[pt17]

Many church leaders admit they are stunned at the ferocity of this scandal because they thought it was a problem they had already laid to rest

I don't understand this. Did they think that covering up was laying a problem to rest? What am I missing here?

[The Cuban]

While this scandal has its basis in thr truth of the matter it asserts, it is nonetheless turning into a classic sex tinged American witch hunt. This is the same type of nonsense as the rash of child molestation in day care cases of the late 1980's which were later determined to be rubbish. What is going on with this story is nothing more than a conflagration of mass hysteria. There is no fact finding, or weighing of evidence. All one person needs to do to get the ball rolling in any disocese is to claim that 40 years ago a priest touched their leg. Though most likely there would be absolutelyt no evidence of this, rest assured that that priest will be fired and have his reputation destroyed. One must remember that though some allegations are true, many will not be and shit for brains that read this story are going to start concocting their own recollections about events that in actuality never happened. There is a reason why the Salem Witch trials are still taught today. They are not just a quaint tidbit of colonial Americana but a reminder of a dark streak in the American psyche that has resurfaced today under the guise of sacerdotal scandal.

[dansangel]

"Others argue that the abuse was made possible by a church that had become too lax. "These cases are the detritus of the sexual revolution," said Mary Ann Glendon, a Harvard law professor who serves on two Vatican commissions. She said that 1960's culture pressured priests to explore their sexuality. "We need a reaffirmation of clerical self-discipline," she said."

I have to agree. Vatican II was the beginning of the end for the Catholic Church. With its lax, touchy-feely dogma, it lost many followers, such as myself.

For the past three years I have been trying to come back into the fold. The only Churches I will attend are those that are conservative....those that have the crucifix prominently displayed, the Tabernacle on the altar where it belongs (not hidden in some back room) and priests who are not afraid to tell the parishioners that coming in late to mass and leaving early is like not attending at all.

One priest admonished the dress code of some of the parishioners, stating flatly that "going to Church should be like going on a date with Jesus."

Lack of respect at Mass has led to many of the evils that are plaguing the Church today.

I pray for more priests who urge their parishioners to adhere strictly to the rules of the Catholic Church rather than those who are afraid of scaring people away and so allow them to do whatever they please.

[sinkspur]

Thanks for posting this, annie.

This scandal will, I predict, cause Catholics to rethink their donations, if they see massive sums going to victims.

THAT will get the Vatican's attention.

I may get flamed for this, but this calamity will not be significantly addressed by John Paul II. He simply doesn't want to deal with it. It will be left to the next Pope to find a solution.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

"Even if it was triple hearsay, let me decide," said Stephanie Anderson, the district attorney of Cumberland County, who said she would follow their transfers from parish to parish in search of victims new and old. She wants to track the history of every priest accused of sexual misconduct.

"It is my belief that if these people victimize once, they generally do not stop," Ms. Anderson said.

I'm sure Stephanie's failure to mention that she would be as diligent in her investigation of all Protestant denominations as well, was an honest omission. Of course, if she uncovers any unfounded allegations, she will be first in line to apologize and will then exercise all her prosecutorial power to punish those making said accusations.< /sarcasm>

[Mr. Peabody]

I can't find one mention of the word "homosexual" anywhere in this article. How strange.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

Some argue that sexual abuse in the church grows out of fundamental flaws in Catholicism. "The division of body and soul is a mistaken model," said Eugene Kennedy, a psychologist and former priest, who wrote, "The Unhealed Wound: The Church and Human Sexuality."

Mr. Kennedy added: "The Church uses sexuality to control people in a punitive atmosphere. If flesh is evil, you cannot teach celibacy in a healthy way."

Sorry Mr. Kennedy, but I'll defer to people like Father Groeschel. There are plenty of priests, nuns and laity who are living contradictions to his opinion. Sounds like Eugene has some personal issues.

[PGalt]

Good post, comments.

[The Brush]

This problem came to light in the 80's. Any one of the people who covered up for any of these priests should be brought to trial.
The Catholic Church secretly used monies given for Charity by its parishoners, to cover up crimes.
If the Church doesn't come clean on everything they know, including details of hushed payoffs, the government should investigate and reverse their tax exempt status. It would happen to any other institution (I hope)

I was going to question the morality of lawyers who would keep this sort of activity quiet, then it hit me... they're lawyers! DUH!

