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PDF versionPope calls priestly sex abuse 'heinous crime'
Nuncio to Ireland refuses to testify
Feb. 16, 2010
Cardinal Sean Brady of Armagh, Northern Ireland, speaks at a press conference at Vatican Radio Feb. 16. (CNS/Paul Haring)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI said priestly sexual abuse was a "heinous crime" and a grave sin, and he urged Irish bishops to act courageously to repair their failures to deal properly with such cases.
At the end of a two-day Vatican summit on the sex abuse scandal in Ireland, the Vatican said in a statement Feb. 16 that "errors of judgment and omissions" were at the heart of the crisis. It said church leaders recognized the sense of "pain and anger, betrayal, scandal and shame" that those errors have provoked among many Irish Catholics.
"All those present recognized that this grave crisis has led to a breakdown in trust in the church's leadership and has damaged her witness to the Gospel and its moral teaching," the statement said.
The full text of the final statement is here: Final statement of pope-Irish bishops meeting
"For his part, the Holy Father observed that the sexual abuse of children and young people is not only a heinous crime, but also a grave sin which offends God and wounds the dignity of the human person created in his image," it said.
"While realizing that the current painful situation will not be resolved quickly, he challenged the bishops to address the problems of the past with determination and resolve, and to face the present crisis with honesty and courage," it said.
The Vatican said the pope also had expressed hope that the Vatican summit would help the bishops unify and "speak with one voice" as they identify concrete steps to bring healing to those who have been abused and restore the church's moral credibility.
In a news conference following the meeting, Irish bishops said they had been able to engage in "frank and open" discussions with the pope and Vatican officials and that they had been encouraged by the encounter.
Cardinal Sean Brady of Armagh, president of the Irish bishops' conference, said that throughout the meeting "the victims were central to all of our discussions, and the victims remain our priority." He said that there had been "a failure of leadership" on the part of the Irish hierarchy and they fully understand the "disillusionment, anger, shame and sense of betrayal" expressed by the victims.
Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said the meeting produced no specific policy decisions, nor was it intended to do so. He said the encounter, which included 24 Irish bishops and 10 top Vatican officials, was aimed at dialogue and direction-setting, and in that sense was a success.
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The recovery from the scandal will be "a very long process," he added.
Father Lombardi said he thought one of the most significant outcomes was the public recognition that there had been a failure "in leadership, in the governance of the church" in dealing with the sex abuse cases.
The spokesman said the meeting did not directly address some controversial aspects of the Irish situation, including the call for additional resignations of Irish bishops. Nor did the meeting discuss the idea, suggested by some in Ireland, that Pope Benedict add Ireland to his planned visit to England and Scotland in September and meet with some of the abuse victims.
The pope convened the bishops in response to the continuing fallout from the scandal, following an independent report that faulted the church for its handling of 325 sex abuse claims in the Archdiocese of Dublin in the years 1975-2004. The report said bishops sometimes protected abusive priests, and were apparently more intent on protecting the church's reputation and assets than on helping the victims.
With the pope presiding, each of the 24 Irish bishops spoke for five minutes, in effect giving the pope an account of themselves and their own actions, and reflecting on ways to best bring healing. The Vatican participants included officials who deal with doctrine, church law, bishops, clergy, religious life and seminaries.
The pope had earlier expressed his sense of outrage over the revelations, and was writing a special pastoral letter to Irish Catholics on the subject. Participants at the Vatican meeting discussed a draft of the letter, which was expected to be published during Lent, Father Lombardi said.
The Vatican statement said the Irish bishops had already helped put in place significant measures to ensure the safety of all children in church activities. It emphasized the bishops' commitment to cooperate with civil authorities in Ireland and with the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland.
Nuncio refuses to testify
But even as the Vatican meeting wound down, a new controversy was erupting in Ireland over the refusal of the apostolic nuncio to the country, Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza, to appear before a parliamentary foreign affairs committee. One member of the committee called the archbishop's decision regrettable and incomprehensible.
Asked about Archbishop Leanza's refusal, Father Lombardi said an apostolic nuncio, like all ambassadors, may be precluded by the normal rules of diplomacy from answering parliamentary commissions.
Bishop Michael Smith of Meath told reporters that as a diplomat the nuncio deals with the foreign ministry and that there was no problem of cooperation between the Holy See and Ireland.
Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican secretary of state, set the tone of the meeting at an opening Mass Feb. 15 with the Irish and Vatican participants. He said the most difficult trials for the church were internal ones, especially, as in this case, when the church sees "some of its own men involved in particularly abominable acts."
The cardinal said renewal can be the outcome of this trial, as long as people take responsibility for their failings.
Cardinal Bertone compared the church to a ship in a storm, and said the prelates need to put their trust in Christ. The "more dangerous storm," he said, was "the one that touches the hearts of believers, shaking their faith."
There has been widespread indignation among Irish Catholics following the revelations of the sex abuse cases and the way they were handled by the bishops, detailed in a report last November by an independent commission headed by Judge Yvonne Murphy. Pope Benedict held a preliminary meeting with two Irish bishops in December.
Four bishops criticized in the Irish report have offered their resignation, but so far the pope has officially accepted only one of them. Bishop Martin Drennan of Galway and Kilmacduagh, also named in the report, has rejected demands by Catholic groups for his resignation.
At the news conference, Cardinal Brady was asked if Catholics in Ireland might view the meeting as short on concrete decisions. The cardinal responded, "I certainly hope not."
He said the meeting was the beginning of a process and that "ultimately the Holy Father will give us a message of encouragement to deal with this problem honestly and courageously."
