Posted on 03/09/2011 3:44:05 AM PST by Cardhu
The Archbishop of Philadelphia, Cardinal Justin Rigali, announced in a statement on Tuesday the suspension of 21 priests following examination of files implicating them in sexual abuse of minors.
The step initiated was in response to a grand jury report that was released last month where 37 priests were suspected of widespread child molestation.
These have been difficult weeks since the release of the Grand Jury Report: difficult most of all for victims of sexual abuse, but also for all Catholics and for everyone in our community," stated Cardinal Rigali.
"I wish to express again my sorrow for the sexual abuse of minors committed by any members of the Church, especially clergy. I am truly sorry for the harm done to the victims of sexual abuse, as well as to the members of our community who suffer as a result of this great evil and crime," he further added.
All the reported 37 cases were subjected to a review under the Pennsylvania Crimes Code, the Child Protective Services Act, the "Essential Norms" from the Charter for the Protection of Young People of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the Archdiocese's Standards for Ministerial Behavior and Boundaries.
Apart from the 21 recently announced orders of suspension, three priests had already been suspended after the report was released in February.
The Grand Jury Report, presented on 21st January, 2011, contained a graphic description of instances of sexual abuse by priests of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The report also indicated that the abuse was "known, tolerated, and hidden by high church officials, up to and including the Cardinal himself."
It also stated that there are many abusers who are still on duty in the Archdiocese with "open access" to new young prey.
(Excerpt) Read more at uk.ibtimes.com ...
Nonsense. I spent over twenty years as a Bible-Thumping Protestant, and one thing I know for sure: each and every one of them has to make excuses for why God doesn't follow their man-made doctrines born of philosophical mishandling of the Scriptures.
Furthermore, if celibacy is so contrary to Biblical teaching, why did Paul recommend it?
So your answer is “no.”
I’ll be more than happy to answer your questions, though I can comfortably assert you will not agree with my citations, just as soon as you answer mine.
Furthermore, your refusal to acknowledge any other “God Breathed revelation” is exactly why there are as many Protestant denominations as opinions, in stark contravention to the New Testament’s absolute admonition to unity among the believers.
Like you don't show up just to throw stones at the institution instead of the perpetrators...
What delicious hypocrisy!
Very good point paper. After reading the thread..it seems the gay agenda is having more than just a small effect on events in PA.
That said..I had a friend who went to seminary 30 years ago who left because he was "approached" too many times. I'm thinking the culture is and has been far too accepting of alternative ways to wet your noodle so you can save face (so no one will know and they can keep their job).
Oh..and as an aside, I'm not sure how much gay infiltration factors into the problem, girls tell more often, they get pregnant so these guys may not have started out with an attraction to men.
Not much.
There's plenty of overlap.
“The report also indicated that the abuse was “known, tolerated, and hidden by high church officials, up to and including the Cardinal himself.”
Furthermore, if celibacy is so contrary to Biblical teaching, why did Paul recommend it?
Is there something about *It is not good for man to be alone* that is too hard to understand?
If he recommended it, then why the criteria for elders and overseers and deacons that they be the husband of one wife.
That precludes a celibate clergy, if the concept of clergy can even really be found in the NT.
But based on your admitted history, not doubt you know that it's not.
If the institution didn't protect the perps, nobody would be throwing stones at it.
This is a case where you can't really separate them out. It's the good ole boy network in action.
Please forgive me if I consider this comment a belated effort to maintain an opinion badly in need of revision.
Personally, I can only take cold comfort in Our Lord's parabolic warning of the mustard seed...He spoke truth to our shame.
If these guys were truly not holy men, then any couples they married have to get remarried? Do any babies they sprinkled water on have to go through that again? Any confessions they ever heard now do not count?
A couple reasons, I think.
One is that degeneracy is progressive. Once one starts down that path it leads to worse and worse forms.
The other is that children are more easily taken advantage of, manipulated, intimidated, and less likely to refuse or fight back.
They are *safer* victims. It may not initially have to do so much with preference as much as availability.
Apparently there is as you don't seem to be able to reconcile it with 1 Cor 7:8.
Luckily, there are those among us with sufficient maturity to handle the more subtle vagaries of Scripture without losing the baby.
Yes he did..and sad to say, our beloved Priests are as human an fallible as they come. My family fed and cleaned up after the Priests in our city for over 60 years.
Trust me..most people who sit at the Lord's table and partake of the riches of the sheltered Christian life have absolutely no idea what real darkness and evil exists out there.
The next time you run across a baby that has been so badly sexually abused that their organs have to be removed and see the blank stare on the perps face as the ER staff beat the crap out of him causing them to lose their jobs...then you can then tell me I have an opinion that needs to be revised.
I could go on about the hundreds of young boys that have been abused to the point of never being able to use their rectums properly and crapping themselves for the rest of their lives...oh and was it some homeless man off the street that did it?..no it was their uncle, a priest, a minister or rabbi.
Yes man is a mess..why make it any easier to frustrate him by calling sexual desire a sin and denying it in the less damaging fashion. I'm sorry..it's not just a sin..it's just plain stupid.
Oh really?
Funny how those of us without an ax to grind don't have trouble making the distinction....
But then, what can be expected from those who claim they can tell there's no difference between the love we have for God, and the love we have for the Blessed Virgin Mary.
“The report also indicated that the abuse was “known, tolerated, and hidden by high church officials, up to and including the Cardinal himself.”
Any one really guilty= Castration as a beginning to other punishments!
What, are you like...twelve? Are you really so myopic and haughty that you are either prostituting your intellect to save face, or not bright enough to distinguish between a whole and its parts?
And by the way, you still haven't answered my question about any priest being exonerated. No, I think far from being a "birds of a feather" issue on my part, what we have here is a Titus 3:11 issue on your part.
It’s a terrible crime to a child. People who really did it should be punished. But to use this for Anti-catholic bigotry is amazing!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.