Pope to meet top German bishop to address abuse

Allegations! It is good to see the other Ratzinger proclaim the family excuse, these allegations are by those who are against the Church. I think it is fair to say the abused hold a grudge against the organization handed them to their abusers and then protected the pedophiles. Hold on to your seat and wait for the vatican's statement that sexual abuse is a bad thing. Can a pedophile recieve communion, has the Church ever excommunicated one?

"Enough. We must seriously clean up our church," Germany's Cardinal Walter Kasper told the Rome daily La Repubblica. "The guilty must be condemned and the victims compensated."

There is much "housecleaning" to be done.

If Pope Benedict does not do something besides talk about it perhaps it is time to bring the Holy See before the United Nations on charges of crimes against humanity because this is the reality.

Wasn't the Holy See an early signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child?

Sister Maureen Paul Turlish
Victims' Advocate
New Castle, Delaware

maureenpaulturlish@yahoo.com
www.childvictimsvoice.com

http://ncronline.org/news/accountability/popes-empty-words-ireland

http://natcath.org/NCR_Online/archives2/2005d/102805/102805x.htm

http://www.nsacoalition.org/2009/05/21/opinion-sister-maureen-turlish/

http://www.votfgp.org/ltr04202009.pdf

Sorry, Monsignor.
"In addition, church officials in Regensburg confirmed March 5 that a former member of the boys choir there -- which was directed for 30 years by the pope's own brother, Msgr. Georg Ratzinger -- had filed his own allegation of abuse. Ratzinger said he was unaware of any history of abuse, but that he would be willing to testify to prosecutors."
I have worked with children (of both sexes) for more than 30 years, and if one of my kids were being MOLESTED, I would know it. Do you expect us to believe that you -or your brother- are really that ignorant?

Why in the world is the Vatican investigating American religious. Pope Benedict XVI and Cardinal Rode should send Mother Millea to Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, and elsewhere to investigate Roman Catholic Bishops and priests on the topic of priestly - and sometimes "bishoply" -- sexual abuse, doctrinal correctness, and ecclesiastical cover-up. And the Vatican should pay for her travel and all expenses!

I would think it safe to say this has happened in every country...we are still awaiting the heartfelt & sincere apologies from pope, country-wide bishops' organizations, and the individual bishops who aided & abetted...how long must we wait for these apologies & see real action/penance on the part of those who let this happen??

As lay people we need to insist that this will never occur on this scale every again...in fact, that the hiding and moving abusers like chess pieces never happens...it is obvious that the hierarchy isn't all that serious about this, so it is up to us...

The pope & bishops might learn something from studying the recent apology by the Australian government to its aboriginal peoples.

So, Msgr Ratzinger believes that certain claims have been made with the intention to speak against the Church. Hmmm....

I think there needs to be clarification. Most people do not wish to speak against the Church - the body of Christ; its people and its mission. What they are speaking against is the self serving hierarchy.

Secondly, no one has to do much speaking against the hierarchy either. They are doing a good enough job of trashing their own credibility.

Does anyone else find it odd that it is only after the German Church is affected that this issue is being treated as a global issue? When the abuse scandal burst upon the scene in the US, Rome was quick to claim it was an American problem only. Despite their claim, me thinks they knew better even decades before then.

Perhaps having to deal with clerical sexual abuse of minors in the Pope's own backyard will force a more universal and comprehensive approach as Bishop Kasper suggested. I'm not at all surprised that the sexual abuse of children is a world wide problem within the Roman Catholic Church since sexual abuse of children takes place on a global scale in society at large. However, remarks like the one that was stated in the last sentence of this article about "a certain animosity towards the church, and I see behind certain claims the intention to speak against the church" is not at all helpful. There is animosity towards the church for the way it has tried to cover up this abuse and people have more than a right, actually a duty to speak against the behavior of the church hierarchy. Perhaps Msgr. Ratzinger needs to realize that the people are not speaking against THE CHURCH (the People of God) but against those in power in the institutional church which by their bad behavior does damage to THE CHURCH. Having said all that, the focus should remain on finding the appropriate way the institutional church can make ammends to those people who as children were severely impacted and traumatized by this sexual abuse.

And who is the Vatican investigating? American nuns! Go figure.

Here we go again, be ready for the shield of there is anti-catholic persons who want to inflate the issue. As usual the hype goes on and the abuse of children and the young continues unabated. It will never end as nothing changes in a Church that values celibacy more than the children it is supposed to protect. It is time for us to take back the Church from these prelates who are so demented and inept. Nothing will change as long as Pope Benedict and the Curia put walls of lies and half truths. The abuse of children and the young boy and girls goes on as they cover it up again. It is time for Bishops and Cardinals to go to jail for their complicity in this ongoing cover up; it also is a crime.

