Well, I did a little googling, and voila: the author of the article is, in fact, chairman of the Texas chapter of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists.
Whatever mistakes Fr. Groeschel made in the specific cases cited, he is absolutely right when he says that the chief problem is "active homosexuality with minors."
And it is true that the media have blown the problem out of proportion, in relation to the level abuse in Protestant denominations and other institutions.
If he has credible evidence that Fr. Groeschel intentionally placed priests that he knew would reoffend, then out with it.
The media have studiously avoided using the term "homosexuality" and have dishonestly instead used "pedophilia" to describe the context of this crisis.
I know your purpose in posting this is to promote your cause of a married priesthood, but posting this kind of biased, agenda-driven crap is below you.
Nobody "intentionally" placed priests that would reoffend. But many psychologists and bishops turned on the victims of these predators, lambasting them and trying to shut them up. Whatever was known about abusers ten or twenty years ago, one thing has always been known: they and not the victims, were responsible and should have been blamed. Not the victims, or the media, or the "liberal environment."
I know your purpose in posting this is to promote your cause of a married priesthood, but posting this kind of biased, agenda-driven crap is below you.
Nonsense. My purpose in posting this is to show how deep into the Church this cover-up extended. Even a good man like Groeschel got ground up in the Church machinery, covering for scoundrels.
This is not "biased, agenda-driven crap." It's either true, or it's not.
What ought to be beneath you is the sexual orientation of the author. He has written countless articles about this scandal, especially on priests in the Dallas Diocese.
If he had an agenda in keeping with his homosexuality, he wouldn't write a word about it.
For instance. Groeschel says that the media is doing the devil's work NOT in reporting the scandals (for that he is grateful) but in that they do it to disgrace and shame the Church into shutting up about what She stands for -- like celibacy (for all in whatever calling they have) and fidelity and stands against --- like abortion and birth control and names -- like sin. I see the subtle hate for the Church in my own city's newspaper, The Boston Globe. It's rather thought provoking that ALL archived stories (over two days old) are only viewable by paying $2.95 per article. That is, EXCEPT for each and every story on the scandal in the Church --- they are FREE! And located on the front page for easy viewing.
All the libs, Catholic and non, can't stand Fr. Groeschel, Fr. Neuhaus, Bishop Bruskewitz, EWTN and Mother Angelica. Why? Because they adhere and teach and preach FIDELITY. I do (a very) loose poll on the above people all the time. I've never been disappointed, like I said, the libs turn their noses up at the above list. Interestingly, the SSPXers do as well. But that is another thread.
From a talk given by Father Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R. about a year ago in Yonkers concerning the present crisis:
Does this shake your faith in the Church? I hope so, because ultimately your faith should not be in the Church, ultimately. Ultimately our faith is in Jesus Christ, and we accept the Church. We support the Church. We belong to the Church because Christ established the Church.Somebody who belongs to the Church as a big organization, as a great philanthropic thing or the great social catalyst or whatever else you want to think, they’re going to be badly shaken. They may get out.
But we belong to the Church as the crucified body of Jesus Christ. If the Church is the body of Christ, don’t be surprised that it’s crucified. Don’t be surprised that it’s dragged through the streets and spat upon and wounded and crowned with thorns. That’s what’s going on right now.
The Church is the body of Christ, and when you love the Church, you should love it as the body of Christ.
Our dear Holy Father on Good Friday wrote this: “In the acute pain of the suffering servant, we hear already the triumphant cry of the risen Lord.” Christ on the cross is the King of the new people, ransom from the burden of sin and death, however twisted and confused the course of history may appear. We know that by walking in the footsteps of the crucified we shall attain to that goal. Amid the conflicts of a world dominated by selfishness and hatred, we as believers are called to proclaim the victory of love. Today, Good Friday, we testify to the victory of Christ crucified.
Not so long ago, the Catholic Church seemed to be very triumphant. I lived through those days at the end of the council. The Church seemed to be very powerful, and I’ve lived to see the mystical body of Christ crucified, betrayed, attacked, abandoned by the frightened apostles. And we’re all part of it. We’re all part of it. Don’t ever exempt yourself. I reproach myself every day that unwittingly I went along and stupidly I got involved in things that ultimately did not serve the Church or Christ so well.
Turn to Christ.
Funny how some lambasted Michael Rose for not interviewing the rectors of the seminaries he was writing about and the author of the article posted here has done the same thing.
I'd like to comment here on the statement that the author makes concerning Fr. Groeschel's "only 2% of what is in the media is true" -- what he said is (I read transcript of that talk here in Boston in February) "98% of what is in the media is overblown" -- which is true. For God's sake, if you live here in Boston and you depend on what you read in the paper or hear on the news, you'd think that there were about 80% of the clergy who have abused both boys and girls -- know why? Because it is NEVER cited that 85 to 90% of the abuse is of boys - and mostly adolescent boys at that - because "homosexuality" is a non-topic that the media will not touch. Interestingly, none of the "progressive" Catholic groups like CTA, CORPUS, We Are Church or Voice of the Faithful will mention homosexuality, either. And all of the above mentioned groups and the media seek to marginalize the Church and maximize themselves.
OK, I am ranting, I know it. But this article is trash.
Whatever mistakes Fr. Groeschel made in the specific cases cited, he is absolutely right when he says that the chief problem is "active homosexuality with minors."
Bravo, well done B Knotts!
This is the bottom line, Sink.
If you had a shred of decency, you'd ask the mods to pull this homo anti-Catholic hit piece.