More devastating Scandal stories coming?

Bettnet.com ^ | June 16, 2004 | Domenico Bettenelli, Jr.

[Rutles4Ever]

Bettinelli reports:

I just got this message from Rod Dreher:

"On Sunday, The Dallas Morning News will begin publishing the results of a major yearlong investigation into a largely uncovered aspect of the Catholic sex abuse scandal. The series of stories are international in scope, and will make headlines nationally and overseas. I’m not at liberty to disclose details yet, but I’ve seen advanced copies of the articles, and they are devastating. I believe at this point, more details will be available on Friday morning, when one of the reporters on the series does an interview on National Public Radio’s “Morning Edition.” The stories will be available on the dallasnews.com website starting either late Saturday night or early Sunday morning.

I expect these stories to dominate conversation among concerned American Catholics next week, and into the early summer (because there will be much more to come; next week’s series only reveals part of what our reporters have uncovered and documented). These findings give lie to the claim from Church officialdom that this scandal is over. The cover-up continues."

Rod Dreher confirms:

"Not only stories, but photographs. I’ve seen the planned cover of Sunday’s DMN. The picture they’re going to run is a jaw-dropper...I hate to tell you this, but the bishops already know. They have known. They hoped you and I wouldn’t find out. That’s part of the story... Also, our people are now talking to national media about this. Starting Friday night, you might be seeing stuff about this. I’ll let Dom and others know if any early media appearances are scheduled."

[GOP Soccer Mom]

You should stop now. Your postings have no relation to Peach's situation, and you are propagating the stereotype that Catholic teaching is cruel and heartless.

THANK YOU!!! She isn't even on the thread now. Lay OFF, dude!

[TightyRighty]

No, they've just called her a liar and a feminist. Implied she had some sexual dysfunction and that her mother was a tramp. Why? Because she had the *gasp* audacity to say she'd had a bad experience with the Catholic church. Reminds me of the stories I've read about Scientologist.

[Barnacle]

May God's will be done.

[sneakers]

"We have open communion at our church (Baptist), and the times I've wanted to just visit another denomination to hear the sermon, I haven't done it because I didn't want to deal with being disallowed communion because they had judged me not a Christianz<"

Twinkie, the reason non-Catholics cannot receive Communion in the Catholic Church is because we believe the consecretad bread or 'host' is Christ Himself - the REAL Presence of Our Lord in the form of Bread and Wine and not a symbol. A Catholic who has not gone to confession and has serious sin on his or her soul cannot receive either. The only way you could receive is if you accepted our teaching about confession - reconciliation - and the the teaching about the Eucharist - in which case you would BEG to get into the church! LOL!! Other than that, you are more than welcome to come and enjoy the homily. There are many Catholics in my parish every Sunday who do not receive. No one thinks it strange or unusual. ;-)

[MarMema]

Something to see, wasn't it? A quite informative experience, reading this thread.

[B Knotts]

I did not call her any names, FWIW. I merely pointed out that it's unfair to cast aspersions on all priests and bishops, and the Church as a whole for the heineous misdeeds of some relatively small percentage thereof.

We Catholics and our clergy get attacked in this forum on a daily basis. Can you blame some for getting a little quick on the draw when they suspect they're being attacked yet again?

[TightyRighty]

I know you didn't call her names but many on this thread did. I've seen some spirited debates on FR between Catholics and Protestants but I've never seen one person villified for telling her story.

[Peach]

Thank you!

Note this Catholic Church web site, printed in 1997. Things were even worse in the early 60's.

Are divorced people permitted to receive Holy Communion?

Catholics who are divorced and remarried may not receive Holy Communion unless their previous marriage is found to be invalid by a Catholic Church court, since they are in an invalid and illicit union in the eyes of God. Jesus Christ, and thus, the Catholic Church which He founded, generally forbid divorce (Mark 10:2-12). Civil divorce does not end a marriage in the eyes of God or of the Church. Secular governments do not have any authority to dissolve valid marriages. For a most serious reason, a Catholic married person may obtain a civil divorce, for instance, because of adultery, by the other spouse, physical or spiritual abuse of spouse or children, or desertion, but this does not entitle a divorced person to date or remarry. Catholics who are divorced but not remarried should consult their confessors or a parish priest as to whether they may receive Holy Communion. In certain circumstances they are allowed to do so.

Reprinted from January 17, 1997

http://www.dioceseoflincoln.org/purple/divorce/#6

[Salvation]

*Which is why the priest should have knocking on the door to offer the children some support instead of turning them away.**

Exactly!

[Salvation]

**How about everyone just shut up over Peach's situation.
Good Idea!**

I was able to exchange FReepmail with her and follow through.

[Salvation]

thanks for the 'Once Catholic' link. That is one I did not know about.

