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And do you REALLY believe the NY Slimes.

My perspective is that if the priest or minister is guilty to go ahead and have a trial. It’s the individual that committed the offense/sin, not the Pope.

I also have a problem with many of these stories because they presume guilty until proven innocent. I thought our court system was founded on “presumed innocent until proven guilty.”

I have first hand knowledge of this with a priest who spoke to the public about his trial with three attorneys who also attended the trial as spectators. (One from my parish and two from a neighboring parish.) There were state records that proved he was NOT even with the accusers on the day they claimed they were molested. On the first one — the priest was not even working there yet; on the second one — the priest had moved from that assignment to another; and on the third case — another priest took the individual to see the site where his sister died and not the accused priest. The second priest also was at the public meeting and spoke up.

The three attorneys thought it would be slam dunk trial with all this evidence that the priest was not even with the accusers on the dates supposedly important to their individual cases — and remember, there were state records to back up those dates.

The trial went on and on and the three attorneys knew something was terribly wrong. So when the jury came back and pronounced the priest guilty they were horrified. One chased after a juror who left hurriedly, but the juror would not talk. As a second juror left he talked — “When we got into the deliberation room they said, ‘Well, he’s a Catholic priest, so he’s got to be guilty.’”

I find that attitude present here on FR among many God-fearing Republicans too, and it stuns me. I will always speak out for a fair trial and “INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY.’ Don’t take that attitude to mean that I support offenders of any origin, please. Just see that a fair trial is held before making any accuasations at all. As Republicans, don’t we always look for the facts? Why then, with Catholic priests does this attitutde of guilty until provene innocent persist? (And among many professes Christians, I might add!!!!!)

I have posted facts and back-up threads before that the most probably pedophiles are (in order)
fathers
teachers
coaches
Protestant ministers
amd priests are way down on the list.

Now, as as someone who believes in God and believes in our court system....are you going to continue to say that ALL the priests are guilty until proven innocoent?

Because I have first-hand knowledge of a case that was bogus — I understand that some people might think I support the offending priests. I do not. They need to have their day in court with a FAIR trial.

I will post supporting threads on the order of pedophile offenses in the next post.

May God continue to bless you as you pursue your full belief in his mercy. Amen.