But he said the problem had been "going on for many years" and that "it's recognized that this is not an Irish problem, not an Anglophone problem and not a problem of the Catholic Church. It's a great problem and at the center of it all must be the welfare of the victims."
He said Pope Benedict had told them that the key to moving forward was "a renewal of faith, because faith ultimately is the real and true protector of human dignity."
The cardinal also said the bishops would take advantage of Lent to do penance, because "we must begin with ourselves."
Bishop Joseph Duffy of Clogher said that until now the Irish church had been marked by "a culture of secrecy and confidentiality" that the bishops would now work to overcome.
Bishop Dennis Brennan of Ferns said the anger of victims and survivors toward the bishops "is richly deserved," but he also said he was encouraged by the support that Irish Catholics had shown toward them as well as toward the victims.
He also said that he was "struck by how pained the pope is by the issue."
At a Mass for the Irish bishops in St. Patrick's Church in Rome Feb. 14, Bishop Colm O'Reilly of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise said the prelates were especially aware this year of the Lenten call to confession and repentance.
"It is a time for undoing, insofar as this is possible, the damage our sins have done, for what is done and what we have failed to do. It is a time for a new beginning," he said in a homily.
[Editor's note: This story was corrected Feb. 22 to reflect that Bishop Drennan was not criticized in the Murphy report.]
If it's such a heinous crime,
If it's such a heinous crime, why are not the bishop abettors ensconced in prison cells instead of having luxury residences & major Roman churches under their care?
LOL. Good one, Rachel. Not
LOL. Good one, Rachel. Not in a million years. Cardinal Law is the poster child of Rome's thinking on that...
At least this is a proper
At least this is a proper focus for the hierarchy to seek repentance and reparation. This scandal [in Ireland and USA -- and God knows where else] has done grave harm to the victims and the faith of all the catholic people everywhere.
Forget the investigation of religious women in the US and the translation of yet another Roman liturgy. Deal with what desperately needs done to heal the Church.
If the guilty bishops--I
If the guilty bishops--I expect there are more than 4--and the religious superiors (who seem to have slipped below the radar, again) would all just confess that they had messed up so badly that the should not be entrusted with high office again, this could actually be a redemptive moment for the church. We could set up proper safeguards, work with victims, and get on with the work of the Gospel. As it is, we've got bishops no better than pimps who are still in office, and we're supposed to think this is an outfit that cares about anything but its own power?
It's a good thing Jesus rose from the dead. Otherwise, he turn over in his grave.
Dear Chris, i agree with the
Dear Chris,
i agree with the gist of what you say but see a major problem. Cardinal Ratizinger was one of the major world wide enablers and would in fact need to resign as Pope Benedict if this were to occur. It would also necessitate several other highly placed Roman Cardinals and Bishops out. With his closing of the meetings with the Irish prelates, it is clear that Benedict is in a self protective mode. Some one said he is trying to save the head of the body at the expense of all the other vital organs and it will not work. Unfortunately, this only points to further implosion of our institution at the leadership level.
Bishop Dennis Brennan of
Bishop Dennis Brennan of Ferns said "that he was struck by how pained the pope is by the issue." Really? The good bishop is surprised by the pope's reactions to a quarter century of evil and duplicity? How surprising, indeed, that the bishop would even have that thought. Or was he only thinking of saving his own sick self?
To the laity, this is like warm spit running down our faces. Pain, indeed!
The bishops did not make
The bishops did not make mistakes. By their sins of omission and comission they enabled predators in their perfidy and facilitated crimes against children.
From an article, "Irish Bishops Face the Music in Rome," (02/16/10) which appeared in The Guardian and may be found at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2010/feb/16/irish-bishops...
"There are two schools of thought about Pope Benedict and the child sex abuse that has disgraced the Roman Catholic church for decades. One view is that he connived in the ostrich-like policy of his predecessor, Pope John Paul II. The other is that he had no option but to go along with that policy (the Vatican being, after all, an absolute monarchy)."
Has nothing been learned from the history of the last century? Going along with such an heinous policy goes against everything the Church stands for.
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger most certainly did have an option other than going along with such a horrific policy.
He could have and probably should have resigned. He could have done it in writing and in detail. Did he not have the same level of moral outrage at what he must have known in his position as head of the Holy Office as he professes to have now?
No, following orders just doesn't excuse such a lack of moral outrage and indignation at the sexual, physical, psychological, and spiritual abuse of so many innocent children, young people and vulnerable adults around the world. As Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger he could have quoted from The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child to which the Holy See was an early signatory.
It would be well worth reading the entire Convention, which can be found at: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/crc.htm
It would be well to also read The Holy See and the Convention on the Rights of the Child: A Shadow Report, published in 2002 which may be found at:
http://cath4choice.org/topics/other/documents/2002rightsofthechildshadow...
While the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland has its own variation of child abuse perpetrated by clergy and religious, the underlying causes are much the same in Ireland as they are in the United States, Canada, Australia, Germany, along with other countries in Europe and Africa.
The problem was and really continues to be the unbridled abuse of power and authority by an episcopacy that put what was the good name of an institution before the well being of its most vulnerable members.
Until or unless Joesph Ratzinger now as Pope Benedict XVI acknowledges and addresses the governmental structures and policies that led to this terrible abuse of power by the bishops and other church authorities, there will be no amount of words of sympathy or shock that will assuage what those victim/survivors have suffered at the hands of abusers while others have suffered at what they have learned about the criminal and immoral actions of the episcopacy.
The cover-up of the physical, sexual, psychological and spiritual abuse of children did not happen in a vacuum in Ireland any more than than it happened in a vacuum in the United States, Canada or Australia.
