Abuse scandal angers conservative Catholics

Boston Globe ^ | 3/27/2002 | Michael Paulson

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

The Catholic Church's most reliable supporters, conservatives who have traditionally leapt to defend the institutional hierarchy whenever its practices have been questioned, are increasingly irate over the church's handling of the clergy sexual abuse crisis. Commentators William J. Bennett, William F. Buckley,Jr., and Patrick Buchanan have harshly criticized Cardinal Bernard F. Law. Self-described orthodox Catholics are denouncing the church's bishops. "We spend our time monitoring and fighting anti-Catholicism wherever it exists in American society, but I have always had a disdain of intellectual dishonesty, and if I sat on the sidelines I'd have to be accused of that myself," said William Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, a group that fights anti-Catholic bias. "I don't know of single Catholic priest or layman who isn't furious about the sex abuse scandal, in terms of tolerance they [the hierarchy] have had for intolerable behavior and the way they've played musical chairs with these miscreant priests. I've never seen such anger."

[uglyworld]

I'm not sure how Vatican II's responsible for the unfortunate rise in divorce. Don't you think the decline of religious and priestly vocations might be paving the way for a great role of the laity? Of course, only priests can celebrate eucharist and are the lowest one can go on the hierarchy for other functions and sacraments, but I know I'd personally like to get involved as much as possible. Even at the time of the council, most people approved of birth control, but the Church decided to go against the popular opinion. I've wondered whether about the Church's motivation behind this. Interestingly, my sponsor told me many of the consequences of birth control Pius VI enumerated in Humanae Vitae have proven themselves true.

[constitutiongirl]

Anabaptists trace their roots to Huldreich Zwingli who formed the anabaptist movement AFTER breaking with Luther over the nature of the Eucharist. Empirical historical accounts and contemporary writings during the Reformation(not 20th century revisionism) bear this out.

[caddie]

You may be right, but this scandal may, on the other had, prod everyone of the right mindset to do the right thing: split, reform, etc.

The status quo is untenable.

[inquest]

Well, I checked out that link, and what's still left unexplained is how all this could go on under the noses of the Old Guard. I just don't understand how they couldn't have completely stopped it in its tracks.

[inquest]

What is needed is a schism or breakaway by catholics

I'm not Catholic, so I'm not speaking with any huge amount of authority, but I do have to ask: What makes the Catholic Church the Catholic Church? Is it simply a society bound by a particular religious philosophy, or is it the unbroken spiritual chain proceeding from Saint Peter? Or is it something else? But if it's the second thing I mentioned, is schism really an option that you'd want to pursue?

[ELS]

It's those homosexuals who were allowed into the semenaries because they couldn't get enough hetrosexual applicants ( turned off by the celibacy requirement )

Bzzz! Wrong, but thanks for playing. The seminaries have been turning away (rejecting) orthodox, heterosexual candidates. Many of the heterosexual candidates who were accepted into the seminaries were driven out by the intense homosexual culture that has invaded many seminaries. For more information, check out Goodbye, Good Men by Michael S. Rose.

[BlessedBeGod]

Even at the time of the council, most people approved of birth control, but the Church decided to go against the popular opinion. I've wondered whether about the Church's motivation behind this.

LOL! The Church isn't run by popular opinion -- it's run by the Holy Spirit. It doesn't change with the wind -- it's got a solid bedrock of teachings and Tradition that guides it through time, no matter what public opinion is. It's kind of nice to know that there's a rock to cling to that does not consist of reactions to changes in society. You always know what's right and what's wrong, which is something society as a whole doesn't (example: abortion).

[uglyworld]

I've been doing a lot of thinking. I recently went on a retreat with some of my fellow students and our very liberal priest. Before the retreat, I prayed everyday, was happy, loved God, and I did my best to conform my life to the teachings of the church. After the retreat, I was confused, angry at God, bored in prayer and doubting the church. I think God really taught me the importance of clinging even more tightly to the church of Jesus Christ. Thanks for your replies, they really made me think.

[Notwithstanding]

If men prone to sin were disqualified from the priesthood then there could be no priests.

[SoothingDave]

Wrong . It's those homosexuals who were allowed into the semenaries because they couldn't get enough hetrosexual applicants ( turned off by the celibacy requirement )

Wrong. You comment displays an abject ignorance of the reality in too many of the seminaries today. These seminaries turned away orthodox and heterosexual men or made their life a living hell until they quit. That is the scandal.

SD

[drstevej]

Yep. His wife is a Methodist.

[drstevej]

Cling tightly to Jesus Christ and you will not be disappointed.

[drstevej]

Zwingli was not the founder of the Anabaptists. He broke with them over the issue of Anabaptist insistance ofn believer's baptism (rejection of infant baptism), the propriety of a Christian being a magistrate, etc. Zwingli's disciples, Grebel, Blaurock and Manz, after breaking with were martyred by the Protestants. Not a proud moment for the Reformed tradition yet quite in keeping with the intolerance of the era.

There were also Anabaptist beginings in response to Luther. The Zwickau prophets were joined by Andreas Carlstadt, Luther's colleague who thought the reform was not thorough enough. Luther summoned the German princes to put down these "radicals" by force.

[sspxsteph]

'We had too many reforms, and let's go back to pre-Vatican II,"

I think that this would be a good idea. I feel that the way they taught the priest then were a lot different. And there are a lot of people joing Societies such as Society of Saint Pius X where they teach priest the same way as they always have. (Pre Vatican II)

[constitutiongirl]

Then you need to inform the dozen or so anabaptist organisations that make the same assertion. All the info I've ever received on anabaptists has been from the organisations themselves and they all claim Zwingli as their founder.

[constitutiongirl]

BTW, I'll do a quick look-over of the books I have at home on anabaptists. I do know that Oxford, Cambridge and Websters all claim the they were a sect born out of the Reformation and not a hidden Alpine remnant, as some claim today. I've been functioning 20+ hours with little sleep so I'll look back into it when I'm rested.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

I have read that the seminaries which feed into the traditional movement (Latin Mass--Society of St. Peter?) are packed full of applicants and students.

[patent]

>>>. The changes introduced since the Council were promoted as being antidotes to these.

It was, because these problems were already happening. Before V2.

patent

[sfousa]

" how all this could go on under the noses of the Old Guard. I just don't understand how they couldn't have completely stopped it in its tracks."

That's the big "mysterium iniquitatis."

[inquest]

I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with that term. (I kinda get the gist of it, but I didn't know if there was something more specific that it refers to)