Cardinal Sodano's 'peripheral issues'

This is exactly why the hierarchy has failed to convince the world that the do indeed "get it" when it comes to clergy abuse. Tom Roberts has it exactly right - it is stunning that Sodano has not been banished or at least silenced. The beatification of this pope who failed so miserably in regards to the abuse of minors is a terrible statement, despite all the good things he accomplished during his tenure.

You can't let it go, can you? You have to squeeze every drop of blood out of the scandal, even when it does the children no good to do so. You're like the vultures that wait around, waiting -- hoping -- for something to die so they can pick at the bones, because they're useless themselves. You want to know what they say about people like you in Rome? Nothing. No one pays any attention to you. The world has passed you by and one day soon, you will be dust, and the world will long remember JPII.

A sad, but important story Tom. Now see if you can track down Cardinal (out)Law and ask for his opinion......

I know of a certain basilica in Rome where you might be able to find him.

Faith (woman) must require a critical accounting from reason (man) as reason must require a critical accounting of faith. Not even a cardinal could get by with such blatant insanity as Sodano is exhibiting here if male hierarchy had not conveniently alienated females from the equation of accountable faith/ accountable reason. The male cortical brain needs the female cortical brain to keep it from thinking it is the only brain in the religion game.

Something rotten in the state of Vatican: Pope Benedict XVI, Cardinal Sodano, and John Paul II.

JPII,SODANO&MACIEL:TRIO? Thank you Tom for stepping up here. Your colleague, John Allen, has been taking too much of the heat (some from me), but the continuing pressing need to stop child abuse with real reforms requires no less. Bully Donahue, as one might expect, today attacked John Allen and NCR under a heading, "Fabricating Opposition to John Paul II". Poor John Allen, who is doing his best to be fair, is challenged by one Irishman (me) for not being tough enough on John Paul II and attacked allegedly for "fabricating" the other way by another Irishman (Donahue). If the safety of defenseless children didn't hang in the balance, some mlght find this a bit amusing. John Paul II selected and retained Sodano. Whatever Sodano did must fairly be imputed to his boss with whom he had regular personal contact. Since the Vatican relentlessly refuses to open its secret files on John Paul II even after he has been dead six years, reporters mostly have to rely on making fair inferences. When John Paul II was displeased for yet undisclosed reasons with his personal secretary of seven years, Bishop John Magee, he dumped him abruptly and exiled him to a minor diocese, Cloyne, in rural Ireland. The much anticipated and overdue issuance of the Cloyne judicial report on Magee's apparently grievous mishandling of child abuse cases has again been delayed until after the beatification by wrangling by the Church's lawyers. How convenient. Perhaps it will shed some light on why Magee was sacked, while John Paul II yet retained Sodano for so long. Jason Berry, the most informed reporter on these matters over the past 25 years, has a new article covering, among other things, Maciel's Vatican connections. It is readily accessible at http://www.thenation.com/article/160242/shame/john/paul/ii/how/sex/abuse... Additional relevant information is available in my April 25 NCR article entitled, "John Paul beatification sheds light on dysfunctional monarchy " accessible readily by entering SLEVIN in the SEARCH box on the top of this page, as well as inJ ohn Allen's several April 28 and 29 articles on the beatification and my comments thereto. If the Vatican had even recently undertaken a serious effort to protect children from priests' abuse, it might have been acceptable to be less vocal now about John Paul II's major moral failure on the abuse crisis as "past history". But all the Vatican seems interested in is more pious platitudes about "sin" and "scandal to the Church", short photo ops with per-selected victims and similar inadequate public relations measures. Apparently many of the Vatican's lawyers, who must be doing very well these days, have not yet sat the hierarchy down and explained the serious peril many of them are facing. It is still not too late to act. When Sodano said, apparently aiming to intimidate Nicole Winfield of AP Rome by his "I'm stunned" remark , you know the Vatican still hasn't gotten the message. He was as "stunned" as Inspector Renaud was in the great movie,"Casablanca" to find out that Bogart permitted gambling at the Cafe Americain. Nicole Winfield and her many outstanding colleagues at AP, including Victor Simpson in Rome and Melissa Eddy in Berlin, have done extremely fair, professional and thorough reporting work on this story for many years. Sodano seems to be feeling the heat. He should look out his stain glass window across town and see how the rule of law is catching up to one of the Vatican's long time political protectors, Burlesconi. The rule of law bends for no one, not even a president or pope.

