Posted on 04/04/2011 2:40:45 PM PDT by Dr. Eckleburg
Catholic Church quietly closes sexual abuse case and retires priest with pension; priest’s accusers furious
The priest's accusers accused the church of The Catholic Church of Denmark is being criticised for secrecy and inaction in its handling of the cases of several priests accused of sexual abuse against young men.
The complaints follow the announcement by the church on Sunday that it had completed its last and most extensive investigation into the case of a priest who was suspended in April 2010 after being accused by five separate people of indecent exposure and sexual abuse.
In a brief statement the church announced that the official investigation into the complaints had been completed and that the priest would retire with pension as a result.
The church declined to reveal what its investigation into the complaints uncovered or why the priest retired.
“Our conclusion is that the case is closed and the suspension is lifted. The priest then asked if he could retire,” church spokesman Rev Niels Engelbrecht told Berlingske newspaper.
The bishop of the Diocese of Copenhagen, Czeslaw Kozon, however wrote in a letter to the people who filed the complaint against the priest that the church had not been able to determine whether the complaints were founded, and therefore chose to give the priest the benefit of the doubt. Frederik Roed, one of the men who accused the priest of sexual misconduct, was angered by the church’s conclusion.
“I am deeply shocked that the Catholic bishop is choosing to close and conceal the case after five people, independently of one another, complained about the priest.”
He accused the church of cowardice by “letting the priest sneak off into retirement”.
“Doing so lets them avoid having to take up a fight and hold the priest accountable,” Roed said.
To me, it looks like they did. Then he retired. I can't tell from the story whether it was an early retirement or something that was normal at that time anyway.
Does it say they weren't and didn't? What if they did and their conclusion was the same? Should that matter?
Nothing on him, his name, his age, how long his was in his ‘vocation’ - nothing. Innocence always needs protection./s
Another question, since I don’t know anything about Denmark or how the law works there... Could these people have just filed a complaint with the church ~without~ filing a criminal complaint with the police? Why would they not do both?
Are you referring to the Priest, or Obama?
Why the sarcasm tag? Are there some crimes that are just so horrible that guilt must be assumed and innocence proven? Which ones? How is innocence proven?
BTW, some countries (like Canada, and possibly Denmark) have restrictions on the press that forbid releasing the names of people accused of crimes, until they have actually been convicted. Unlike here, where we can pronounce people guilty in the press before the trial starts.
My heart grieves for these boys. God bless them...
A victim’s name is there - so if one is not considered guilty, an accuser can be named. I say - all the priests accused are innocent. Pass everyone a comic book with a sticker ‘Beware before you enter’. That’s it - no more reports or accusations, parishioners were warned. Pass the plate, all cases closed.
LOL!
Indeed. Hopefully, they learned they can’t trust man and will now turn to God as their Source for everything and realize, the obvious, the Vatican is rooted in evil.
‘all the priests accused are innocent’
According to the second story ‘all’ = one.
‘My heart grieves for these boys. God bless them...’
Amen, unless they are lying grifters, in which case, ‘God d-mn them!
I was speaking of ALL the priests - worldwide.
If the ‘victims’ are making it up they are no different than any other lying cheats. I do not worry about the poor upbringing of con men, and the evidence shows that there have been thousands of them around the world on this subject.
Why would you offer prayers for me?
Amen.
Amen!
I don't see prayers for the victims. Do you?
Lots of prayers for the pederast priests. For the bishops who protected them. For the church that defended and promoted them.
And now prayers for those who are simply posting the truth.
And nowhere do we see from these people prayers for the victims.
Amen, unless they are lying grifters, in which case, ‘God d-mn them!
Oh, my. There's that ever-present caveat from RC apologists, "yes, but..."
Over three billions dollars paid out in pederast priest settlements.
Somebody's not lying. Somebody's not a grifter.
What they deny and hide and deflect, they will only get more of.
‘Somebody’s not lying. Somebody’s not a grifter’
Some are lying, some are telling the truth, such is the way of human nature.
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