Details of report on clerical abuse in Dublin leaked

This report could be any archdiocese in the world. For all practical purposes it is the policy of the vatican to protect abusers and try to insure that they have access to victims. It will take a purge of biblical proportions to correct this. Since this would require starting with the entire vatican, it is impossible. Child abuse can occur anywhere. The Catholic Church is the only organization I know of that actively seeks to supply victims and protect the abusers. Can any of you conservatives name another?

William, I am not a conservative, however you ask for other names of organizations that "seek to supply victims and protect their abusers."

Please reference the article by Prof. Phillip Jenkins (Penn State) .

Here is a quote from his article:

"Literally every denomination and faith tradition has its share of abuse cases, and some of the worst involve non-Catholics. Every mainline Protestant denomination has had scandals aplenty, as have Pentecostals, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, Buddhists, Hare Krishnas -- and the list goes on. One Canadian Anglican (Episcopal) diocese is currently on the verge of bankruptcy as a result of massive lawsuits caused by decades of systematic abuse...."

I agree that the scope of clerical and religious abuse and church cover-ups is horrid and a massive failure of compassion and justice, but please don't lay that rap just on conservative thinking. Remember Paul Shanley was the very model of the "hip street priest" who ran one of the first gay out-reach programs. Sadly, this was the main source of his victims. As I see it, this problem isn’t necessarily a conservative, liberal, American, or Catholic thing, it’s a human problem.

What matters for the hierarchy is fighting abortion and homosexuality, and nuns who favour gays and married and women priests. The sexual abuse of boys and girls is to be encouraged. They know nothing about their so-called founder, Jesus of Nazareth, yet they have the call to insist they have a God-given right to rule and lead the church to its utter demise.

Yes, William Mcaleer, you hit the target! You are one hundred percent correct, the Vatican, above all, protects its' abusers of children! I think almost every Catholic I know agrees with your statement and a great many of them feel that the corruption goes directly to the top, The Bishop of Rome. These men operate under such a shameful immorality and deceptiveness that very few Catholics I know trust ANY of them. There may be a few good men in their ranks but they have to remain silent or they will not survive as bishops. It's truly pathetic. Yes, it will take a purge of "biblical proportions" to correct this but I believe the Holy Spirit will find a way. If Benedict truly wanted to tackle this issue he would have to open himself up to scrutiny and what investigators find may very well not be too pretty. We all know the last two Popes have REWARDED various cardinals (like Cardinal Law of Boston), for their roles in the coverup and recycling of abusing priests. We must also acknowledge that a great many bishops and cardinals may have been abusers themselves and therefore ANY investigation of the hierarchy would be stopped dead in its' tracks, but all of this corruption and criminal behavior is just about to reach "critical mass" and the explosion is imminent. Catholics all over the world want CRIMINAL prosecution of the hierarchy because they are the ones who allowed the abuse to continue time after time. Justice awaits them and many government around the world are already REMOVING DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY from cardinals so they CAN be prosecuted. It's just a matter of time. Each country has new revelations in this child sex abuse by clergy and new lawsuits and none of it will get better until The People Of God actually SEE the top down structure follow the same laws that the average person has to follow. Could the Bishop of Rome eventually face such charges? It is not out of the realm of possibility any longer. The Vatican State concept is also coming under close scrutiny BECAUSE it has allowed these criminals to take refuge within it's walls. A creepy example of how the Vatican PROTECTS its' hierarchy and throws the child victims to the wolves is by observing the current lifestyle of Cardinal Law. He now lives like a king. A very privileged life and all because if even ONE cardinal remained in their country of origin and was prosecuted and served as prison sentence, it would serve as a precedent and open up the pandoras box that the last two Popes have FEARED. It would bring the system down! I believe it WILL HAPPEN. Yes, the reactionary conservatives, both clerical and lay, have EVERYTHING to lose! This is why you see such violent and hate filled words posted by them in the various threads of discussion in the NCR columns. They are all running scared because they know a major shifting of the sands is just around the corner. They will fight to preserve the Church that existed prior to Vatican II and anyone who stands in their way will be treated EXACTLY the opposite of the way Christ would treat his flock. A new church as envisioned by the Council Fathers of Vatican II is just about to be born!

Hmm...the report says that most abuse occurred at the hands of the spirit of Vatican 2 priests? What a shock!