This is merely further testament that the Catholic Church needs to retire its modern process of sainthood. No person lives a perfect life. But that seems to be the expectation on all sides. It would be refreshing if, in response to the question, Sodano could have said, "yes, of course, JPII made mistakes, we all do."

Correction: where abused children are cast aside while their molesters find sanctuary...

“How can you, in such a great moment, get into such peripheral issues when the world is applauding the pope?” (Cardinal) Sodano said on the sidelines of a Vatican exhibit honoring the late pope. “I’m stunned.”

It is becoming increasingly difficult to forgive his Eminence and some of his fellow "successors of the Apostles" when they continue to refuse to acknowledge their inadvertent or intentional lack of concern for and care of God’s family. It is even more hurtful and insulting to dismiss not only the abused, but also the least, and most of the rest of us who aren't ordained or consecrated, as “peripherals.”
The “Vatican exhibit” this weekend is not a “great moment” but rather a seemingly blatant attempt to distract attention from the hierarchy’s not only past but on-going questioned and questionable shepherding of the children of God entrusted to their care.
As the “servant of the servants of God,” Pope John Paul II, of fond but confusing memory, is face to face with our Father, sharing completely the pain and suffering of our crucified and compassionate Brother and Lord, enlightened by the Holy Spirit. Applause is the last response he wants. Until the day we all stand together with him in our Father’s House, our Holy Father John Paul will join his voice with ours as we celebrate at our Lord’s Table: I confess to almighty God and to you, my sisters and brothers, that I have sinned through my own fault in what I have done and in what I have failed to do.”
Your Eminence, please don’t be stunned on the sidelines. We are an Easter people. But Easter is the climax, culmination and fulfillment of our Paschal Triduum. We are a people who gather at our Lord’s Table, who pray and keep watch in the Garden of Gethsemane as we prepare to walk the Way of the Cross with Jesus and Mary. We pass a Holy Saturday considering death and resurrection. It is then that our Risen Lord reveals himself exalted and present. We are one, holy, catholic, apostolic and sinful. We are a Triduum people who sing, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad!”
Please, your Eminence, don’t be stunned. Come out of the exhibit into the periphery.
Paz y Bien, Rolando, SFO.

Kudos to Tom Roberts for his accurate read of Sodano's corruption. Sodano's cash flow must be suffering with Maciel's fall. Or is it?

The Legion continues to be involved in Vatican events, and Sodano continues to disgrace the hierarchy. The fact that Benedict gives him visibility speaks clearly that there is no accountability at the highest levels.

The perfect way to earn well-deserved irrelevance in today's world.

Thanks you for the article Mr. Roberts, this comment by Cardinal Sodano certainly give us a better view of the conspiracy to protect Maciel and also continue the coverup of the sexual scandal of the priest attack on children and teenagers. These "peripheral issues" may cause a great deal of damage to the Catholic church. Unfortunately, it seems the hierarchy believes if they continue to deny their responsibility for what happened the whole affair will disappear. The laity may wake up and demand that the structure of the Church change. The Vatican can make John Paul a saint, but it will be God in Heaven who will determine if that is the fate of John Paul. I pray that the Holy spirit will enlighten the laity and all those faithful followers of Jesus Christ to take action about this sordid affair.

"What’s stunning is that Sodano, who indeed not only protected Maciel, but also benefited handsomely from the Maciel largesse that was lavishly dropped around the Vatican, has not himself been banished."

To paraphrase Sodano himself: "It's not time yet!" When Benedict's legal back is finally to the wall either thru currently proceeding American litigation or an eventual World Court summons, then the current Pope will pull this ace from his pocket and cast Sodano under the bus.

"Maciel lived a monstrous double life and was able to maintain favor with John Paul for years even though former seminarians and priests wrote letters to the pope and initiated legal proceedings that detailed his numerous molestations and deceptions. John Paul would hear none of it and acted on none of it."

He must have read this book before he died:
http://www.amazon.com/Fallen-Order-Intrigue-Scandal-Caravaggio/dp/080214...

