More than 1,000 Children Allegedly Molested in PA by the Catholic Church

[GuanoLoco]

From the perspective of an onlooker, it does not appear that the church has any intention of really exposing the problems of sexual abuse among the clergy. I say problems (pleural) because there are at least 2: child sex abuse and sexual harassment/assault of junior clergy by the more senior. The behavior of Cardinal McCarrick shows us that these issues are often co-morbid among offenders, but the church’s posture on each has been quite different.

When addressing the issue of child sexual abuse, the church’s response has been to acknowledge past bad behavior with an emphasis that it was in the past. For example, the PA diocese was quick to point out that virtually all of the abuses in the grand jury report occurred prior to the 2002 crackdown. In some respects the church’s response is probably correct that child abuse is far less frequent now, but it does not address the issue of the church’s continued efforts to conceal the full extent of abuse from decades past. The most recent refusals of the pope and his surrogates to even acknowledge accusations that they helped to conceal the crimes of the past tells me that we are unlikely to see an accurate accounting from within the church.

As for the second issue of sexual harassment within the clergy, the leadership seems reluctant to even acknowledge this as a widespread problem. On some level, I really don’t care. If the organization wants to go full San Francisco bath house and become a political arm of the left - have at it. However, I suppose it’s worth pointing out that having a priest training ground where the young candidates must subject themselves to the sexual desires of the older hierarchy might have as an unintended consequence the propagation of a strain of homosexuality with pederast tendencies.

The is a well-established pattern of those who were abused going on to abuse others - seminarians, children of parishoners & orphans.

It is easy to see how this pattern would become institutionalized over multiple generations, especially when the leadership is guilty of abuse and puts compromised, more easily controlled individuals in positions of power.

[JAD]

I'm all in favor of the laity doing whatever it decides is best to fix the systemic problems. Except if/when it's a substitute for a legitimate civil criminal investigation.

Maybe I'm just reading into JAD's article and previous post incorrectly... My inner self heard "Don't worry, we're handling it."
Anything short of a thorough criminal investigation all the way to the top of the organization would be insufficient.

The group in the article was established after the 2002 issues. It was ignored with respect to bishops. It has some ass behind it now. There are several bishops calling for a new commission of the laity, preferably with forensic skills, to open an investigation. They can and will go farther than civil authorities, if that makes sense, since the law is limited by the law. Both approaches are necessary.

[peterb]

https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/...se/1108320002/

This just popped up. New reporting on old abuses.

[Totem Polar]

https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/...se/1108320002/

This just popped up. New reporting on old abuses.

[GuanoLoco]

image

I remember her well.

Sister Margaret Mary was her name, and she was the stuff of children's nightmares. Oddly I don't remember the name of the Church, Catholic School, Priests, or anyone else.

[RoyGBiv]

Could The Catholic Church Face Federal Investigation Over Sex Abuse Cover-Up?

[GuanoLoco]

Could The Catholic Church Face Federal Investigation Over Sex Abuse Cover-Up?

I’m clearly not the only one who has thought of this.

[blues]

You've Got A Friend In Pennsylvania

[Sensei]

I’ts been a tough week for Francis. Not only is he too busy with social justice issues to address the sex a candle, all you people wanting answers are just inspired by the Devil. Not to mention his poor bishops who unfairly harassed by the heathens who want to undermind the church by exposing its sin. All you little Beast Masters giving those bishops such a hard time need to get with the program...we’ve got a climate to save.

https://www.christianheadlines.com/b...evil-pope.html

Hmm, yeah - Papal Infallibility and all...

[GuanoLoco]

https://nypost.com/2018/08/29/archbi...-hes-at-peace/
https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/pop...-vatican-mass/

https://nypost.com/2018/09/01/pope-c...emergency/amp/
https://www.dailywire.com/news/35361...-ryan-saavedra

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...e-Vermont.html
No Statute of Limitations on murder...

Now Germany: https://mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKCN1LS1X2

The Catholic Church in Germany acknowledged a "depressing and shameful" legacy of sexual abuse on Wednesday after a leaked study said clerics had abused thousands of children over a 70-year period.

World-wide, long-lived, institutionalized evil. The leadership IS the problem, not just the offenders.

It’s time to press the reset button.