The abuse happened. That's factual and cannot be disputed. In the United States, for example, it wasn't caused by the permissive attitude of the people in New England, it could not be dismissed as an American problem nor was not caused by the presence of homosexuals in the priesthood.
Rather the question should be what is wrong with the underlying governmental structures of the institutional Roman Catholic Church that apparently gave bishops license to act with such utter abandon of its most vulnerable members in countries worldwide?
What flaws in the fabric of the church contributed to the pattern of bishops actually enabling further abuse by transferring priests from place to place over many years while threatening and intimidating victims and their families?
What allowed this conspiracy, this collusion to happen in country after country?
There should be some outline for a plan of church reform and renewal included in the pope's expected pastoral letter to the People of God in Ireland and one that is not applicable simply to Ireland .
Such a letter from the pope will be read very carefully by people around the world who expected something more substantive than just the words of sympathy and concern they received when the pope visited their countries, especially the United States where not one bishop was removed from office or criminally prosecuted because of his part in covering up for abusive clerics and enabling their continued abuse over long periods of time.
The People of God expect much more than they have received thus far.
Sister Maureen Paul Turlish
Victims' Advocate
New Castle, Delaware, USA
maureenpaulturlish@yahoo.com
You have my support. It takes
You have my support. It takes courage to do what you are doing. The Holy Spirit is working through you to bring down the rot in the highest levels of the church. There is a folk saying: When a fish begins to rot it starts from the top down. The top here is the papacy and the entire hierarchical structure whose only aim is to retain its medieval imperial power.
I will believe that Pope
I will believe that Pope Benedict XVI is sincere when he sends Cardinal Bernard Law and other ignoble "shepherds" packing. Until then, his expressions of outrage are only words.
The wounds of abuse run deep
The wounds of abuse run deep and are very painful. It is good that they have been exposed and every soul who persisted till the Truth came out have done great work but now is the time to apply the salve and balm of prayer and gentle love to all.
Yes those guilty of cunning pedophilia must be incarcerated and do the time for their crime but there were those who trusted the word of the abuser and were misled and they have to live with the pain of that mistake and seek forgiveness of the victim but therealso have been religious falsely accused of abuse because money has become part of the equation and ambulance chasing lawyers have jumped in and people of frail mind through addiction have been covinced they have memories of abuse which they come to believe are true but are in fact a false memory. It is no coincidence that since the big cash payouts in some cases of genuine abuse there has been a big jump in cases and many are against priests long deceased
The Pope is doing all that he can to bring his bishops back to realising their role as leader and protector of their flocks is crucial and it will take time and prayer for things to turn around.
Every victim of abuse deserves the healing power of the annointing of the sick and if they cannot bring themselves to enter a catholic church to attend a healing service perhaps a catholic friend could offer to go with them or go themselves and ask for healing on their behalf.
Jesus is the great Healer. He can and will bring peace to their broken hearts and if they know their abuser or people who did not believe them show no remorse and appear to have eluded earthly justice they can be comforted by the knowledge that no amount of money ,diplomatic protection or clever lawyers will do them any good when they face Divine Justice for Jesus warned :Woe to those who scandalise my little ones"
As to how and why this evil flourished under our very noses and even priests who began as idealistic young men in the seminary or idealistic young nuns or laity who began life as devout catholics there is something to be learnt from a great saint
" It is impossible for a person who prays regularly to remain in serious sin; because the two are incompatible, one or the other will have to be given up.
St. Teresa of Avila
If we neglect the life of interior reflective prayer we too can be lured into sinful behaviour ,and sin no matter how hidden or concealed damages our own soul and like the riple of a pebble in a stream radiates and adds to the pain of this world.
How can Benedict blame the
How can Benedict blame the bishops for following his instruction? I guess he can, but he also must admit his own complicity!
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Some bishops repeatedly moved offending priests from parish to parish, ... This approach viewed pedophilia as an addiction, such as alcoholism which many ..... and retired Cardinal Desmond Connell – for not handing over information on .... and secular law, both ecclesiastical and civil authorities have implemented ...
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It was regarded as so secret that it came with instructions that bishops had to keep it ... clergy to the secular authorities and excommunicate them from the church. ... but not limited to, pedophilia) are serious enough to warrant the ..... There was a letter written by the then Cardinal Ratzinger that spells out ...
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If Ratinger thinks it is a
If Ratinger thinks it is a henious crime, why hasn't he turned the guilty over to civil authorities to be locked up in jail? Talk is cheap....Again.
It incredulous to me that
It incredulous to me that that the Catholic church does not see this as their problem. They still don't "get it" and I don't see that they ever will. How sad is this. They are killing my church.
We all wound the Mystical
We all wound the Mystical Body of Christ with our sinfulness.Abuse is sin at its ugliest.The victims know this only too well.Jesus warned us this day would come and there would be wolves in sheep's clothing.No one can kill Christ's Church She will endure till He returns in glory.
not with leadership like
not with leadership like this, "She" won't.
In the midst of all the
In the midst of all the natural horror and repugnance we feel at the abuses inflicted on innocent children and vulnerable adults by "wolves in sheep's clothing" that we have had wonderful pure faithful religious who have obeyed their vows and been faithful to Christ.
I read that SNAP said of the Church's response that it was not enough and missed the real issue which they said was" a centuries-old, deeply-rooted culture of self-serving secrecy perpetuated by a rigid, ancient, all-male monarchy" such a comment shows their deep anger has led them away from Christ's Mystical Body there is no earthly monarch the Pope is a servant of the Church the all male priesthood was Christ's choice at the Last Supper.
