Skip to main content

Vatican official: Newspaper report on pope 'lacks fairness' - CNN.com

Cardinal Levada comes out swinging at the New York Times.

Vatican official: Newspaper report on pope 'lacks fairness' - CNN.com

Comments

  1. "...it accuses the pope of 'leniency and inaction' in dealing with abuse cases."

    Yes it does, and here's why: Nobody sees any evidence of action being taken!

    Personally, I think the folks in Vatican City are in full scramble mode. But we can't see that, because we're not allowed to see it. So it might not be a chaos morning there...nobody knows, so people tend to expect the worst. That's the way we've taught ourselves to think.

    This is the age of instant everything. Unless you're hiding something. And that especially applies to criminal activities and their cover-up.

    On the one hand, I tend to sympathize a lot with those Catholics with whom I am intimately acquainted -- they are caught up in something that is none of their fault, and they feel the need to defend vigorously that which they would prefer to disavow and refute.

    But they are being called upon as "faithful Catholics" -- by their leadership in Rome -- to "stand firm" in their defense of that which they cannot in their hearts defend, but must.

    In order to be good human beings, they must call for the accused to be exposed, tried, and if found guilty, punished for their crimes against the helpless and the defenseless.

    But in order to be good Catholics, they must not speak out against those same accused, and indeed must answer Rome's insistence that they circle their wagon and stand firm against those who criticise Rome.

    Some choice.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You can still be a "good" Catholic and speak out. It's called the loyal opposition. I have huge problems with the church not ordaining women or allowing for optional celibacy, but it doesn't cause me to rebel. Perhaps it's because I profoundly believe in the message of Christ and his church. What one man or priest or nun does will not shake my faith nor my devotion.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lady Janus.
    You are the victim of black and white thinking. You are also saying that to disavow the criminals amongst us, it is necessary do disavow the Catholic Church altogether. You are also characterizing Catholics as dumb sheep who are blindly following their priests. Sorry... we are not so stupid and naive as all that. Moreover, we are not so abysmally ignorant of history as you seem to be.

    Let me refresh your memory... this has all happened before more than once. The anti clericalism that followed the French revolution claimed the lives of many priests. In the twentieth century hundreds of priests were killed during outbreaks in Mexico. Last year a particularly virulent outbreak of persecution resulted in many deaths in the part of India one of my parish priests hails from.

    The sexual abuse scandal has resulted in tight controls on anyone dealing with minors in any parish. It is impossible to volunteer for anything without going through a police check. This is merely what we see at the bottom. At the top, since being handed responsibility for dealing with such cases in 2001, Ratzinger has pursued them with determination. After becoming pope he even began dealing with cases that had been languishing under his predecessor.

    We are as disgusted by the criminals as anyone else, however we are not so foolish and narrow minded as to believe that everyone ought to be painted with the same brush.

    No one forces me to do something I believe is wrong. And yes, I do have a very clear idea about right and wrong. The government of the USA tried and failed. I doubt you have what it takes...

    This is Peter... and I stand with him. I do so with my eyes open and under no coercion.

    ReplyDelete
  4. The MSM is the equivalent of the opportunistic pathogen that carries off so many of the frail and elderly among us. The healthy individual has nothing to fear from the predations of these germs. Their immune systems destroy them before they even get started.

    The Church is like an old, sick man, who has lived long past his time. His many children, now old themselves, would like to protect and preserve his life. It is not possible. The opportunists are all around. Beat down one and another rises up. The disease that brings him down is not to blame. It is simply the nature of things.

    There will be new religions, that serve the people in a more contemporary fashion.

    ReplyDelete
  5. "You are the victim of black and white thinking."

    Just the opposite, actually. Never a victim, though.

    "You are also saying that to disavow the criminals amongst us, it is necessary do disavow the Catholic Church altogether."

    Read it again. That's nowhere close to what I said.

    Are you actually talking to someone else?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Folks
    let us acknowledge that a small percent of priests (and yes 1 is too many) have not lived up to their calling and there should be punishment for that. Having said that we need to remember that their VERY serious misbehaviour does not negate whatever good they have done in their lives and they, like all of us, are children of God whose sins are more public than yours and mine but we are all sinners and need the love Jesus poured out for us this day. We need to pray for the victims and for not only the sick priests who have done these things but for all the uncles, fathers and grandfathers who commit these crimes every day and are just as sick. In the end God will meet us with justice and mercy and how can we ask for mercy if have not shown it to those who need it.
    Happy Easter

    Mary G

    ReplyDelete
  7. "...their VERY serious misbehaviour does not negate whatever good they have done in their lives..."

    True. And the opposite is also true: their "good" behavior should not be used to excuse the seriousness of the crimes they commit.

    And their behavior was more than serious -- it was criminal. And it should be treated as such by the proer authorities, The church is not the proper authority in criminal matters.

    ReplyDelete
  8. The first thing they always say is that it never happened, the children just made up the story. Next, they say that the childrens behavior was provocative, it really wasn't the priest's fault that he molested them. They say that it was only an isolated incident, only a very small number of priests are involved in this kind of behavior. They point out that sexual abuse of children occurs in all areas of society. Now they blame the media and say that the persecution of the priesthood over this matter is the same as the persecution of the Jews during the Shoah.

    What filthy villains these priests are.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I think it's true that only a small number are involved in criminal behavior. Unfortunately, because they are in positions of maximum authority and trust, which is decided upon by the very society of which they are an important part, the effect they have is to bring suspicion and distrust to their entire profession. That's unfortunate. But it should not stop the law's being brought into play. In fact, bringing in the legal authorities can only benefit in the end.

    I also think that abusers do live in all areas of society. That does not excuse any of them.

    As for comparing this debacle with the persecution of the Jews, I find that to be an utterly reprehensible comparison. And I believe somebody owes somebodies a heartfelt apology for saying that.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Lady Janus
    i believe the men who committed these offenses should be prosecuted to the FULL extent of the law. I also believe that, if it is proven a Bishop knowingly moved these sick men around he, too, should be prosecuted to the FULL extent of the law for aiding and abetting. That being said, the actions of a few members does not negate the whole organization...if it did we would not have the United States Congress...how many of those elected officials in whom trust was placed have misbehaved and the good members continue on in a responsible manner.

    ReplyDelete
  11. "...the actions of a few members does not negate the whole organization..."

    I agree. But. Not only does the rest of the whole organization need to do something to facilitate the prosecution of the criminal acts, they need to be seen to be doing it!

    No more secret and "confidential" "investigations." Nobody trusts secret, nobody respects confidential and when those two go together, nobody believes investigations.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

 

Canadian Euthanasia Information

The May 2010 Euthanasia Prevention Coalition Newsletter can now be found at: http://www.euthanasiaprevention.on.ca/Newsletters/Newsletter108(May2010)(RGB).pdf Bill C-384 was soundly defeated by a vote of 228 to 59. Check how the Members of Parliament voted at: http://www.euthanasiaprevention.on.ca/HowTheyVoted.pdf On June 5, 2010, we are co-hosting the US/Canda Push-Back Seminar at the Radisson Gateway Hotel at the Seattle/Tacoma Airport. The overwhelming defeat of Bill C-384 proved that we can Push-Back the euthanasia lobby in the US and Canada and convince people that euthanasia and assisted suicide are a dangerous public policy. Register for the Seminar at: http://www.euthanasiaprevention.on.ca/2010SeminarFlyer(RGB)(LetterFormat).pdf The Schindler family are being attacked by a Florida television station and Michael Schiavo. The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition is standing in solidarity with the Schindler family. My blog comments: http://alexschadenberg.blogspot.com/2010/05/att