John Paul the Great Enabler, and SECOND patron saint of child molesters.

It makes sense if Sodano holds the view that Bishop Gene Robinson reported finding in some priests he had worked with - that celibacy as they define it is important but does not rule out activities like child sexual abuse. (NCR Today Apr 26) In their view, the vow of celibacy excludes marriage to an adult woman but not molestation of a boy. This view would account for Sodano's apparent trivialization of the matter in his response quoted above.
http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/some-priests-said-see-pedophilia-wi...
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/child-sex-no-breach-of-virtu...

John Paul II's and Benedict XVI's holding of similar convictions would account for their reactions and inactions in the face of numerous opportunities to move against the child sexual abuse and coverup problem. It would also explain the untarnished survival of Sodano, Law, etc. The only remaining puzzle would be what John Paul II had in mind in April 2002: "Labeling child sexual abuse an 'appalling sin' and a crime, John Paul II told U.S. prelates there is no place in the priesthood and religious life 'for those who would harm the young'." His long-term practice, widely recalled at beatification time, belied his words.
http://www.zenit.org/article-4235?l=english

"’How can you, in such a great moment, get into such peripheral issues when the world is applauding the pope?’ Sodano said on the sidelines of a Vatican exhibit honoring the late pope. ‘I'm stunned.’"

All Catholics should be stunned by the idea that JPII, a pedophile protector and one who turned a deaf ear to the abused, and a pope who broke civil and moral laws by his actions is even considered sainthood material. His body should be buried with his pedophile buddy, Marcial Maciel, in an unmarked grave. How can a religious group consider him sainthood material? I am embarrassed to say I am a Catholic. The peripheral issue is that a tree is known by its fruit and the fruit produced by the tree of JPII is rotten and evil.

The amazing thing about this premature beatification is that it is bringing to the forefront of the public consciousness the horror and depth of the world-wide centrally-orchestrated priestly pederasty outrage in the rcc.

Amen so glad someone has set this sad record straight!

"A peripheral matter?" I think that a lot of people would disagree with that statement. Sodano was Maciel's chief enabler in the Curia, and you would think that he might be just a little embarassed after all that has happened, but apparently not. The man appears to have no shame.

The big question is why did John Paul II have such a big blind spot with regards to Maciel? I think the answer is complex, and does not really involve all the money Maciel lavished on the Vatican. I think that Maciel's medieval, reactionary Catholicism, phony thought it was, somehow resonated with John Paul, who, having grown up in pre World War II Poland, himself had a medieval, reactionary view of Catholicism. Basically, from a theological standpoint, Maciel told JP II what he wanted to hear, thus Maciel was immune to any serious inquiry as to his rather incredible double life. It was only towards the very end of JP II's papacy, when he was dying, that the chickens finally came home to roost, and then Cardinal Ratzinger was able to start taking action against Maciel.

For the leader of a religious order to rape seminarians, have multiple female mistresses, and perpetrate a world class fraud like he did, while receiving such adulation from the Pope himself is incredible. Perhaps Maciel was an evil genius, but I think he had a lot of help in the Vatican too.

JP iI's blind spot with Maciel may not disqualify him from sainthood in and of itself, but it is not trivial or peripheral either, and merits serious inquiry and consideration. Fast tracking the Sainthood process was not a good idea, given the circumstances.

Regarding Cardinal Sodano, for a "Prince of the Church" to accept envelopes of cash and then protect and enable a monster like Maciel who provided that cash is not peripheral either. The man has no shame. Anything he says should be discounted in the extreme.

It is peripheral to the Sodanos of this world. What is central to the Sodanos is, well, the Sodanos.

About Cardinal Sodano and his "peripheral" comments....Obviously the Cardinal's mitre is on too tightly and he also just kissed any chance of being the next papacy, just went into the Tiber.

Sodano's nephew using the Cardinals name and Vatican inside connections scammed many in the US ,including US church officials in real estate fraud. it's a crime family..infiltration.. it happened before.

It is time to surround the Vatican empire and march around it seven times. Then blow the trumpets, raise the shout, and watch the walls come tumbling down. This is what you do to an evil empire when one of its major leaders calls the rape of children a mere peripheral issue.