[redhead]

"My ONLY point is to say that the church has permitted so much abuse for so long, in their own words, that I don't think they have the moral authority to condemn the war which freed 25 million people. Their moral authority vanished, imo, the first time they moved a "problem" priest and didn't kick him out where he couldn't prey on other children.

Their moral authority was lost when they told tens of thousands of separated and divorced men and women they could no longer go to church because their spouse abandoned them.

But enough. I've obviously touched on a nerve with a lot of you. You want to defend the church. Go for it. But I won't be among their defenders. They have problems. They need to deal with them openly and honestly. Thus far, they have not."

Dear Peach:

By "The Church," I believe you mean (judging by your use of the term) the American Heirachy: Bishops, Cardinals, and priests. There is a whole world of difference between these men and "THE CHURCH," meaning the worldwide, organic whole of the Church and her mission on earth. So, I am going to say that I agree with you regarding your complaint, but disagree regarding the "guilty party." The CHURCH is more than her members or her heirarchy.

As for "The Church" condemning the war, no. The POPE himself condemned the war. And some of the cardinals in Rome have also said they condemned it. But they did so as individuals.

The CHURCH does not condemn wars, except for those fought for immature and illicit purposes. THE CHURCH teaches that some wars are necessary, but that war, like the death penalty, should be the last resort. Since we know that not only did GWB bend over backwards to make sure that there was no other alternative, he waited until the absolute last minute (the last resort?) before taking action, it's not much of a stretch to say that this war met the criteria.

As for this paragraph: "I've obviously touched on a nerve with a lot of you. You want to defend the church. Go for it. But I won't be among their defenders. They have problems. They need to deal with them openly and honestly. Thus far, they have not."

I agree, and have stated frequently and openly on this forum that the BISHOPS, and the priests whose behavior they have endorsed by their lack of action, are answerable; in which case, I refer you back to the first part of my reply.

[Salvation]

**It’s about a breath and depth of cover-up that has not yet been reported on as completely as our team is about to. I’ve seen the front page for Sunday, with the photo, and read the stories that will lead the series, and it’s absolutely sick-making.**

This IS getting more sickening by the minute.

Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

[mabelkitty]

I'm going to stay out of the fire, but my mom's own situation was similar.
Back in the day, she and her family were heavily into the Church big time - school, brother studying to be a priest, father a firefighter, you know the type.
Vatican changed all the rules at some point (you Catholics would know when), and she flipped out. Went all liberal.
Her dad was also a very mean man.
I think she would have been the same way if she were Protestant. One institution (her family) seeps into another one (her religious upbringing) and infects it from a particular POV.

[GOP Soccer Mom]

BTTT

[don-o]

Try #40, #49, #50, #57, #60, #67, #71, #77, #86.........need I go on?

Whoa! That is some impessive tracking.

How many windows must be open at once to keep up?

[don-o]

The Judeo Christian God is certainly not synonymous with the Catholic church. The teachings and deeds are worlds apart. In fact they are opposite ends of the moral spectrum

Care to expand on that?

Uh, Jack Chick is out of bounds.

For a start, which tradition presents the complete, rational and whole position against abortion?

[Jaded]

Okay, I finally got to the blog and was able to read all of the replies. Well, that was special.

Here was an interesting post from Dreher: Gang, I know that my lack of specifics only makes Malachi Martin-like speculation possible, and likely. Let me say that this is not about Andy Greeley’s thing, nor is it directly about homosexuality. It’s about a breath and depth of cover-up that has not yet been reported on as completely as our team is about to. I’ve seen the front page for Sunday, with the photo, and read the stories that will lead the series, and it’s absolutely sick-making.

Who knows, maybe the DMN will come out with news that The Da Vinci Code has been proven to be true. (sarcasm off) Honestly, I don't see any scandal that could be more earth shattering than what has already been experienced, save sacrificing small children on the altars. That seems unlikely.

The Malachi Martin is the Windswept House novel. On Amazon, the jacket cover synopsis Windswept House reads like the Left Behind series descriptions of the Church at the onset of Pre-Trib Rapture. That has long been the opinion of certain Protestant churches, so nothing new there. Bordering on tin-foilish, IMO. Politics does make strange bedfellows.

Who really knows what will show up. Even I might be shocked. On the otherhand, The gates of Hell will not prevail against our Church.

[fooman]

Da vincie code was rebutted by a number of books. Do you know the books?

[r9etb]

Honestly, I don't see any scandal that could be more earth shattering than what has already been experienced, save sacrificing small children on the altars. That seems unlikely.

I can -- for example, suppose that there were priests who "shared" their conquests with other priests. Suppose there were websites, pictures, and "procurement agencies." Suppose there were all sorts of Catholic clergy, up to and including bishops (and higher?) involved.

The foregoing are pure speculation on my part. However, Dreher's hints about "breadth and depth of cover-up" make me think that the story will be something along those lines.