As to secrecy the Pope has acknowledged that there were terrible errors in the way people did not face uncomfortable truths but tried to bury them or make them go away the worldly human element in the Church overwhelmed the spiritual element and evil flourished.
Now is the time to unite in prayer and pennance for our wounded Church.
Perhaps your "prayer and
Perhaps your "prayer and pennance[sic]" might include refraining from accusing SNAP of being less a part of "Christ's Mystical Body" than yourself.
SNAP members are, by and large, cradle Catholics. And by and large they have paid a much higher price for that than you could possibly imagine in their bodies and their spirits.
How about giving up blaming and judging the victims for Lent?
I quoted SNAP"s public
I quoted SNAP"s public comment in relation to this matter and expresses my concern that their anger was leading them away from the Church. I do not judge or condemn any member of SNAP.
You can feel concern for your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ if you feel they are being led in a wrong direction.
The pain and horror of abuse is a terrible thing and I have the deepest sympathy for anyone who has experienced it or had a family member or friend who was abused.
It is my hope that all hurt souls will turn to Jesus, Mary and Joseph for healing and consolation and avail themselves of the sacrament for the sick to help them to heal.
"...not a problem of the
"...not a problem of the Catholic Church." ?????????????? What other denomination has experienced this in the same volume? Way to deflect and tap dance. Typical.
I can't wait to hear what the "undoing" will be. Five Our Fathers and Five Hail Marys and they'll call it a day.
Sorry, all this posturing makes me gag.
It is impossible for a person
It is impossible for a person who prays regularly to remain in serious sin; because the two are incompatible, one or the other will have to be given up.
-- St. Teresa of Avila
Oh, come on. Get real.
Oh, come on. Get real. Unless you consider that the prayerful posturing they do isn't really prayer. Then maybe, just maybe, you might be correct.
Or they give up the prayer part, because it's too hard on their psyches. Which to me is the more likely scenario.
I would never knock the power of prayer. But Rome sure does.
It appears the link to the
It appears the link to the final statement is broken or not valid. Can it be fixed, please?
Pope Benedict called the
Pope Benedict called the sexual abuse of innocent victims, not only serious sins but "heinous crimes. I would hope that he included bishop's "cover up"
part of those crimes and the fact that he and the previous pope had knowledge of these crimes long before their public revelation and that he made no apparent effort at the time to denounce and halt this disgusting behaviour, the Pope himself is directly implicated.
As a crime these actions of both pepetrators and enablers should be punished as crimes worthy of trial and punishment by legasl authoritiies (not only in
Ireland, but also in the U.S. and wherever else they took place.) To this date,it would seem that only some of the most notorius perpetrators have been tried and are now serving prison sentences. AND NO BISHOP HAS YET BEEN PROSECUTED AND RECEIVED PUNISHMENT BY THE CIVIL COURTS. Is this justice?
As far as serious sin is concerned that is something for God to decide and
render justice. It is between God and the sinner. Thankfully, the Church doesn't burn heretics and sinners in the 21st century
so who gets fired, and who
so who gets fired, and who goes to jail ?
No, Henry. WHO gets charge of
No, Henry. WHO gets charge of the basilica down the street from Boston Cardinal Law? And WHO gets the office across the hall from St. Louis Archbishop Burke?
Leaders who act decisively
Leaders who act decisively and in support of the vulnerable, protect human dignity. As usual the members of our episcopal over-class love the sound of the words issuing from their mouths and give no real consideration to the
situation they are being called to account for. This meeting in Rome accounts for nothing. Same old, same old, people. These hierarchs are parasites.
The meeting between the Holy
The meeting between the Holy Father and the bishops of Ireland predictably produced nothing of significance. The pope reaffirmed what he had already stated that the priestly sexual abuse was a "heinous crime" and a “grave sin." The statement of the pope-bishops referred to "errors of judgment and omissions" on the part of the bishops. If the statement had instead read that the bishops were guilty of covering up for abuser-priests and were also guilty of "heinous" crimes" and "grave sins," at least the bishops would have been forthright.
The bishops of Ireland as well as our bishops in the United States put the welfare of the church and its priests ahead of innocent children. Where were the consciences of these moral leaders? That should have been an obvious part of the statement. Like all good politicians, the bishops and pope employ euphemistic language. Start “calling a spade a spade.”
The bishops of Ireland can and should reach out compassionately to the survivors of abuse, but until each of them is willing to sack any predator priest, they will never regain the trust of the laity. Until they and the pope are also willing to take a hard look at the need of reformation in the church, we will see more people who stay within the church not listening to them and more leaving.
Ecclesia semper reformanda. The church renewed itself at Vatican II and renewal should continue not go backwards as many advocate today. The sexual abuse scandal has revealed how our leadership in the church is bankrupt. Until bishops start speaking their minds to the pope and within their conferences, we will continue to see people leaving the church or remaining and not taking the bishops seriously. The process for choosing bishops needs to change, since it leaves out the largest constituent within the church, the laity. Bishops should be chosen from the presbyterate of their diocese. Let’s stop the careerism of bishops moving up. The only exception I could see relates to small dioceses where the “pickings are slim.”
More apologies without any significant reformation create cynicism. Bishops can disagree respectfully to the pope. So can the laity with their bishops. Perhaps, we need to look to our Anglican/Episcopalian sisters and brothers whose leadership consists of laity and bishops. Until the clerical culture is dismantled, our church will continue to plod along with meaningless platitudes
When will someone finally
When will someone finally realize that not only the Irish Church has been wounded? ALL the faithful, throughout the world, have had their faith shaken by these predators. The Church may not witness true healing for centuries, if ever. It is way beyond the time for authentic transparency, for the wholeness of holiness, for the witness inherently demanded by the vocation to priesthood.
