

If they believe this statement was positive spin control, they are greatly mistaken.

[John_11_25]

Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano I believe was right in his assesment.

However for the wrong reasons.

1. I think the government and the Media have know about these scandals for years and did little to almost nothing about it.

2. The government made a big issue of it only when it was convenient for the government. for example when the drums of war were beating and the Vatican was not on board.

3. Once the Vatican calmed down with its objections to the war, the saga has also died down, at least in the media circles.

The Vatican supposedly represent God on earth (for Catholics) and show there millions of believers around the world, both moral and spiritual guidence.

However If God was to return to the earth and question his so called representatives on earth about the scandal and they reply "well it was over blown by the media, it was not that many children that were molested".

They would be burning for the rest of eternity, the whole lot of them from the Pope down.

There is simply no excuse, not for this Pope or for any Pope before him or that may come after him. Anyone from Arch Bishop to Cardinal to Priest. If found guilty of such a crime, they should be excomunicated instantly and sent to jail.

Any member of the clergy no matter what rank, that attempted to cover it up, should also be ex-communicated.

Any member fo the government, law enforcement or the media who were Catholics who attemtped to cover it up, should be ex-communicated from the church.

This would send the correct message to the masses.

However, sadly the church has become a big business and we are probably just scrathing the surface of a much bigger problem and not just in the catholic church.

A long way from the orignal concept and a reminder that money and power does corrupt.

[sinkspur]

Praying for you mother this morning.

[sitetest]

Thanks. You join the legions in that work of mercy. It appears that Heaven is under siege this morning on behalf of my mom.

[SpinyNorman]

Vatican: U.S. Catholic Sex Scandal Was Overstated.

As was that trivial little Inquisition thing. Tomas de Torquemada was just a little misunderstood.

[MissAmericanPie]

Nothing like compounding a scandal with arrogance. If they are this arrogant will they will cast aside the diety of Christ for inclusion in the UN club under, "what is an acceptable UN recognized religion" when required?

If so, they won't be the Lone Rangers in the number of churches that are just as arrogant and eventually apostate. Jude explains it all very well.

[txzman]

The Vatican just does not get it! The whole culture of lying, hiding known crimes, protecting each other - all as serious, or more, than the crimes themselves.

A culture of 'We are the Church - we can do no wrong" has got to change.

[xzins]

Good thing this cardinal isn't in charge.

He doesn't understand the seriousness of the charges.

It's like a pastor standing in front of his church talking to the women saying, "We've got a 1000 members, and we had only 2 raped in the building last year. You're really overblowing the seriousness of it."

[RobbyS]

The real sex scandel is that so many priests are queers and that lifestyle is accepted. That scandel has been under reported. The homosexual priests have supporters on every newspaper staff, so they want to keep this quiet.

[lupie]

The problem as I see it (and this is just my observation) and what makes me weep, is the problem of sin allowed to continue in an organization that calls itself biblical or of God. It doesn't matter whether it is the RCC, Episcopalians, Methodist, UCC, SBC, Jewish, etc. It is absolutely clear throughout scripture, OT and NT that when someone is willfully sinning, having been shown that they are, they are to be put out of the assembly/church until/if they come to repentance, making no distinction between the flock and the shepherds. Otherwise, the whole flock becomes infected and led away from humbling themselves to God. It wouldn't take a whole lot of time to come up with at least 50 verses in context to show that. What should have happened when this was exposed by the Lord is a coming to repentance of all parties, to come together in Christ and so, sin abounded and continues to in many instances as the higher authorities are still trying to justify/rationalize/minimize, etc what happened. The Godly thing is a confession that leads to Godly repentance. That is what scripture teaches us.

The problem is not who were the victims or what the media said. The problem is not whether it is one priest or 10,00 priests. The basic problem here is that those who say they have God's spiritual authority over others are also sinning against God. It always boils down to sin - following our own way and not submitting to Him. And ones in authority above them did not follow God's will. Sin upon sin. If they know their bible, they know they are held to a higher standard and will be more accountable on that Day. But instead, things are covered up, hushed up, swept under the rug, or sometimes justified. And it isn't just the RCC, it happens in more organized churches/denomination than any of us care to imagine, especially in our own particular congregation. And Truth says that should be no suprise to us because they are man-made, man-run organizations. Sin will happen. We live in a fallen world. It doesn't matter what type of sin. All sin is against God. God's Word is The guideline on what to do when a leader sins against God and/or the flock and their is nothing in it that suggest these people should be coddled, excused, moved, etc.

I find it amazing (well, not really, the Word says it is our nature) that "leaders" will excommunicate people for things like divorce or not following their authority on things, yet turn their back on their own sins because they want the people to follow them, not God. Yet, this is nothing new under the sun - Miriam and Aaron did the same against Moses and others against Aaron. It is the effect of a fallen world. It just goes to show me that all churches/denominations, etc are subject to sin. It is a fallen world and if we are not abiding in Him, then eventually we will go our own sinful way.

I think the bottom line is that when any spiritual "leader" fails to be constantly humbling themselves to the obedience of the LORD, then they are no longer a leader of God's people, for they are now leading them into man's works, thoughts, etc. And leaders, unless they are humble people, having a desire to serve the LORD, become hardened and their pride won't allow them to admit they are wrong, and so come all the coverups, abusive authority and all that kind of nasty stuff. So what has happened with this "scandal" should really not suprise us but rather allow us to wake up and see that it is the Lord and His Truth that we must follow and not man. Thought by thought, deed by deed. It isn't about this "church" and whether you are for it, trying to excuse what they did, or against it, trying to show how bad they are.. shouldn't it be it is all about the Lord Jesus - whether we are submitting Him or going our own way? Shouldn't the issue really be about whether we defend man and their sin, or defend the Truth and stand on it?

In Jesus alone

[bvw]

No, it hasn't been exaggerated, for dozens and dozens of years the dioceses have been paying out many settlements under a contract to the victim and family of silence. Speaking to my personal knowledge, not from the victim's side either. About time the people dealt with such horrible stuff square on, yet this kind of statement is yet more denial.

[Lijahsbubbe]

Why are priests not allowed to marry? Does it say in the New Testament that priests cannot marry? If someone could help me here, thanks.

P.S. Love your favorite cartoon. I put that one on the wall at work.