Belgium hears ex-bishop Vangheluwe play down abuse

BBC ^ | 15 April 2011 | Staff

[Dr. Scarpetta]

"Transcripts showed that Belgian Cardinal Godfried Danneels, above, helped to cover up the issue involving Bishop Roger Vangheluwe."

"Report Airs Abuse in Belgian Church"...written by John W. Miller from Wall St. Journal...9/11/10

[Dr. Scarpetta]

Report Airs Abuse in Belgian Church

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704505804575483710987276970.html

[count-your-change]

Thanks for the link but since I don’t subscribe to the WSJ site I’ll search for a free site.

[count-your-change]

Phillip Lawler’s book, The Faithful Departed (The Collapse of Boston's Catholic Culture) is certainly worth the reading by Catholic and non-Catholic alike. Lawler is more than qualified to write and speak on his subject.

[brent13a]

commissioned by the U.S. Catholic Bishops' National Review Board itself

In related news the National Association of Police Organizations commissioned a report that states only 0.4-0.9% of all police officers are corrupt.
In more related news the National Education Association commissioned a report that states only 1-2% of all teachers may have leftist viewpoints.

See where I'm going with this?

I'm not trying to go to the extreme here but there are 2 things that happen when it comes to all christian clergy abuse cases:
1. The churches underplay the level of egregiousness
2. Media takes it to the extreme
So what's my point? It's all somewhere in the middle. For instance when I see multiple investigative journalists report that the Church(es) are actively involved in secretly shuffling abusive priests around and keeping them in authoritative positions I have to assume that it's at least partially true. However when I see hardcore apologists severely underplay the whole thing I have to assume that there is more than meets the eye.

Just like the whole 2 party system and all of Washington has become rotten beyond redemption so has the whole of the church.....because just like our US politics it continues to happen, there is no control over it.

What fixes this, I don't know. That's not for me to decide. However just acknowledging the problem and prosecuting a few hasn't fixed anything. The church downplaying the rotten apple core, going after journalists as "secular church-haters" isn't going to get anywhere either.

One would think that after 20+ years of ongoing scandals, and continuing weekly revelations, this would be solved. One would think if it's such a small problem it would be solved quickly and with expediency. But it hasn't, I'm not sure it ever will because this stuff has been going on so long and quelling it has been so unsuccessful.

I wish it was solved and we wouldn't be having this discussion.

[count-your-change]

The nation of Israel in Jesus’ day claimed antiquity and tradition too, they had the promises made to Abraham as their father and custody of the word of God.

Yet the promised Kingdom Of God was to be taken away from them. They failed to produce its fruits so the kingdom was to be given to a nation that did. (Matt. 23:42-46)
Jesus had already said their “house was abandoned” to them, (Matt. 23:37-39) and that they would now have to become part of the nation Christ founded. (1 Peter 2:9)

So the magnificence of the temple, their tradition and antiquity, their priesthood and ritual....None of it mattered in 70 A.D.

Those that stayed in Jerusalem and perhaps thought they might reform or save the nation that God had abandoned perished with her, whether good and pious or not.

That’s the lesson of Jerusalem and the nation of Israel even if “But that is the past, this is now”.

[count-your-change]

Maybe he’s praying for another “little piece of intimacy”.

[count-your-change]

Luther certainly wasn’t the only person demanding reform, reform driven by priestly corruption.
About 500 years earlier Peter Damian’s Book of Gomorrah provided rich detail of the corruption.

Popes issued orders and held councils but here we are 500 years (and two or three billion dollars) after Luther and what is the current Pope apologizing for? Priestly abuse, but this time it was the news media and Catholic insiders writing the story.

“Reform is something the Church does internally ever so often — the last before Luther was done by St. Francis and his Franciscan monks.”

Like the nation of Israel, it makes an attempt but how many attempts before “your house is abandoned to you”?

[lastchance]

Thank you for posting the link to the article.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

You’re very welcome.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Here’s a story from today’s WSJ where the Prime Minister of Belgium demands that this pedophile be punished...

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703648304576265033882970122.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

This guy was the bishop of Bruges. He admits to sexually molesting his nephews for over a decade, one beginning at the age of five years old!

Someone should tell that to Bill Donahue who recently took out a full-page ad in the NYT defending these child rapists by saying most of the “abuse” was actually done with “adolescents.”

“Five-year-olds, Dude.”

This TV interview not only displays the mindset of the pedophile; it shows us the Roman Catholic church’s attitude toward pedophilia — it is a privilege for an “alter Christus” to seek “a little comfort” where he can find it.

Though retired, this pedophile is still a priest. He hasn’t been punished. He’s unrepentant. And Rome is still protecting him.

[count-your-change]

The ability to excuse and rationalize their conduct is what makes the pedophiles able to continue the abuse.

The bishop's comments are disgusting but hardly surprising.

[Quix]

CRITICAL POINTS, imho:

.

Though retired, this pedophile
is still a priest.
He hasn’t been punished.
He’s unrepentant.
And Rome is still protecting him.

I could readily extend tons of grace because I'm a sinful creature with a deceitfully wicked heart, too. And I do extend tons of grace to one and all, regardless.

I'd even be willing in many cases with fossilized old burps being 'retired' and hidden away in some monastery doing menial tasks or praying most of their waking hours . . . assuming they'd repented and shown contrition etc.

However, the unrepentant aspect followed by the still protecting him . . . not very Biblical. Not very fitting. Not very honorable. Not very sensible.

[the_conscience]

judas priest...(shaking head...again).

[Aggressive Calvinist]

Lol! “Five year olds, Dude”. Paging Bill Donahue !!!