Penance? The victims have been and will continue, throughout their lives, to do penance for their trust in those who should be instruments of Christs healing and protection. The pain and suffering, of the betrayed, will not be diminished in a mere forty (40) days.
I leave with a few other questions. Why are NOT ALL of those (worldwide), involved in anyway whatsoever, subject to immediate Canonical and Civil penalties; why not automatic dismissal from priesthood, hierarchical office, etc.? Are these offenders not the same as the ones in our prisons, on public registration lists; are the enablers not as guilty as the enabled?
This seems to be once more a
This seems to be once more a case of "closing the stable door when the horse has already bolted". During their formative years, say 35 to 45 years ago, the sexual liberation age was coming in strongly. But priests - I being one of them and as far as I can recall - were never given the psychological information to be able to understand the great changes in society happening all around them, nor the "tools" to be able to counteract the sexually liberated environment, and thereby to live in it without being associated with it. They were inevitably caught in the net of the unremitting and in-your-face bombardment of sexuality rampant in the media - TV, magazines, radio, newspapers. Their defences were down, and sexuality had won the day.
The Bishops of Ireland, and worldwide also, were formed in seminaries dedicated to theology and pastoral studies, little attention being paid to the study of sociology and related subjects, and so they also were unformed to deal with the present crisis when it broke. Perhaps the accused priests were negligent in their own life of prayer, perhaps they lived lonely lives where spiritual accompaniment was lacking, sure, but above all they were unable to discern the signs of danger and how to act accordingly. The lords Bishop were caught napping, as has so often happened, and the blame must be laid squarely at their doorsteps. As Bob Dylan sang "The times they are a-changing", but the Bishops were not listening. Way to go.....
These crimes against their
These crimes against their own people, especially children, have undermined the foundation of the Catholic Church. The crimes cannot be undone. The criminal priests should be fired and excommunicated. The victims will carry the abuse the rest of their lives.
If sexual abuse is "a heinous
If sexual abuse is "a heinous crime and a grave sin", then how would you describe the actions of bishops and the last pope who tried to sweep those "heinous crimes and grave sins" under the rug?
Memento homo, quia pulvis es,
Memento homo, quia pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris.
Remember HIERARCHS, that you are DIRT, and to dirt you shall return!
Everyone in this picture should be on their knees in sack cloth and ashes in Vatican Square for Ash Wednesday!
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/17/world/europe/17pope.html
http://212.77.1.245/news_services/press/vis/dinamiche/a1_en.htm
The euphemisms for crime and
The euphemisms for crime and criminal behavior are appalling. "errors in judgement"? Unbelievable
"errors in judgement " was
"errors in judgement " was not applied to the crime of abuse or criminal behaviour but the failure to realise that transferring people to new places in the hope they had truly repented was an error and failing to be transparent with civil authorities and the family of the victims.
The same thing happened in secular institutes with large populations such as hospitals, univerities and colleges.Society was slow to wake up to the sheer cunning of pedophiles and the growing tide of sexual permissiveness and mockery of the ideal of chastity has not helped either.
Nuncio to Ireland refuses to
Nuncio to Ireland refuses to testify.
1) WHAT did he know?
2) WHEN did he know it?
3) WHO ordered him to stonewall the authorities?
www.smh.com.au/.../anger-as-papal-nuncio-refuses-to-testify-on-child-abu...
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/1130/1224259709328.html
http://bangortobobbio.blogspot.com/2009/12/apology-of-papal-nuncio-to-ir...
....and where does Cardinal
....and where does Cardinal Law stand in all of this? ....I wonder?
Pope DOES
Pope DOES nothing...again...as usual.
Just what the hell has Joseph Ratzinger been doing since 2001?
cf. http://en.allexperts.com/e/p/po/pope_benedict_xvi.htm
"Response to sex abuse scandal
As Cardinal Ratzinger was Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), the sexual abuse of minors by priests was his responsibility to investigate from 2001, when that charge was given to the CDF by Pope John Paul II. Jamie Doward, "The Pope, the letter and the child sex claim," The Guardian, April 24 2005. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2005/apr/24/children.childprotection1
As part of the implementation of the norms enacted and promulgated Sacramentorum sanctitatis tutela, The Vatican, April 30 2001. on April 30 2001 by Pope John Paul II, on May 18, 2001 Ratzinger sent a letter Epistula ad totius Catholicae Ecclesiae Episcopos aliosque Ordinarios et Hierarchas interesse habentes de delictis gravioribus eidem Congregationi pro Doctrina Fidei reservatis, The Vatican, May 18 2001. to every bishop in the Catholic Church reminding them of the strict penalties facing those who revealed confidential details concerning enquiries into allegations against priests of certain grave ecclesiastical crimes, including sexual abuse, which were reserved to the jurisdiction of the Congregation. The letter extended the prescription or statute of limitations for these crimes to ten years. However, when the crime is sexual abuse of a minor, the "prescription begins to run from the day on that which the minor completes the eighteenth year of age." www.bishop-accountability.org Unofficial translation of Sacramentorum sanctitatis tutela by the USCCB and a translation of the Norms by Gregory Ingels, both revised by Joseph R. Punderson and Charles J. Scicluna. The new norms (like the American norms) consider a minor to be anyone under the age of 18—a wider definition than in the Code of Canon Law, where minors are below the age of 16. Lawyers acting for two alleged victims of abuse in Texas claim that by sending the letter the cardinal conspired to obstruct justice. Jamie Doward, "Pope 'obstructed' sex abuse inquiry," The Guardian, April 24 2005. