Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Pope Francis to investigate 'playboy priests' who posed naked online in scandal-hit disocese
The Telegraph ^ | 10/23/2015 | Nick Squires

Posted on 10/23/2014 3:20:58 PM PDT by Gamecock

A Catholic church representative is to probe the 'black sheep' diocese of Albenga-Imperia for alleged sexual harassment of parishioners and involvement in pornography A scandal-ridden Catholic diocese in Italy where priests posted naked photos of themselves on gay websites, raided church coffers and sexually harassed parishioners is to be investigated by a special envoy to Pope Francis.

The bishop himself is not accused of any wrongdoing, but is reported to have been overly-charitable in recruiting “black sheep” priests with distinctly chequered pasts, including trainee priests expelled from seminaries for misconduct.

They include a priest who was found guilty of organising an under-age prostitution ring and others who posted nude photos of themselves on Facebook and gay websites.

(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...


TOPICS: General Discusssion
KEYWORDS:
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-65 next last
To: fr_freak
It only taunts FREEPERS.

True; but then again; there is ALWAYS gonna be someone who is 'taunted' by almost ANYTHING!

What it ACTUALLY was, was a prediction.

And, sure enough, here you are!

41 posted on 10/24/2014 5:15:53 AM PDT by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: Gamecock
What in the world is going on in the catholic church? Has satan so totally embedded himself within the ranks of this church?

Good grief! Vatican banking scandal, sexual predators, pornography posted on gay sites. Yikes!

42 posted on 10/24/2014 12:01:12 PM PDT by servantboy777
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Elsie

I am here because seeing the vain self-righteousness of some people, especially when it comes to matters of Christianity, disgusts me and it needs to be addressed. It does not serve God in any way for people to take a perverse glee in every weakness or failure in the Catholic Church, especially by Protestants whose own denominations are falling into apostasy at an alarming rate. It is only vanity and pettiness that would make some take pleasure in knowing that children were molested, or that homosexuals have infiltrated the clergy. Such people should be ashamed .


43 posted on 10/24/2014 12:25:45 PM PDT by fr_freak
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: fr_freak
It does not serve God in any way for people to take a perverse glee in every weakness or failure in the Catholic Church... Where is anyone taking perverse glee?

especially by Protestants whose own denominations are falling into apostasy at an alarming rate.

You mean like Rome already has? (As evidenced by this article, and others like it)

44 posted on 10/24/2014 12:49:22 PM PDT by Gamecock (USA, Ret.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: Gamecock
The Catholic Church has not fallen into apostasy. It has certainly been infiltrated by homosexuals and others who have no intention of following the faith, and most definitely some bad things are going on among some of the clergy, from perversion to the embrace of Marxism, but the official position of the Church is still Biblical: homosexuality is a sin, sex outside of marriage is a sin, etc.

Meanwhile, many of the Protestant denominations are actually EMBRACING things like homosexuality as part of official church position, to the point of having openly homosexual pastors and the like. THAT is apostasy. The day the Pope supports gay marriage, especially ex-cathedra, the Catholic Church will be in apostasy as well.

The Catholic Church has been under attack for some time, for obvious reasons. For a so-called Christian to take glee in each of the Enemy's successes in that attack is to spit in the face of God. I grieve and boil every time I see a Protestant denomination turn away from God and embrace sin, and I also grieve and boil when I see Protestants take satisfaction in seeing the Catholic Church weakened. That sort of selfish vanity is beyond disgusting.
45 posted on 10/24/2014 1:10:13 PM PDT by fr_freak
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: fr_freak
The Catholic Church has not fallen into apostasy. It has certainly been infiltrated by homosexuals and others who have no intention of following the faith, and most definitely some bad things are going on among some of the clergy, from perversion to the embrace of Marxism, but the official position of the Church is still Biblical: homosexuality is a sin, sex outside of marriage is a sin, etc.

Apostate is as apostate does.

Meanwhile, many of the Protestant denominations are actually EMBRACING things like homosexuality as part of official church position, to the point of having openly homosexual pastors and the like. THAT is apostasy. The day the Pope supports gay marriage, especially ex-cathedra, the Catholic Church will be in apostasy as well.

