[Dr. Eckleburg]

At least 37 accused priests remain in positions within the RCC that brings them into contact with kids.

In one city.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

The audacity of the Philadelphia diocese is astounding.

From the article...

The report also charged Msgr. William Lynn, secretary of clergy in the archdiocese under former Cardinal Anthony J. Bevilacqua, with endangering the welfare of children by allowing “dangerous” priests to remain in place. Monsignor Lynn was responsible for investigating abuse allegations from 1992 to 2004.

“The rapist priests we accuse were well known to the Secretary of Clergy, but he cloaked their conduct and put them in place to do it again,” the grand jury said.

This devastating appraisal is not from a slanted media or disgruntled Protestants, but from the grand jury itself.

Let the empty excuses commence.

[cherry]

there are NO convictions and I suppose every man every accused of rape should go to serve 20 yrs in jail first and then get a trial...

I have no problem with going after anybody who hurts children, but a simple accusation is NOT enough....take these people to a regular trial....but they won't and you know why?....there is no evidence...

muck rackers looking for loot....that's what most of this is....its not about right and wrong....its about money...

[RocketRoland]

America needs to be blown off the face of the earth. Priest,Teachers,Pedophiles & Homosexuals are stripping our youth of their innocence and turning them into perverts. Therefore America has become a perveted nation.Maybe we should welcome Islam! Think about it.

[lastchance]

I don’t know if the article linked to this but it is the original grand jury report. I think it is the whole document if not you can go to Bishop Accountablity. It is a good site and has many original source documents.

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/reports/2005_09_21_Philly_GrandJury/Philly_01.pdf

This is the report from 2005. To say I am disgusted and angry at what these men did and what the Bishops did to hide their crimes would be a vast understatement. All I can say is that there is a hell and God never sends anyone there without justification. He has it here. I know as a Christian I should pray they repent but honestly I just don’t have the heart to do so. I want them to suffer. IF not in the afterlife at least here now. Financially and in every other way possible. I want them to know the pain and fear those children felt. I want them to crawl on their knees over broken glass with dung in their mouths and fire clutched in their hands. I want their tears to salt the earth.

God damn them to hell.

[lastchance]

Here is the current report. I’ve not read it yet.

http://www.phila.gov/districtattorney/PDFs/clergyAbuse2-finalReport.pdf

[meadsjn]

Kill them all; let God sort them out.

[the invisib1e hand]

Hunh. You know all those teachers and coaches we’re always reading about who seduce their students? When will any city anywhere accuse itself of “failing to prevent” that abuse? Guess that would because conflict of interest, Hunh?

[metmom]

The city of brotherly love, no less.

Indeed, there’s nothing new under the sun.

IBTPPD (In before the pedophile priest defenders)

[count-your-change]

The grand jury report is available online for any wishing to read it. It is NOT just accusations by any means.
One comment from the report stands out from all others:

“Most devastating of all, we saw firsthand what Father Thomas Doyle calls “soul
murder.” As Father Doyle, a conscientious Dominican priest who has assisted clergyabuse victims around the world, points out, these children suffer from the abuse not just
physically and psychologically, but spiritually. The faith they need to cope with the
tragedies of life is for them forever defiled. In order for a priest to satisfy his sexual
impulses, these children lose their innocence, their virginity, their security, and their
faith. It is hard to think of a crime more heinous”

Covering it up comes close.

[Antoninus]

You know nothing of the particulars of this situation. The city of Philadelphia--you remember, those fine people who are attempting to evict the Boy Scouts from their headquarters for not allowing homosexual scout masters--have been after the Church for years, using these accusations as a hammer.

You'll note that these are still accusations, not convictions. Talk to me when the actually convict somebody.

That said, I am in favor of very harsh punishments for those convicted of sex abuse, be they Catholic priests or evangelical ministers.

[TheDingoAteMyBaby]

Being childless vs. having a family is a factor in attitudes towards protecting children.

[MarMema]

37 priests is nothing.

pedophilia is rampant today and I am not sure why...

These priests are just a drop in the bucket of a much larger phenomona taking place all over the world.

[Iscool]

It seems that this practice of molesting boys is the life-blood of the Catholic hierarchy...It’s recruitment activity...How else could they get enough young men who have sworn off women to come into the single-male priesthood???

And what is it with ‘altar-boys’...Why does that group exist??? Is that where young boys are groomed and weeded out for their journey into the deeper secrets of the priesthood???

[Sto Zvirat]

The Roman Catholic church destroyed so many lives by rape and by covering up and by accusing victims.

I left the church (and all religions) in disgust years ago. I will trust logic, reason and intellect over the fables and stories of religion.

[Palladin]

It’s time for Philly to take out the trash!

[SuziQ]

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia comprises more than just one city. That being said, ANYONE who abuses children needs to be called to account for it, be that a priest, nun, lay teacher, whoever. If the Grand Jury finds enough evidence to convict, all the better! I just hope that innocent priests, nuns, or teachers aren't caught up in the push to 'teach the Church a lesson', which is what has happened in many Dioceses.

My family has a personal friend, a very good priest, who was accused of indiscretion, by a woman in her 60's who claimed he 'took liberties' with her, when she was in her teens. Even her family and friends didn't believe her, because they've known her for years, and understand her emotional problems, which she's had ALL her life, even before this priest ever came to our town. But in the new, "get rid of them as soon as there is an accusation" mindset of some Bishops, who are trying to not look like they're covering anything up, some completely innocent priests have been treated very unfairly.

I make absolutely NO excuses for Bishops who were looking to cover up abuse, so as to not create problems for themselves, because they made a horrible situation even worse. The abusers need to spend a LONG time in jail to consider what they've done, and ask for forgiveness from God, and those they hurt.