Sodano is a good example of how the hierarchy in Rome sweeps the problem of pedophelia under the rug, pretends it isn't real. JPII is far more important to Sodano than the children who were abused.

The abuse scandal and the story of Maciel's deception are important to understand JPII. He was blind and out of touch in important areas of church leadership. While he did good things, he let all of us down in profound ways.

A saint should also be a hero. Where is the one who sees and speaks the truth? What is obvious is that it was not JPII and it is not Sodano.

"Intense, generous, and fruitful priestly ministry". He certainly was fruitful alright ; as in "fruitful and multiply" What entertainment! It will all be the script of future plays.
History will record this tragic era of church abuse as yet one more dark age, just before another Holy Spirit enlightenment.

We shouldn't forget that it was Cardinal Sodano who proclaimed at an Easter Service in St Peter in Rome that the accusations against pedophile priests and their protectors was nothing more than "petty gossip". The proven pedophile protector, Sodano, would of course deny claims that the actions of JPII were not saintly and consider them "peripheral issues."

I have carefully avoided thoughts of J2P2's beatification. It will go on fine without me. All the bigshots talk about their love for the Church and their need to protect the Church. The damage they have done cannot be calculated. There are great moral issues Rome and the bishops need to address, but their opponents can brush it all away by drawing attention to the sex scandals. This is going to last a generation.

Though I disagree with the National Catholic Reporter on most issues, I give you lots of credit for both your reporting on the legion scandal, and for connecting the dots regarding who, in higher Church circles, has provided aid, comfort, and protection to the Legion for all those years. While Cardinal Sodano is the focus of Mr. Roberts' editorial, it shouldn't be forgotten that Cardinal Rode is another legion lapdog. Thankfully he joins Sodano in retirement. How sad that so few (small "o") orthodox Catholic media outlets had the courage to challenge the legion and their paid protectors.

Let's be clear about something else: though Maciel has been universally acknowledged as a liar and manipulator, we can't overlook the rot and corruption of Maciel's legionary sons, a corruption that continues to this day. NCR's own John Allen has written extensively on the subject of tribal Catholicism. Perhaps all the tribes can agree that the Legion of Maciel represents a horrible development in the history of our Catholic Church.

I was afraid that the royal wedding would eclipse the papal beatification -- lovely as the shoes, hats and dresses of our old men at the Vatican may be, it's hard to think of how they can wow us any more than they's already done. But I underestimate them once again -- they are not vying with the Windsors but with the hottest show in town just now, "The Borgias". Sodano has given the touch of decadent spice that was what we needed. His cue to the baying crowds is, "Think Borgia!"

The royals know how fragile their symbolic power is and with what humility they must anxiously tend the image of the Firm. They had a long hard climb back from the Diana scandal, yet that was nothing compared with the abuse scandal that has hamstrung the Church in its very core. If the Vatican court thinks that this scandal will just blow over, without any self-correction on their part, their fate may resemble that of another well-known monarchy -- in 1793. Unlike the WIndsors, the Hohenzollerns, the Hapsburgs, the Capets, the Bourbons, the Tsars and so the Vatican really do believe that they are upheld by God himself who has guaranteed their perpetual sway and made them immune to their critics. They made the same mistake in the last days of the Papal States. I hope the Vatican court ends up soon on the trashheap of dead monarchies, leaving a modern church to get on with its business in the spirit of Vatican II.

Intriguing.... it's amazing that Sodano remains a powerful figure in the Vatican, he must have some good "photos" of Benny 16 et al in his safe deposit box, along with a lot of cash from Maciel!

The Vatican court is dysfunctional because JP2 did not promote collegiality, consultation and dialogue. He created a sick culture in the Church. His appeal to the crowds and to the young was considered a panacea that made reform of the Church along the lines of the Council seem unnecessary.

The Vatican will save itself, as the Windsors have done, but the Church will continue to limp.

MONEY RULES THE VATICAN!

THE ORIGINAL logo for Marcial's diabolical plans can be found here.Cardinal Sodano was NOT alone in backing Marcial Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz was a great friend of Marcial's also.

http://web.archive.org/web/19970210131213/http://www.salidas.com.mx/ejem...