And those so called churches are dying on the vine, as they should.

46 posted on 10/24/2014 1:17:31 PM PDT by Gamecock (USA, Ret.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: fr_freak

Strange reply; chastising folks for pointing out GROSS SIN going on in the Catholic Church.


47 posted on 10/24/2014 1:28:37 PM PDT by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: fr_freak

Too bad the official position seems to have such a small effect on some of the ranking members.

Why don’t the good guys KICK OUT the bad ones and be done with it?


48 posted on 10/24/2014 1:30:37 PM PDT by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: Elsie

You go look at post #4 and some of the others and ask yourself honestly if that post served to call out sin or simply to taunt Catholic Freepers. The very posting of the article calls out the gross sin. Nobody who reads up to post #4 is unaware of the gross sin. Be honest with yourself.


49 posted on 10/24/2014 3:40:25 PM PDT by fr_freak
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: Gamecock

Many members of the Catholic Church and many of the clergy are in a state of mortal sin or outright apostasy, but the Church is not. Huge difference. This means that the majority of parishioners can still be guided down the true path.


50 posted on 10/24/2014 3:45:32 PM PDT by fr_freak
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 46 | View Replies]

To: Elsie

I don’t know why these types aren’t kicked out more readily. If I were in charge, heads would roll. We Americans now have a government overrun by godless, totalitarian, corrupt leftists. Why don’t we kick them out?


51 posted on 10/24/2014 3:49:55 PM PDT by fr_freak
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: fr_freak
Many members of the Catholic Church and many of the clergy are in a state of mortal sin or outright apostasy, but the Church is not.

But what is the church without its members?

There is NOTHING.

And yes, the church is because it has yet to deal decisively with those in gross sin.

The fact that they still serve communion to pro-abortion and pro-homosexual marriage politicians, demonstrates beyond a shadow of doubt that the apostasy has sunk in and sunk in deeply.

The church's refusal to take the stand is should is nothing more than approval and condoning the behavior.

It's failure to act IS action and the RCC is demonstrating by what it's doing, or rather not doing, where it REALLY stands, all the words it utters to the contrary.

52 posted on 10/24/2014 6:48:41 PM PDT by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 50 | View Replies]

To: fr_freak

Is the Catholic church a representative republic that its adherents have the ability to do that?

Besides, the leadership is supposed to be the shepherds taking care of the flock. Since when is it the responsibility of the flock to take care of the shepherds?

It’s pretty ironic that Catholics criticize Protestants for the number of denominations it has, and yet, at least the prot laity has the option of doing SOMETHING when the leadership goes south. Catholics have no choice. They rebel against the corrupt leadership and the corrupt leadership, who is once a priest, always a priest, has (according to Catholicism) the power to bind someone’s sins to them and send them to hell.

Nice little gig they have going there.

If they don’t like being held accountable for their sin, the leadership and threaten people who oppose them with eternal hellfire and damnation, just like they did with Luther for pointing out the corruption that existed within the church hierarchy.

Talk about the ultimate blackmail to coerce unquestioning obedience.


53 posted on 10/24/2014 6:54:47 PM PDT by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: metmom
But what is the church without its members?

Bear in mind that, as nasty as these incidents are, they still do not represent the majority of the members of the Church or its clergy. The Catholic Church is huge. If the entire Church behaved as the abominations in the article, it would be indefensible, but that is not the case. There absolutely is a disease within the body of the Church, and I very much wish the higher-ups would be more aggressive in addressing it (Benedict seemed to be on that path - I was greatly disappointed when he resigned), but the fight against this sort of rot is the plight of all those who live on Earth, Catholics or not.
54 posted on 10/24/2014 7:10:55 PM PDT by fr_freak
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: metmom
Is the Catholic church a representative republic that its adherents have the ability to do that?

