Posted on 06/11/2002 1:21:39 PM PDT by Timesink
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I'm sitting here, having a little trouble getting started. We have reported on this scandal several times so far. For the most part, the stories are fairly similar, the anguish of the victims, and their anger, and the response by the Church. But it is sort of like profiling each tree, one at a time, and not looking at the forest, to use an old metaphor. Just how widespread is this problem? If it were just one person here, and maybe another there, it might be easier to understand. But there has always been a feeling that this is a systemic problem, that underlying the individual stories that have come into the public eye, and those that have not, is some sort of widespread problem.
Some say the issue is celibacy. Others that the priesthood attracts those disposed towards children. Still others argue that the issue is homosexuality in the priesthood. And there are many other explanations. And they may all be partly true, and party false. But tonight we will address just how widespread this problem is. This week, the bishops are meeting in Dallas to debate a proposed policy to deal with priests who are accused of, or proven to be guilty of molestation. Many of the victims say the policy doesn't go far enough, that it is too lenient. But with the bishops and others beginning to arrive in Dallas today, our friends at the Dallas Morning News came to us with the results of an investigation they conducted. Their story will be in the paper tomorrow, and on their Web site tonight. They tried to track down every credible allegation. And the numbers they found are staggering.
Roughly two-thirds of the bishops have either been accused themselves, actually a relatively small number, or more commonly, are accused of covering up the actions of one of their priests. We'll be reporting on the details of what the Morning News found tonight, but clearly the numbers indicate that the problem is more than just the crimes of isolated individuals. So we'll have a report from ABC News correspondent Bill Blakemore from Dallas on the Morning News investigation, and a preview of what will happen later in the week. Ted will interview the bishop who headed the committee that wrote the proposed policy. But I think tonight's broadcast will make it clear that this is much more than a couple of isolated cases being given too much publicity. Something has gone terribly wrong.
Tuesday, June 11, 2002
Leroy Sievers and the Nightline Staff
Nightline Offices
Washington, D.C.
The way "Archbishop" Flynn looked when he punted Koppel's question about the role of homosexuality in the scandals, one is forced to conclude that the poor bishop is either mentally retarded, psychotic, suffering from a head injury, on an overdose of LSD, afraid of the political pressure of homos, or a homo himself.
Sadly, you are right. There are very few trustworthy, righteous men in the hierarchy. I can't believe I am actually saying that.
I guess this stuff is not new, only the reasons change.
When the Council of Nicaea was called in 325, even though he was only still only a deacon, his Bishop chose Athanasius to accompany him as a periti. There he amazed and impressed the Council Fathers with his thorough knowledge of the Faith and his masterful apologetics approach of defending the Faith, especially against the Arian heresy. Though Arianism was soundly condemned at Nicaea, it did not go away. Rather it spread further and, were it not for men like Athanasius, who knows what further damage might have been done. It was Athanasius himself who illustrated the great damage done when he said, "The floor of hell is paved with the skulls of bishops." He was, of course, referring to those bishops - the vast majority - who had been lured away from the True Church in following the false teachings of Arius. If that many bishops were in hell, how many who followed them down the wide path to perdition also were? They say for every priest who loses his soul, 1000 souls are lost; for every bishop who loses his eternal soul, 10,000 souls are denied the Heavenly portals.
I think it is a combo of problems. I think some of the Bishops are gay, most are guilty of some kind of cover-up and all are friends with those guilty of one or the other sins listed above. They'd rather compromise the Church than come clean and get rid of their sinning "friends." It is indeed a network. And anyone who doesn't come forth and be honest is guilty.
This time, don't let any of them get away. Unitarians have done a lot of good but, considering where they are now, it would have been better had none escaped in the 4th century.
Thanks, LL!
The Catholic Church is about God, a loving and forgiving God; what about your church, Tacis?
Maybe that wasn't in the released text, but it's a fairly accurate description of what we have been watching. What happened to the part Sr. Lucy had talked about "the dogma of the faith" being preserved in Portugal? That seems to have disappeared rather curiously....
Correct you are becuase Luther was the one who added the word 'alone'.
Interesting theory. You just may have something there. Or maybe those males chose that life on their own. That is my thought about my brother, may he rest in peace.
In the Portland Archdiocese the term is ten years.
This is so sad.
How about all straight?
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