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2005/apr/24/children.childprotection The letter did not, in fact, discourage victims from reporting the abuse itself to the police; the secrecy related rather to the internal investigation of the alleged crime, forbidding all parties to divulge what took place during the Church trial. The Catholic News Service reported that "the letter said the new norms reflected the CDF's traditional "exclusive competence" regarding delicta graviora—Latin for "graver offenses". According to Canon Law experts in Rome, reserving cases of clerical sexual abuse of minors to the CDF is something new. In past eras, some serious crimes by priests against sexual morality, including pedophilia, were handled by that congregation or its predecessor, the Holy Office, but this has not been true in recent years." "Signs of the Times: Doctrinal Congregation Takes Over Priestly Pedophilia Cases", Catholic News Service, December 17 2001. The promulgation of the norms by Pope John Paul II and the subsequent letter by the then Prefect of the CDF were published in 2001 in Acta Apostolicae Sedis Acta Apostolicae Sedis 93 (2001): 737–39, 785–88. which is the Holy See's official journal, in accordance with the Code of Canon Law Code of Canon Law: Canon 8, §1, The Vatican., and is disseminated monthly to thousands of libraries and offices around the world. CanonLaw.info, April 29 2005 update to Much Ado About Nothing by Dr Edward Peters, JCD, JD
In 2002, Ratzinger told the Catholic News Service that "less than one percent of priests are guilty of acts of this type." "Cardinal Ratzinger ... Sees Agenda Behind the Reporting in U.S.," Zenit News Agency, December 3 2002. Opponents saw this as ignoring the crimes of those who committed the abuse; others saw it as merely pointing out that this should not taint other priests who live respectable lives. Vatican Transcript of Meditation on the Ninth Station of the Cross, The Vatican. See note 8 above. Ratzinger's Good Friday reflections in 2005 were interpreted as strongly condemning and regretting the abuse scandals, which largely put to rest the speculation of indifference. Shortly after his election, he told Francis Cardinal George, the Archbishop of Chicago, that he would attend to the matter. See note 8 above."
So is the coverup by the
So is the coverup by the Vatican
The 'errors and ommisssions'
The 'errors and ommisssions' are the worst part of the scandal; and the similarity if responses by the hierarchy in several countries is a strong indication that there was coordination and complicity from the highest level of the Vatican during several papacies.
The 'failure of leadership' is not confied to the Irish hierarcy, but includes, at least, the US hierarchy and the Vatican itself. This is a problem of the Church. It will continue to be until such people as Cardinal Law are held accountable.
The tone of the meeting seems
The tone of the meeting seems to have been repentance and a commitment on the part of the bishops to ammend their sinful ways. That is as it should be. Their perfidy is the real scandal; the betrayed the trust of the laity and turned their back on the very ones they are pledged to protect, the widows, orphans and the poor. The vulnerable souls scandalized by their behavior must weigh heavily upon their consciences; many of them will leave the Church. May the Lord have mercy upon them.
Mercy is one thing: Justice
Mercy is one thing: Justice is another and is critically needed in this instance. There is always "repentance" and "commitment to amend sinful ways" on the part of those who are found out and exposed before their nation and the world. The justice that needs to happen should be from the Pope. He applies the term "heinous" to the priests. These were sick men, unable to help themselves. Were their bishops also so sick that they could not make decisions to remove these priests from their parishes? Is not what the bishops did also "heinous?"
Repentance and the resolve to amend their sinful ways are NOT ENOUGH! The bishops should be dismissed -- and NOT transferred to Rome and given a cushy, high-paying job. The Pope has already 'rewarded' bishops and cardinals from the US in this way. Is it, as someone has suggested, that the Pope cannot dismiss these and other bishops and cardinals because they were following orders from either John Paul or Benedict himself?
I hope that the Holy Spirit cleans up the mess in the Vatican FAST!
feb. 16, 2010 Imagine!!! a
feb. 16, 2010
Imagine!!! a whole 5 minutes to address sexual abuse from 1975 to 2004 and apparently 0 minutes devoted to what they did since 2004.
Why is Benedict calling the
Why is Benedict calling the spade a spade now and not while he was in CDF?
Great to have the moral high ground as headman!
After all he left Marcel alone till he became Pope!
Dump on another part of the church might distract us all from past failure to act!
Doesn't the Holy Father
Doesn't the Holy Father realize that by admitting married men as clergy he will be raising the quality of men admitted to seminaries. Currently, because of the serious shortage of priests, seminaries will accept almost any man who fills out an application, as long as he is unmarried. This places the emphasis on dioceses' need for numbers, as opposed to their first priority: choosing psychologically and spiritually suitable candidates. Apparently, Pope Benedict doesn't appear to be connecting the dots.
Who stands to be the biggest loser?
The laity being served by these priests, of course.
Who stands to be the biggest winner?
The bishops always win.
If “priestly sex abuse” is a “heinous crime,” what do you call “bishops” for allowing the ‘heinous crime’ of the priests to continue?
“Heinous Bishop Laity Abuse?”
"Priestly" sex abuse is
"Priestly" sex abuse is definitely a misnomer. There is nothing "priestly" about sex abuse or any other heinous crime. Would you use the term "Priestly murders" to title an article?
Can anyone tell me if the
Can anyone tell me if the following is true? When Benedict XVI was head of the CDF he instructed bishops to deal with abuse cases themselves, while instructing them not to involve the police.
If you know of the reference, please post it.
Because if this is true, then it seems to me that the Pope is fundamentally implicated in this crime.
Here it is Jane. De Delictis
Here it is Jane.
De Delictis Gravioribus: May 18, 2001.
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/resources/resource-files/churchdocs...
