Posted on 03/22/2010 6:21:30 AM PDT by Gamecock
Pope Benedict's weekend apology to Ireland went further than any other papal statement on child-sex abuse by priests, but still fell too short for many victims of the scandals shaking the Catholic Church across Europe.
Following are details of some of the major abuse scandals in various countries:
SWITZERLAND: The Swiss Catholic Church is investigating allegations of abuse by clergy. The Diocese of Chur, in eastern Switzerland, said Saturday it was investigating about 10 complaints. The abbot of a monastery in the diocese said at least three of the 77 monks at Einsiedeln had committed acts of abuse since he took up office in December 2001, but no legal action had been taken.
NETHERLANDS: More than 200 Catholics have reported abuse after Radio Netherlands Worldwide and newspaper NRC Handelsblad revealed that three priests from the Salesian order abused pupils decades ago at a boarding school. The church there has set up an independent inquiry headed by a Protestant politician.
GERMANY: A Jesuit high school in Berlin reported cases of sexual abuse there in January, starting a series of revelations at other Catholic boarding schools and non-religious schools.
- The Regensburg diocese admitted physical and sexual abuse cases at a boarding school for its famous Domspatzen (cathedral sparrows) boys choir. Its director, Pope Benedict's brother, Rev. Georg Ratzinger, admitted to slapping boys to discipline them but denied knowledge of sexual abuse. The ensuing wave of abuse charges from previously silent victims has since reached about 250.
IRELAND: In April 2002, Bishop Brendan Comiskey of Ferns resigned over his handling of charges against a priest who committed suicide in 1999 while facing 66 charges of abuse.
- May 2009 - The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse issued a five-volume report that took nine years to compile. It said priests beat and raped children during decades of abuse in Catholic-run institutions.
- Nov. 2009 - The Murphy report, a government-commissioned inquiry into abuse in Dublin from 1975 to 2004 said church authorities covered up widespread cases of child sexual abuse until the mid-1990s.
- Dec. 2009 - After meeting two Irish church leaders, Pope Benedict said he shared the "outrage, betrayal and shame" over the scandal in Ireland.
- Feb. 2010 - Benedict held crisis talks with 24 Irish bishops at the Vatican. The bishops promised him they were committed to cooperating with authorities. Four bishops have offered their resignations and the pope has so far accepted one.
UNITED STATES: June 2002 - The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops agreed on a new policy that would forbid pedophile priests from ever again acting as clerics - but not necessarily expel them from the priesthood.
BRITAIN: July 2000 - London Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor acknowledged making a mistake in a previous post in the 1980s by allowing a pedophile priest to continue working. The priest was jailed in 1997 for abusing nine boys over a 20-year period.
AUSTRIA: July 2004 - Austrian News magazine Profil ran pictures of priests kissing and groping seminarians at a Catholic seminary in the St. Poelten diocese.
AUSTRALIA: July 2008 - On a visit to Australia, Pope Benedict apologized for sexual abuse by clergy. At that time there had been 107 convictions for sexual abuse in the church there.
MEXICO: March 2009 - Pope Benedict ordered an inquiry into the Legionaries of Christ priestly order whose founder was discovered to be a sexual molester. In 2006, the pope told the founder, Father Marcial Maciel, to retire to a life of "prayer and penitence". Maciel died in 2008. His order acknowledged in 2009 that he had fathered at least one child with a mistress.
CANADA: Oct. 2009 - Bishop Raymond Lahey of Antigonish, N.S., was charged with possession and importation of child pornography. Earlier that year, he had overseen a $13-million settlement with clerical abuse victims in the Antigonish diocese in a case dating back to 1950.
No, it's not true. But saying so makes some people feel big, I guess.
LOL! :D
No we don’t hate Catholics. We feel the Church has led you astray with its extra-biblical nonsense.
Well, 52% of Catholics voted for hope and change...
:)
The truth can only help Catholics finally see the light.
I doubt it. He’s probably leaping for joy at your deception.
No, we aren’t. We KNOW he’s doing the Lord’s work in telling you truth and exposing the evil in the Church.
The Catholic Church has made itself satan’s willing assistants. Catholics need themselves to speak to these matters and clean up the mess others have made.
The real hate comes from Catholics. Read their replies sometime.
You’re right, ROE, it is only a small percentage, but the Church cover up is the culprit here and they need to be addressed.
Yeah, that was a shocker...
Nobody is sinless.
Good post...
The church is the entire body o believers, not the Catholic Church alone.
Your Church is riddled with the traditions of men, LOL.
Wow. I wish I had your energy today!
I doubt it. He’s probably leaping for joy at your deception.
The Catholic Church has made itself satan’s willing assistants.
The real hate comes from Catholics. Read their replies sometime.
Your Church is riddled with the traditions of men, LOL.
What does your church believe that is supported by Scripture alone? Every belief I've seen discussed is shaped in some way by "Tradition" or the early theologians that your church calls "church fathers".
On those occasions when a discussion breaks out with Born Again Christians and the BAC's point out the lack of Scriptural support for something the RC's believe then the "bigot" bombs start flying. In the end it's all they've got.
You wouldn’t have the Bible without the Catholic Church. There is nothing in the Church that is “extra-biblical.”
And the hatred here is real and disgusting.
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