"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
Posted on 04/14/2011 10:54:02 PM PDT by Cardhu
Former Belgian bishop Roger Vangheluwe has gone live on TV to talk about how he sexually abused two boys but does not see himself as a paedophile.
Emerging from hiding, he revealed he had molested two of his nephews, and not one, as he confessed last year before resigning as bishop of Bruges.
He does not face prosecution because the abuse occurred decades ago.
"It had nothing to do with sexuality," he said, in comments that caused indignation among politicians.
Justice Minister Stefaan De Clercq said in a statement the Church authorities "had to take measures to stop the irresponsible behaviour of the former bishop".
"It is a slap in the face of his victims and all victims," the justice minister added.
The 74-year-old is believed to be living outside Belgium since being ordered to leave the country by the Vatican, which has yet to decide on his future.
A decision will be made "naturally taking into account the various aspects of this issue, starting with the suffering of the victims and the requirements of the justice system", Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi told AFP news agency earlier this week.
[snip]
"He described the 13 years of sexual abuse to which he had subjected one nephew from the age of five as no more than "a little piece of intimacy".
"How did it begin?" he said.
"As with all families. When they came to visit, the nephews slept with me. It began as a game with the boys. It was never a question of rape."
"I don't have the impression at all that I am a paedophile," he said. "It was really just a small relationship. I did not have the feeling that my nephew was against it, quite the contrary. It was not brutal sex."
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
"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
Report Airs Abuse in Belgian Church
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704505804575483710987276970.html
Thanks for the link but since I don’t subscribe to the WSJ site I’ll search for a free site.
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”.
Maybe he’s praying for another “little piece of intimacy”.
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”?
Thank you for posting the link to the article.
You’re very welcome.
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.
The bishop's comments are disgusting but hardly surprising.
.
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.
judas priest...(shaking head...again).
Lol! “Five year olds, Dude”. Paging Bill Donahue !!!
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