Along with two rather ANGRY interpretations that were made well BEFORE Ireland and Germany:
http://www.traditioninaction.org/religious/m016rpBenedictAbuseCrisis.html
http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/vatican/esp_vatican40.htm
Everytime these events are
Everytime these events are reported the Pope is said to be disgusted and wounded and calls, quite rightly, for repentence and aid to the victims. Now is the time to stop throwing their hands in the air and commission an in depth research (which could be done by any number of Universities)and discover what are the variables giving rise to sexual and other abuse by priests and religious; there is little doubt that one of these variables is celibacy and so I am quite sure no such research will be undertaken; refusal to face this fact is the ultimate sin of the Pope and Bishops.
All I can say is that when
All I can say is that when Judge Anne Burke got done dealing with the American Bishops several years ago, in that "heady" time when people actually thought they would do something concrete, she was totally disgusted with them, and pretty much concluded they hadn't learned a thing and weren't going to change.
So I don't think that another commission to study stuff is going to do anything either.
The day Rome decides to properly vet and accept all who have a valid vocation to the priesthood (including women) will be a dancing day for me. Unfortunately, I'll probably be dead by then. Right now all they want are guys who speak the party line, i.e. get rid of Vatican II and get back to the good old days when we were supreme beings on earth, with Latin.
I have no more patience for these idiots.
Everytime these events are
Everytime these events are reported the Pope is said to be disgusted and wounded and calls, quite rightly, for repentence and aid to the victims. Now is the time to stop throwing their hands in the air and commission an in depth research (which could be done by any number of Universities)and discover what are the variables giving rise to sexual and other abuse by priests and religious; there is little doubt that one of these variables is celibacy and so I am quite sure no such research will be undertaken; refusal to face this fact is the ultimate sin of the Pope and Bishops.
Not only has it shaken the
Not only has it shaken the faith of Irish Catholics -these terrible events world wide have deeply upset the faith of many including me. The church has been so dogmatic about sexual sins - contraception, sex outside marriage and homosexuality that it has seemingly ignored the rottenness at its own core. How can bishops speak with any conviction to the rest of the church when so many of them have been covering up these horrors of abuse?
It is supposed to the Holy Catholic Church, the Bride of Christ - but there is now deep distrust and suspicion that its Holiness has been so damaged that it will take generations before trust can be restored.
Sadly the many noble and caring people who try against might odds to preach the Gospel and to put true charity to work have been badly let down by these happenings. We cannot begin to realise the horrors that the victims have been through. Whatever prayer is left in us must be to hope that God will heal them.
We are in an extremely
We are in an extremely difficult time for the Church. The fact that the Pope and some of the Irish (and most of the American Bishops) are not owning up to their lack of action in this scandal has expanded this crisis. If the Pope can not admit to his own knowledge of this problem and inaction while he served as Cardinal Ratzinger, then HE SHOULD RESIGN NOW. This is a crisis created by very poor leadership beginning at the Top. They can not solve this crisis without more clarity and forthrightness of leadership.
"The Vatican said the pope also had expressed hope that the Vatican summit would help the bishops unify and "speak with one voice" as they identify concrete steps to bring healing to those who have been abused and restore the church's moral credibility." This sounds more like further subterfuge than any attempt to work for a solution to this problem. They should speak with as many voices as it takes to get truth and then many Bishops all over the world must resign. To speak with one voice can only take place when the Bishops have repaired lost respect for their leadership.
"Father Lombardi said he thought one of the most significant outcomes was the public recognition that there had been a failure "in leadership, in the governance of the church" in dealing with the sex abuse cases." There was no indication that the Pope and the Irish Bishops are taking solid steps to deal with this crisis of failed leadership.
"But even as the Vatican meeting wound down, a new controversy was erupting in Ireland over the refusal of the apostolic nuncio to the country, Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza, to appear before a parliamentary foreign affairs committee. One member of the committee called the archbishop's decision regrettable and incomprehensible." This is more than regrettable, It is indefensible! What does the Vatican have to hide?
"The cardinal also said the bishops would take advantage of Lent to do penance, because "we must begin with ourselves." The only acceptable penance is resignations of all the Bishops involved in this criminal and sinful coverup. Some should even go to jail, not only in Ireland but in the United States and perhaps in the Vatican itself.
"Bishop Joseph Duffy of Clogher said that until now the Irish church had been marked by "a culture of secrecy and confidentiality" that the bishops would now work to overcome." It is not just the Irish Church that has been marked by a culture of secrecy and confidentiality, and also the use Mental Reservations as an excuse for perpetrating lies, but it is especially the Roman Church beginning in the Vatican that must really "throw open the windows" of truth. This must change. We must not trust this leadership with this type of closed attitude and we will not contribute our resources of time and money to Bishops that have covered up these crimes and that begins with Benedict, himself.
The evil begins with the leadership not the purely sinful priests. The real evil is in the cover up!
May we gain Institutional grace through clarity and needed resignations!
R. Dennis Porch, MD
"...the Vatican said in a
"...the Vatican said in a statement Feb. 16 that "errors of judgment and omissions" were at the heart of the crisis."
Wrong again, gentlemen. The heart of the crisis lies in ignorance, lack of a full and humane education. The inability to sit down with kids, families, nuns, priests and others concerned, to discuss openly and frankly, anatomically and vernacularly, what the body is, what sex is, what it is not, what's good about it and what can go wrong... this is the heart of the crisis.
As long as this business is conducted behind closed doors instead of in the agora, with all participants present, hearing and speaking the unpleasant truth, there is no hope.
No parent would ever make
No parent would ever make these kind of 'errors in judgement' nor would they have to take more than a nanosecond to reach the right conclusion.
