Posted on 03/18/2006 5:38:42 AM PST by NYer
A former vice chancellor of the Boston Archdiocese and six other priests accused of molesting children have been defrocked by the Vatican, church officials announced Friday.
In a statement, Boston Archbishop Sean O'Malley expressed his "deepest sorrow for the grievous harm" done by Monsignor Frederick Ryan and the other Boston priests.
"The violations of childhood innocence, under the guise of priestly care, are a source of profound shame," O'Malley said.
Ryan was one of the highest-ranking church officials to be accused of child molestation since the Boston sex scandal broke in 2002. He resigned that year after being accused of abusing two boys in the 1970s and '80s at a Boston high school.
The scandal led O'Malley's predecessor, Cardinal Bernard Law, to resign, and the archdiocese agreed to pay $85 million to settle lawsuits by about 550 alleged victims.
A state investigation found that about 1,000 people had been molested by dozens of priests over about five decades. Some of the priests were shuffled from parish to parish to try to conceal the allegations.
The Vatican must be working overtime. This is the 2nd announcement this week.
Excellent. Glad to see Pope B is doing some much over due housecleaning.
Isn't Cardinal Law working at the Vatican now? I think I remember seeing him at Pope John II's funeral.
Nice to see the Pope doing something about those who molest children.
The German Shepardis cleaning up the flock. Long over due I say.
He is in Rome and has been assigned to (I'm not positive) Santa Maria Maggiore.
He needs to be removed from the Church IMO. Let's hope Pope Benedict see's to it.
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It should have been done long ago. Pope Benedict is more than I had prayed for. May God bless him for the important work he is doing for the Church.
Sounds like a plan.
Bump for the PanzerPope.
Viva Pope Benedict!
I believe Law was CALLED to the Vatican. He didn't flee there.
The difference between child molesting Catholic priests and child-molesting Baptist ministers is that the Baptists are arrested, tried and thrown in jail. The priests get "defrocked" and sent to some administrative job because the church pays off the child's parents...sort of like a awarding a damage claim in a car wreck. That is not equal justice in America and smacks of Mafia tactics.
Dear ishabibble,
Cardinal Law "fled" to southern Maryland after resigning in Boston. Here for a year or so, he didn't leave the United States for his appointment in Rome until after the authorities in Boston decided they couldn't charge him with any actual crimes.
Thus, it will be difficult to extradite him to face charges with which he will never be charged.
"Bernard Law is going to rot in hell anyway,..."
Oh, excuse me. I was unaware that I was in the presence of the Judge, Lord Jesus Christ. /sarcasm
Cardinal Law has much for which to answer at his particular judgment. He was an awful prelate, incompetent, bumbling, boobish. However, he isn't beyond forgiveness and repentance, and I pray that he will find mercy and salvation at his death, although perhaps with an extended stay in Purgatory attached thereto.
sitetest
Got anything to say about these protestants?
wasn't defrocking their initial downfall?
Pope Benedict is great! This is wonderful news, and it's about time. I wonder if Roger is getting a little nervous???
Dear ishabibble,
Opinion isn't at issue, here.
It isn't my opinion that Cardinal Law didn't flee to Rome. It is a fact that he initially retired to southern Maryland.
It isn't my opinion that the Boston area authorities could come up with nothing for which to indict Cardinal Law. They said so publicly.
It isn't my opinion that he can't be extradited. A person must be charged to be extradited, and the authorities have already decided that Cardinal Law will not be charged.
It isn't my opinion that Cardinal Law may yet be saved. That is the teaching of the Church, even if, as you believe, in your opinion, that he knowingly and deliberately let the abusers abuse their victims. Even if that is so, it is not necessarily so that "fat feckless Bernie will be toasty warm with the rest of his buggerer pals."
In that you seem to take delight in that prospect, you would do well to guard your own soul. To wish for the damnation of another sinner is to fail in charity. And that's not an opinion, either.
sitetest
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