The analogy is not perfect, but the clergy are the equivalent of the American voters. Why aren't the clergy purging the system of the rot? I don't know for sure. Why aren't the American voters purging their system of the rot? I don't know, but I suspect in both cases it is a combination of the usual suspects - apathy, cowardice, denial, stupidity, corruption, lethargy, and an overwhelming bureaucracy. Those who are actively trying to set things right are up against not only the people who are actively evil, but against the barely moveable body of those who can't be motivated to join the fight.
55 posted on 10/24/2014 7:17:24 PM PDT by fr_freak
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: fr_freak
If I were in charge, heads would roll.

So you're the pope. You have an administration the size of the administration of the University of Notre Dame. You're in charge of 412,000 priests.

Someone tells you that a priest in Manila is abusing children. What do you do? And how would it be different from the procedures already in place in the Catholic Church?

BTW, do you have children or grandchildren in government schools? Teachers are five times more likely to abuse children than Catholic priests, and four times more likely to abuse children than Protestant Ministers, according to the John Jay Report.

56 posted on 10/24/2014 7:44:24 PM PDT by St_Thomas_Aquinas ( Isaiah 22:22, Matthew 16:19, Revelation 3:7)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: Gamecock
There was a time not that long ago when true playboys would keep all their clothes on, including their hats...


57 posted on 10/24/2014 7:55:21 PM PDT by BlueDragon (Cry Havoc, and let slip the canines and kittens of youtube!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: fr_freak
Bear in mind that, as nasty as these incidents are, they still do not represent the majority of the members of the Church or its clergy.

ON the contrary, if the majority of Catholics were as you say, the majority of Catholics would not be voting democratic, nor supporting all kinds of liberal social issues, as daniel1212 keeps posting poll results to show.

Even when the Catholic church took it's OWN internal poll, the results were the same.

So, unfortunately for you, it DOES represent the majority of Catholics.

The Catholic church, which claims the moral high ground, should be the one leading the way in setting the example of how to deal with moral issues. It has NO excuse for not doing so.

It has the clear commands of God Himself, and claims to be empowered by the Holy Spirit. That absolutely negates any excuses for not being more aggressive in dealing with its own internal issues.

58 posted on 10/25/2014 4:37:48 AM PDT by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]

To: St_Thomas_Aquinas
Someone tells you that a priest in Manila is abusing children. What do you do? And how would it be different from the procedures already in place in the Catholic Church?

Something. ANYTHING. Which is far more than the RCC is doing now.

And how would it be different from the procedures already in place in the Catholic Church?

Talk is cheap and procedures are meaningless if not followed.

BTW, do you have children or grandchildren in government schools? Teachers are five times more likely to abuse children than Catholic priests, and four times more likely to abuse children than Protestant Ministers, according to the John Jay Report.

So what?

You've been told before that the issue isn't that the abuse happens. Everyone realizes that it is IMPOSSIBLE to prevent. Abusers will get into positions of trust where they can abuse.

The issue is the RCC's inept and unconscionable handling of its abusive priests.

When teachers or other adults are caught abusing children, you see phrases like, *charged*, *arrested*, *jail*, *fired*, etc.

When it's a priest you see phrases like *being "investigated"* (big deal), *once a priest, always a priest*, *they've just sinners like the rest of us*, *settled out of court* ( a defacto admission of guilt).

I don't see the schools excusing, ignoring, sweeping under the rug abusive teachers like the Catholic church has a history of doing.

Just how many parishioners in the Catholic church would be willing to take communion from a priest who had been molesting kids the week before?

How willing would they be to let that priest lay the host on their tongues if they knew what those hands had been doing the week before?

Would YOU find that acceptable?

I would hope any Catholic would find the thought as repulsive and disgusting as I find it.

So why isn't the RCC doing more to deal with the problem instead of hushing it all up and shuffling the priests around for fresh meat?

Why did it take people not being intimidated by the church any more and going public before the church finally make the appearance of dealing with it?

The problem with the abusive priests has ALWAYS been how it was handled, not that it happened.

59 posted on 10/25/2014 5:00:32 AM PDT by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 56 | View Replies]

To: fr_freak

You seem to think that Catholic FReepers should be above taunting.

Does this feeling also extend to Protestant FReepers?


60 posted on 10/25/2014 5:08:41 AM PDT by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-65 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson