Where the Rubber Hits the Road: Vatican says letter urging bishops not to report all sex-abuse cases ‘misunderstood’

19 January, 2011

Vatican says letter urging bishops not to report all sex-abuse cases ‘misunderstood’ - The Globe and Mail

16 comments:

Michael19 January, 2011
Very damning, in my opinion.

The church hierarchy needs to be held account for this. I think the congregations should stop their contributions to "Peter's pence" until there is true reform.
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Anonymous19 January, 2011
Is this an April fool joke?
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Fr. Tim Moyle19 January, 2011
Anon: It's January 19th, 2011. That should answer your question.

Fr. Tim
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Michael19 January, 2011
I genuinely feel sorry for all the good Catholics and priests who have to live with such a shadow over them with such an amoral hierarchy.
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Mary G19 January, 2011
God help the victims and all the good clergy...i think good clergy have suffered as much or more than the offenders. I know very little about Vatican politics (what i know stinks) but it would seem more than reasonable that the time has come for major housecleaning of his advisors ...they are doing the Church a great disservice.
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Michael19 January, 2011
It looks like it was an Irish Bishop that leaked the letter. (Good for him). The spin the Vatican is putting on it seems to say that was before then Cardinal Ratzinger took over the position as head of the Holy Office and he reformed them. In other words they're throwing JPII under the bus.
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Anonymous19 January, 2011
Did the widespread sexual abuse of children evolve coincidentally and in isolation?

Or, was the Church a known haven for those of that bent so they could practice their perversions? If the former, then that tells us much about how restricting the natural sex drive will sooner or later result in unnatural and destructive expression. If the latter, then the Church has been the largest pedophile organization in the history of humanity.
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Larry Green22 January, 2011
Anonymous:
False dilemma: any reasonable person ,lay or clergy, would affirm that in reality it’s much worse ,it is the former plus the later that constitute the beasts within.
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Fr. Tim Moyle22 January, 2011
Michael: I am not as positive as you seem to be that the document (whose sole offense is in not explicitly stating the obvious - call the police) was leaked with good intentions. The bloggosphere is lauding the anonymous bishop but I think they're failing to consider this: which bishop is most likely to leak a document that casts the Vatican in a bad light? A 'good' Bishop, or one who has an axe to grind with the Vatican. Remember that four of them were stripped of their diocese by the Pope in the wake of the Irish report. I think it far more likely that it was one of them (or their fraternal brethren that were also named but were already retired) than any other 'good' bishop.

I do not say this with any first hand knowledge whatsoever. I say it only as one who has spent his lifetime studying the human condition. First as a social worker and now as a priest, I have been into those fetid places in the shadows and have seen what was wrought from the dark side of humanity. This 'good' act is something I am more akin to finding amongst those broken souls than I would expect to find among the 'good' shepherds of the church.

Fr. Tim
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Larry Green23 January, 2011
"I do not say this with any first hand knowledge whatsoever. I say it only as one who has spent his lifetime studying the human condition. First as a social worker and now as a priest."
Very very impressive.While the rest of us were busy doing other things , you were busy studying our condition.You sure are something else Tim.
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Fr. Tim Moyle23 January, 2011
Larry: Why are you posting on this blog? You choose to interpret things in the most malevolent way possible so that you can hurl insults at others. I would be a dunce if I did not learn from my experiences with people - yet you proclaim that doing so is 'something else'.

Specifically Larry, what is your issue? Why do you choose to assume the worst of others in these discussions? Why do you assume that conflict exists when there is none? Your negative attitude speaks louder than any wisdom you are trying to share and this leads to people (yes even me) to turn you 'off' and ignore your comments.

Fr. Tim
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Larry Green23 January, 2011
Tim
What to hell are you talking about?
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Larry Green23 January, 2011
Your ego is so fragile.
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Fr. Tim Moyle23 January, 2011
Larry: When you posted:

"Very very impressive.While the rest of us were busy doing other things , you were busy studying our condition.You sure are something else Tim."

Was this intended as a compliment to me?

Fr. Tim
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Fr. Tim Moyle23 January, 2011
Larry: My ego has nothing to do with this. Aside from the fact that fragile ego's are usually indicative of a personality that throws allegations and threats around like confetti - something that you have been doing a great deal of lately.

Let me make it simple for you. Post comments that are relevant to the topic at hand and they will get posted. Continue with this line of attack and innuendo and you'll find your voice will be shut out of these discussions.

I sincerely hope you change your ways as I am certain you have something of value to add to these conversations.

Thanks.

Fr. Tim
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Anonymous23 January, 2011
Why not answer this poster's question from January 19 Fr. Tim, it may be some help to Larry Green?

"Anonymous said...

Father, why are you so defensive about clergy abuse victims?

Why are you not that concern how the Catholic Church is still covering them up (world wide) the crimes against them?

It seems you want to help victims but you do not give it your all. What are you holding back?

It's so difficult to even trust a priest now because your not looking out for the victims, your loyalty is to your bishop, to the Pope eventhough you believe your loyalty is to God first.

What are you afraid of Father? Are you afraid the bishop will remove you from your parish if you tell something about your fellow priests that did criminal acts? Or is it because some of these priests told these sins (crimes) in the confessional and you cannot talk about it?

Is it possible priests among themselves (like you) do talk about these cases and problems with certain priests outside the confessional?

Are you hurting from a loneliness of feeling trapped because you would like to tell the whole truth and help victims but you will not reveal these secret crimes to the law because you may be ex-communicated from the Catholic Church, meaning no sacraments and the Church says if you tell, your soul is in jeopardy?

I sense from your numerous writings you are struggling, hurting and even tormented in what you should do.

I wonder what Jesus would do if a clergy victim went to him and told him a certain priest did these evil crimes against him?

I am sure Jesus would not be afraid of being ex-communicated he would do the right thing.
19 January, 2011"
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