Posted on 02/22/2019 6:39:09 PM PST by ebb tide
ROME, February 22, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) Decades of widespread homosexuality in US seminaries had nothing to do with the sexual abuse of minors, a key organizer of the Vatican abuse summit said on Friday.
At todays summit press briefing, LifeSite asked Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta, adjunct secretary for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and papal appointee to the summits organizing committee, a follow-up to a question posed yesterday by Italian journalist Sandro Magister.
Magister had asked the Maltese archbishop on Thursday why the word homosexuality was completely absent from the summits opening day particularly in light of the fact that over 80 percent of clerical abuse victims were post-pubescent boys.
Archbishop Scicluna responded by saying that to generalize about categories of persons is never legitimate. He added that both homosexuality and heterosexuality are human conditions that we recognize, and that exist, but they arent something that really predisposes to sin.
Today, LifeSite put the following question to Archbishop Scicluna:
Archbishop Scicluna, yesterday in response to Sandro Magisters question, you spoke about the need regarding homosexuality not to categorize or generalize about categories of persons, and certainly this is true. I dont think in anything thats happened here anyone has suggested that people with homosexual tendencies equal people who are abusing [minors], and that should be clear.
Nonetheless, as we saw in the United States, much of the abuse came out of decades of a subculture of homosexuality and sins of sodomy, if we want to call it that, in the seminaries. Now fortunately, in the US a lot of that has been cleaned up and the seminaries are making good progress in that. But in other parts of the world thats not the case. In Honduras last year, in July, we had 50 seminaries writing to their Rector and to the Bishops to clean up the seminary.
So just to clarify: while we shouldnt generalize about categories of persons, do you think and a wider question for the cardinals do you all think that its important to address this sort of sin among the clergy which fosters coverup?
The element of coverup is particularly pertinent as the Vatican sex abuse summit was called due to growing public anger, particularly in the United States, over the McCarrick scandal and coverup, and a cascade of disturbing revelations from Argentina, Chile, Europe and the US.
If there is a conspiracy of silence in regard to homosexual networks in the clergy, those persons who are involved in that conspiracy and also engage in the abuse of minors have an implied power of blackmail over other conspirators. Should one homosexual cleric wish to denounce another for his offenses against minors he might well hesitate for fear of suffering denunciation himself for his own moral transgressions with members of the same sex.
In the case of Theodore McCarrick, Catholics have been left wondering who knew about his misdeeds and how it was possible for him to ascend the episcopal ranks and be elevated as cardinal.
At todays summit briefing, Archbishop Scicluna responded to LifeSites question tersely, saying: The simple [answer] is yes but this has nothing to do with sexual abuse of minors.
I think you were very clear in your premise, and Im very grateful for that, he told LifeSite. You cannot not address misconduct of that nature, which is sinful, Scicluna said, but this is not about the sexual abuse of minors.
Cardinal Cupich and Cardinal OMalley did not answer.
In comments to LifeSite, an informed source said of Sciclunas remarks: Having limited their meeting to minors only, they dont in fact want to remove the causes of most of the abuse. This shows that theres no real desire for transparency and credibility on your part. So spare us the mourning of victims.
Earlier this week, Archbishop Scicluna also ingeniously argued that the question of the sexual abuse of seminarians (such as in the McCarrick case) would be dealt with by not being dealt with: that through concentrating on minors at the present summit, the participants would learn valuable lessons despite never dealing with the question of seminarians and other vulnerable adults.
At the same Feb. 18 press conference, Cardinal Cupich also denied any causal connection between homosexuality or a homosexual subculture and sexual abuse, even though he doesnt deny that 80 percent of the abuse is same-sex and even though the most extravagant estimates say that a mere 10 percent of the population is homosexually inclined, and more recent and systematic estimates would put it at an all-time-high of only 4.5 percent.
He also placed the burden of proof on others and so by implication refused to investigate whether there is a tacit agreement among homosexual prelates to cover up such abuse.
The importance of addressing the question of coverup at all levels was pointed out at todays summit briefing by CNNs Delia Gallagher. Gallagher asked why Americans should trust summit organizers when the reassuring face of the crisis in 2002 was then-Cardinal McCarrick, who promised zero-tolerance when he himself was an abuser.
Cardinal Cupich said in reply that he himself had to be held accountable and takes seriously his call to discipleship, while seeking to ensure that we are supportive of each other to live the Gospel.
But in response to these remarks, one observer said: No one asked him to tell us anything about his personal conduct, but about why theres no will to investigate who knew about McCarricks immoral conduct and when, and still supported his promotion.
Without clarifying this, it is clear that there is no desire for transparency, the observer said.
Numerous observers at todays press briefing saw in Archbishop Sciclunas remarks a wall of silence being raised to any discussion about how homosexuality among the hierarchy may have influenced, or might still influence, the decision of prelates not to denounce one another.
In comments directed to summit organizers, one high-ranking official who spoke on condition of anonymity said:
We have understood that you dont want to talk about homosexuality, and the people of God have well understood why. If you say that you are in favor of transparency and clarity, your assembly should make a statement reasserting what is contained in the Catechism of the Catholic Church about the condition of homosexuality, and its condemnation of the grave sin of sodomy. In the absence of this, its clear that you do not want transparency and that you have lost all credibility on the part of the faithful.
Ping
It’s just pure coincidence that 90% or more of the abusers are gay.
Sex? Maybe not. Sodomy? Oh, yeah....
Yeah, and anyone who disagrees in a friend of the devil, uh huh, I know, that's what your boss says too.
It would be just a little easier to believe your horse-excrement if it didn't happen to be so helpful to the members of your little club.
Clinton did not have sex with that woman.
Neither did I.
They are all satans whores and they will burn in eternal fire.
Riiiiiight.
In other news, the presence of foxes in the hen house have no connection to the recent disappearance of chickens...
Very sad to see that the Catholic Church hierarchy hasn’t learned a damned thing from this whole mess.
It means it will continue ‘as is” and we will be talking about the new scandal in a few more years.
If the Church survives at all, that is.(btw I’m not a Catholic but it saddens me to see this nonetheless)
And not before a millstone is put around their neck.
Denial is not a river in Egypt.
Good God, they still continue to cover for the fags. They ARE the fags.
Priests, bishops, Cardinals, seminaries, and the Vatican - homosexuality everywhere.
There is only one way out of this.
Rome isnt brave enough or holy enough to choose it.
It seems to me that the seminaries are a magnet for queers. What a better situation for their life style. A roof over their heads. Free meals. A large group of willing participants. New recruits coming in from the high schools. Holy Mary Mother and go to heaven!
**Vatican summit organizer: Gay subculture in seminaries has nothing to do with sex abuse of minors**
This guy has it wrong for sure.
**(btw Im not a Catholic but it saddens me to see this nonetheless)**
Pray for these men who are sinning.
it will survive but be very different.....
a perfect set up for gay men.....
What way?
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