Clerical abuse!

[Hurler on the Bitch]

perhaps so .. but in hindsight .. the Catholic Church in Ireland has never had to endure such a total and public embarrassment from the highest - very highest - level . Say what you want but he made wee boys of the great and the good - and the world knows it!

[longrunsthefox]

A victim of their abuse said on the radio this morning that the Papa should apologise in his Easter message to those that were molested, raped and beaten as children by the Catholic clergy in Ireland and to the Irish people.   Now that would be humility before the world... chance of it happening...nil. Sick cult.

[johnneycool]

The bottom line is that old Ratzinger has had the balls to confront this. Too many bishops guilty of staring at their shoes allowing this to happen. What the Pope has done is stuck the proverbial rocket up the Catholic Church in Ireland - you do recall that in his former life Ratzinger was the 'enforcer' behind the scenes and he has taken the Bishops over to Rome and read the Riot Act. Fair play to him as he - like his predecessors - could have done feck all. As for Brady .. trying to say this is a world-wide problem: that's a kop-out. The problem stated is that his Church stood and whistled as countless kids were brutally abused in Ireland. I have not passed a church door in five years and will not until a few big-wigs repent.

I see also that there is another priest on the front of the Irish News this morning - rape, buggery etc. And then your man Buckley with his Little Chef! Is there no end to the embarrassment?

Sorry but i don't read this as Ratzinger doing anything else but hide it even deeper.
If Ratzinger had the balls that you say he has then he'd have insisted that all relevent documentation held by the church be handed over to the authorities either side of the border and to support any investigations fully to rid the church of its infestation.

Anything less is a cop out IMO.

[Bing Crosby .]

Yesterday was a very bad day for the church in Ireland .

[Main Street]

From the Vatican statement.
'The Holy Father also pointed to the more general crisis of faith affecting the church and he linked that to the lack of respect for the human person and how the weakening of faith has been a significant contributing factor in the phenomenon of the sexual abuse of minors. He stressed the need for a deeper theological reflection on the whole issue, and called for an improved human, spiritual, academic and pastoral preparation both of candidates for the priesthood and religious life and of those already ordained and professed.'


Poppycock, pure and simple.
And this is a statement coming from the highest level of the Catholic hierarchy.
It would lead me to believe that there is a crisis in the church which has to do with a bankruptcy in rational and spiritual values from the top down. How else could such utter stupidity be passed down to the flock as an explanation?

[mylestheslasher]

From the Vatican statement.
'The Holy Father also pointed to the more general crisis of faith affecting the church and he linked that to the lack of respect for the human person and how the weakening of faith has been a significant contributing factor in the phenomenon of the sexual abuse of minors. He stressed the need for a deeper theological reflection on the whole issue, and called for an improved human, spiritual, academic and pastoral preparation both of candidates for the priesthood and religious life and of those already ordained and professed.'


Poppycock, pure and simple.
And this is a statement coming from the highest level of the Catholic hierarchy.
It would lead me to believe that there is a crisis in the church which has to do with a bankruptcy in rational and spiritual values from the top down. How else could such utter stupidity be passed down to the flock as an explanation?

Its just the brainless waffling of someone completely out of touch with reality. I can't believe anyone would look to this clown for guidance.

[ardmhachaabu]

myles would it surprise you if I said I agree with what the Pope said? 

[mylestheslasher]

myles would it surprise you if I said I agree with what the Pope said? 

No, but heh, we made friends so lets not start a row again

[The Iceman]

From the Vatican statement.

'The Holy Father also pointed to the more general crisis of faith affecting the church

The Faith is declining in Ireland and across the Catholic World.

and he linked that to the lack of respect for the human person

This weakening of the faith has lead to a lack of respect for the human person - I think this is very true.  I believe people have little or no respect for humankind any more.

and how the weakening of faith has been a significant contributing factor in the phenomenon of the sexual abuse of minors

.
This in turn might help explain why child abuse happens

He stressed the need for a deeper theological reflection on the whole issue, and called for an improved human, spiritual, academic and pastoral preparation both of candidates for the priesthood and religious life and of those already ordained and professed.

As a result people preparing for the religious life and those already ordained or religious should be vetted better from a human, spiritual, academic and pastoral perspective to ensure that they respect humankind.


I can't really see anything wrong with this response.
Nor can I see anything that merits the Pope being called a clown.

[Dougal]

he's trying to imply that it's not the fault of the priests,but rather people without faith.he mightn't be covering it up,but he's trying to justify it.he is a clown.

[longrunsthefox]

He's full of sh*t. Faith in what?... the Catholic Church    many people have walked away from the church and are still good, decent people. More decent than the ones who are in it that covered up the abuse.
The worst and most abuse was happening at the time the churches were packed. Faith in God does not have to entail being involved with that shower but Rathead and his minnions think they have the monopoly on God.  Holy Father?... holy f**     

[theskull1]

[Main Street]

From the Vatican statement.

and how the weakening of faith has been a significant contributing factor in the phenomenon of the sexual abuse of minors

.

This in turn might help explain why child abuse happens

Now I'm beginning to be be really pissed off about the absolute lack of comprehension by the Catholic Church on the subject of Paedophilia and its protection.

You say "weakening of faith" might explain. The Vatican state that it significantly does explain. A significant explanation!

Faith?  One can have no faith in a doctrine but have absolutely no child abuse tendencies.

As far as I am concerned,, the abusers and their protectors kept their faith but they had no sense of the relevant moral values.
Faith is one thing, moral values are another.
Child abuse and the protection of,  is not a faith issue, for example, a faith issue to do with management of celibacy, the mere management of day to day "sinfully" perceived sexual desires and learning the negative (faith based) process of suppressing them (as opposed to accepting the natural process and learning the positive discipline of self control).

Paedophilia is not within the remit of having or not having faith.
Sexual desire is a natural phenomena. Paedophilia is a perversion, an addictive and overwhelming physical and mental desire to abuse the innocent child.

[Doogie Browser]

Watched a very good documentary on Cardinal O'Fiach on TG4 last night, I am sure it was a repeat.  The show left you in no doubt that they thought this was the major blemish on his career - the failure to do anything about abusive clergy.  In fact he promoted an abuser to the post of President of the Maynooth seminary after he was presented with an allegation of abuse about him.

[theskull1]

and how the weakening of faith has been a significant contributing factor in the phenomenon of the sexual abuse of minors

.
This in turn might help explain why child abuse happens

So just to be clear, do you need your faith Iceman to stop you fiddling with children? Is that the main thing holding you back from such desires? I wouldn't have thought so, but just set us straight of the differences between your idea of morality and faith.

FFS thats a vile comment considering the theocracy who had the sole responsibility to be an example and impart faith to the masses were the very ones guilty of the abuse.

Is the pope not implying that the child abusing priests (by giving into their evil desires in this life) even after all the indoctrination of theology in their training, still walked out the door of the seminary thinking their was no such thing as a god so they might as well enjoy their perversions while they had the chance? And will there be any psychoanalytical evaluations of trainee priests from now on just to make sure they are joining the orders with all the right intentions and not use the dog collar as a smoke screen and a sanctuary to live a perverted life?