You wrote:
“In 1980 as archbishop of Munich and Freising, then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger unwittingly approved housing for a priest accused of child abuse.”
Unwittingly. Case closed.
“Cardinal Ratzinger failed to act over complaints during the 1990s about US priest Lawrence Murphy, who is thought to have abused some 200 deaf boys in Wisconsin”
Actually Ratzinger’s office acted to the extent of its authority and did so in less than a year (and you’re conveniently leaving out the fact that the priest had not functioned as one in over 20 years by that point anyway).
“Cardinal Ratzinger allowed a case against Arizona priest Michael Teta to languish at the Vatican for more than a decade despite repeated pleas for his removal”
Michael Teta was put on administrative leave in 1989 and suspended in 1990 by Bishop Manuel Moreno. Thus, he had not functioned as a priest since 1990. His bishops spent 7 years gathering evidence for a trial that finally started in 1997. Meta appealed. It took 6 years for the appeal to be completed. Meta’s appeal was rejected in 2004. He was “defrocked” in 2005. There was no unusual delay on Ratzinger’s part at all.
“Cardinal Ratzinger resisted the defrocking of California priest Stephen Kiesle...”
No, he did not.
- 1978-1981: [Kiesle] Takes extended leave of absence, attends counseling and reports regularly to probation officer.
- July 1981: Oakland Bishop John Cummins sends Kiesle’s file to the Vatican in support of the priest’s petition for laicization.
- November 1981: Vatican asks for more information.
- 1982: Kiesle moves to Pinole.
- February 1982: Cummins writes to Ratzinger providing additional information and warning of possible scandal if Kiesle is not defrocked.
- September 1982: Oakland diocese official writes Ratzinger asking for update.
- September 1983: Cummins visits Rome, discusses Kiesle case with Vatican officials.
- December 1983: Vatican official writes Oakland to say Kiesle’s file can’t be found and they should resubmit materials.
- January 1984: Cummins writes a Vatican official to inquire about status of Kiesle file.
- 1985: Kiesle volunteers as a youth minister at St. Joseph’s Church in Pinole.
- September 1985: Cummins writes Ratzinger asking about status of Kiesle case.
- November 1985: Ratzinger writes to Cummins about Kiesle case.
- December 1985: A memo from diocese officials discusses writing to Ratzinger again to stress the risk of scandal if Kiesle’s case is delayed.
- 1987: Kiesle is defrocked.
The more I learn about these cases, the more I realize that the secular press not only spins them wildly but that anti-Catholics are dumb enough to believe the spin.