[Jaxgram]

Good article - too bad the church is about 25 years late coming to confession. It's disgusting and only contributes toward America's "schlumping toward Gamorrah" - if honesty isn't with the church, then where to look???

[edwin hubble]

It is interesting that for the Roman Catholic Church, celibacy of priests is not faith-based doctrine, but merely a tradition.

There are many married priests in the larger Catholic Church. Aside from the Roman rite, the Coptic, Maronite, Syrian, Malabar, Chaldean, Armenian, and other rites of the Catholic Church under the Pope in Rome, have always had married priests.

The Roman Catholic Church accepts married converted priests from the Anglican Church into its ranks... they are now Roman Catholic priests who are married.

Celibacy is just tradition, not doctrine.

[mustapha mond]

There are two different forces at work here: 1) The Catholic church has been infiltrated by packs of Gay men who like to have sex with boys in their care. This for some reason was covered up by Catholic leadership. 2)The Catholic hating establishment is taking this opportunity to further attack the Church. --MM

[CrossCheck]

Rod Dreher at National Review has some interesting thoughts on this subject. The homosexual problem in the priesthood may be as bad as it appears. I don't think the Catholic bashers have to search too hard for evidence in this instance.

[bvw]

The Archdioceses have been buying silence on this for many, many years. The "normalization" and even popularization of homosexuality -- and the usurptation of the fine word "gay" -- are poisonous, yet that poison has also desensitized the issue and allowed for this rot and other social rots to be exposed, and one hopes, they can be dealt with.

Never underestimate the power of the American public to do the right thing against any hardship or potent establishment when the matter is in front of them. Patience is required sometimes but Americans persist irresitably in getting around to doing the right thing.

[IronJack]

Seems odd that the same public that is now supposed to be so interested in sexual dalliances by parish priests didn't give a whit about the sexual straying of a certain ex-president. Also seems mighty odd that that ink-smeared buttwipe called the New York Times stands so appalled at the former yet was so quick to defend the latter.

None dare call it hypocrisy. Oh wait. I do.

[St.Chuck]

Am faithful....not reeling. The enemies of the church will use this scandal to push their agendas, but the church will prevail. Be not afraid.

[crystalk]

The silly thing is to suggest that requirements of celibacy among priests and brothers has anything to do with this. Evidence shows that Protestant (married) clergy are just as likely to get into sex scandal, as are the celibate clergy of the Catholic or Greek churches.

The solution to sin is to stop practicing it, not to legalize it.

[LadyDoc]

"There will be false charges, too, but that doesn't mean a witch hunt," said Linda A. Fairstein, who until last year was chief of the Manhattan district attorney's sex crimes unit. "In New York and many other states there are now specialists who can distinguish false from true.

Oh yes it is.

especially when they act on twenty year old investigations, where false memory syndrome occurs, where disciplinary spanking can be remembered as sexual, where sociopaths seeking money can make up stories, and where feminists in the social services can attack the church.

I don't see such zeal in prosecuting the perverts who rape 13 year old girls and then take them to abortion clinics to cover it up.

About half the cases of "sexual abuse" that I see have no evidence that they have occured, or are overreactions by parents/social workers. Half are real, but few are prosecuted.

All you guys with ex wives should worry, since the most common "false" accusation here is by ex wives out to prove their husbands abused their kids. Once in awhile it's true, but usually not.

[HENRYADAMS]

The very term pedophilia is elastic. In California the age of consent is 18. Right accross the border in Nevada it is 16. Go further east the age of consent dropped to 14 and even in some states 12(the old common law rule.)The pedophilia terminology is a homosexual dodge-a red herring if you will. Any church that temporizes with homosexuality will end up in the same mess. Homosexuality is a decadence state. They require ever increasing stimulation to achieve the same feeling of 'aliveness.' Turning to youth provides the necessary increase in stimulation.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

"A priest," the cardinal intoned, must act as "a mirror held up to divinity."

This is just my opinion, but the above statement by this cardinal is part of the problem. It seems to me that alot of the priests, and the people of catholic faith view priests as people who are practically above sinning

Becky