On a profound level, everyone is wrong but God, as only God fully grasps and fully expresses the truth.
That RCC apologists would be united on the subject of your interpretation of Church law offered in post 77 is hardly surprising—law involves technical language that is meant to allow for one precise meaning to those who can understand the language and the context. All lawyers competent in a particular area of law ought to be able to come to a single basic understanding of a well-written law. dsc in post 121 gives all of the analysis necessary to cause any canon lawyer—be he catholic, protestant, or hindu—to conclude that his post 97 is a correct interpretation, and your post 77 is an incorrect one.
If you have read all of the links in 121 and care to analyze them, I will be happy to entertain arguments to the contrary, but I think a coherent detailed and compelling argument against post 121 is about as likely as some one demonstrating that the gospel of John was originally written in latin—neither would smash my faith, and but I would bet my house against either event.
Internet apologetics is largely thankless, especially on threads like this, because it takes very little effort and space to make an inflamatory statement, but it takes much time to construct something like post 121.
Moreover, as St. Bernard observes, when it comes to the apostolate, “In the end, there are three ways [to evangelize]: words, example, and prayer, and the greatest of these is prayer.” This implies that example is greater than words—and on the internet, example has virtually no place. Indeed, prayer is often largely neglected, in the interest of heaping up vain piles of words—perhaps true words, but vain none the less. How long did it take to put together post 121, and how many people will actually read all of its links? Less than five, I would guess.
It is tempting to spend much time on freerepublic and other forums standing up for the truth, but God has called me to serve him in other ways, like changing diapers, teaching class, marking papers, and splitting wood.
I will pray that you and dsc be given the grace to grow in your grasp of and expression of the truth, and ask that the two of you do the same for me and for each other.
May the Divine Mercy reign upon us all.
And yet you're here. Commenting.
All the Latin legalese in the world does not erase the fact that Crimen Sollicitationis was meant to silence the victims of priest pedophilia and threaten them with excommunication if they went to the police or family members.
And Ratzinger's letter decades later reiterated that threat.
St. Bernard might have better spent his time asking for prayers for the errant priesthood. Moreover.