Have all the bishops involved
Have all the bishops involved in coverups, being Irish or otherwise, gone to confession? The Irish meeting with the pope might have done so with the pope as their confessor.
Bishop Martin Drennan of
Bishop Martin Drennan of Galway and Kilmacduagh was NOT criticized in the Murphy report.
Anonymous is correct. Bishop
Anonymous is correct. Bishop Martin Drennan was NOT criticized in the Murphy Report. Get the story straight. The author has obviously not read the Murphy Report. This is disgraceful coming from a publication of the American Bishops.
"Father Lombardi said he
"Father Lombardi said he thought one of the most significant outcomes was the public recognition that there had been a failure "in leadership, in the governance of the church" in dealing with the sex abuse cases." So what is going to be done about it? I withhold my trust for the bishops or hierarchy in matters of faith and morals because they have yet to show me that they are willing to hold 'one of their own' accountable for anything...accepting the resignation of ONE bishop is not good enough....especially with Cardinal Law operating in a role of leadership.
Let me say this, WHAT A BUNCH
Let me say this, WHAT A BUNCH OF BALONEY. and to think that we Catholics paid for this session of, same ole...same ole... story. Words, excuses, but absolutely NOTHING MORE. this was the best opportunity for the Pope to do the right thing and he blew it. Will there be a storm of upset Catholics? Will Catholics accept this type of fluffing off of the biggest scandal the church has had in a hundred years? I don't think so. My suggestion to every bishop involved in the sexual abuse cover-up, Be creful, God is watching you and looking forword to his session with you.
Now, if the same standards
Now, if the same standards were also to be applied to the American bishops, I'd be much happier!
Let me see, abortion is
Let me see, abortion is considered an "heinous" crime for which the sentence is excumunication. These bishops don't even lose their jobs for their "heinous" crime! I think that the people in Ireland have for the most part already left the church. Someone, please tell me how many semineians are in Ireland today.
Let me see, abortion is
Let me see, abortion is considered an "heinous" crime for which the sentence is excumunication. These bishops don't even lose their jobs for their "heinous" crime! I think that the people in Ireland have for the most part already left the church. Someone, please tell me how many semineians are in Ireland today.
The Vatican has, reluctantly
The Vatican has, reluctantly and slowly, admitted wrongdoing on the part of some priests. I still do not believe they understand that the laity is equally outraged by the behavior of certain bishops who chose pedophiles and the institutional church over the laity and thier children. Until that issue is honestly addressed there will be no healing, trust, or faith that the institutional church is anything but corrupt.
Did the Vatican handle this
Did the Vatican handle this issue so well, when this all hit the fan? I think not. Now Ireland is under fire. When quilty bischops were move to Rome after being "caught" does not leave me with a very good feeling for our leadership. For Rome ? for whomever is running the business at hand. Now the big concern is making changes dating back to before Vatican 1. Get serious about what Jesus has in mind not what you do.
So, if it's so "heinous", why
So, if it's so "heinous", why is the Pope glorifying Cardinal Law, who knowingly kept moving all those criminals around in Boston for years? Why is he refusing to return him to the United States to speak with the Authorities? Although the Cardinal may not have directly perpetrated any crimes against young children himself, he did "enable" the criminals, and what needs to be determined is when, and for how long, he covered up their crimes, and thereby caused more and more children's and families' lives to be affected.
Keeping Law in Rome, while speaking about the horror of clergy child abuse, is causing grave scandal in itself. Until this issue is resolved properly and responsibly, (isn't it called "a firm purpose of amendment?") all these words ring a bit hollow here in the United States, despite his best intentions. There is a civil accountability for crime, and those who knowingly cover up crime are also breaking the law.
Interesting that the mind set
Interesting that the mind set is still the same. A Pastoral Letter to the people of Ireland will make all this go away! A great opportunity missed--again--by Benedict in not going to or including Ireland in his Papal visit. Also there is no mention of any action taken against the perpetrators of the abuse--priests. More of the "same ole, same ole"
The Apostolic Nuncio refuses
The Apostolic Nuncio refuses to testify. Above the law. It is long over due that NO Vatican diplomat, nor ANY diplomat from any country should be able to receive diplomatic immunity from testifying or being charged in a crime. This is outrageous and unacceptable that these criminals can just walk away. Ratzinger should be the first person to push for these changes but he will not. He has a vested interest in protecting his own criminals. Hollow words and more of the same spin only make matters much worse.
When will the papal nuncio in
When will the papal nuncio in Ireland be charged with contempt, arrested and prosecuted? Didn't Papa Ratzi just exhort the Irish bishops to correct the grave injustices they have caused?
I am confused by this story.
I am confused by this story. Wasn't it this current Pope who was in charge at the time of sending instructions to the Bishops on how to handle the erupting scandal. Wasn't he the one who advised just moving priests around?
"Errors of judgment and
"Errors of judgment and omissions" -- what a horribly inept bottom line. Errors of judgment and omissions is what one does when one makes a mistake on income taxes, not what one does when dealing with the commission of and cover-up of rape and felony child abuse.
The last time I was in Ireland, nobody was at Sunday Mass except the very, very old and a few young couples with babes in arms. Trust in the clergy was totally eroded even before these revelations were published; they're not news. The only way to even begin the restoration of credibility in Ireland (and the U.S.) is to get rid of each and every clergyman involved from top to bottom, and to do it immediately. They must not be reassigned under any circumstances -- no transfers to the Curia or to leadership positions in other countries, like Criminal Bernard Law. If that means that what remains of the Irish church is led by the laity, so be it.
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