Heinous Crime? If the Pope really believe that these sexual abuses committed by priests and bishops are really heinous crimes, is he willing to command that these people(victimizers) to be prosecuted? Is he willing to provide all resources to the victims-including the best lawyers to prosecute the perpetrators- to give them justice and redress? Is he willing to do everything to make sure all these perpetrators end up in jail?. Now is the time for the POPE to show the community of faithful and the victims what is the real meaning of JUSTICE. Heinous criminals end up in jail.

It is so sad to note that the details of reports of child sexual abuse regularly include "the church leadership has been accused of protecting priests rather than children," and individual bishops (not associated directly with the abuse) proclaim that "the church must take responsibility." However, this detail just as regularly is absent from official church response, particularly at the level of a national conference or the Vatican. Meanwhile, the church's credibility and the faithful's faith and allegiance continues to erode...

Ho- hum! Here we go again! Cleaning up the church by prosecution and retribution is not enough. The whole issue of priesthood, celibacy, and human sexuality in general, needs to be addressed and reformed. Abuse is what happens when something natural, and sacred, is repressed and ignored. The turning point has arrived. It's time for the church to evolve accordingly or risk becoming totally irelevant and incredible for many and for our times.

When are the pope and the yes men surrounding him going to recognize that absolute authority, a culture of secrecy, the survival instinct of the clerical caste and the lack of accountability on the part of the clergy toward the people of God are the root cause of the many types of abuse prevailing in the church? Under this totalitarian regime, there is no room in the church for due process, freedom of speech, intellectual freedom, equal rights for women, or respect for those of other than straight sexual orientation.
Those who hold the reins of power pay lip service to the principle of subsidiarity, but fail to honor it in the daily business of the organizational church. The history of the Chuurch since Trent (with the exception of Vatican II) is one of fear, centralization of power, lack of trust in the people of God and the Holy Spirit, and the absence of accountablity for the conduct of church leaders. This is not the message of the freedom of the sons (and daughters) of God preached by St.Paul.

U.S.,Ireland, Germany, Netherlands... Where else???
This is a clear confirmation that there IS a SYSTEMIC problem and CAUSE for this state of affairs. WHEN will the "Vaticrats" admit their complicity in the secrecy problem and subject themselves to civil penalties? Enough!!'

Pax. Aristophilos

In a press release today by the Holy See's Director fr. Federico Lombardi SJ "concerning cases of the sexual abuse of minors in ecclesiastical institutions," Lombardi parrots the Holy See's historical response to the church's widening problems of sexual abuse, particularly of minor children.

http://212.77.1.245/news_services/press/vis/dinamiche/a0_en.htm

The response continues to be re-active rather than pro-active while minimizing the systemic and endemic abuse of power and authority which has enabled and exacerbated it on the one hand while covering it up whenever and wherever possible on the other.

The "wide-ranging context" is that in countries from the United States, Canada, Australia and Ireland to Austria, the Netherlands and Germany church authorities have repeatedly and consistently disregarded its own moral and Canon laws as well as the existing laws of the countries' in which these horrific crimes against humanity occurred.

When are people of good will going to say, Enough!

When are the leaders and legislators going to change the laws so that justice can be pursued for the thousands upon thousands of victims of childhood sexual abuse who have been unable to access let alone obtain justice up to now.

The state of Delaware in the United States is one of a very few states in the U.S. which has removed all criminal and civil statutes of limitation in regard to the sexual abuse of children - by anyone. It also legislated a two year civil window for previously time barred cases, again, by anyone. That window closed in July of 2009.

If Delaware can do it other states and other countries should be able to do it and hold sexual predators and any enabling institutions responsible, especially those institutions which chose to ignore their own internal laws.

I was privileged to testify before the Senate and House Judiciary Committees in support of the 2007 Child Victims Law in Delaware.

No rules and no laws of any religious organization or denomination should be allowed to trump the laws of a civilized society where the protection of children is concerned.

The Roman Catholic Church should be held to the highest standard as a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, a Convention that by any objective standard it has grossly violated for decades.

Is it time to formalize those violations?

Sister Maureen Paul Turlish
Victims' Advocate
New Castle, Delaware, USA
maureenpaulturlish@yahoo.com

Pope seems to be rather busy doing damage control. LOL

While the sexual abuse of minors is NOT limited to the Roman Catholic Church or any specific religious or secular institution, it becomes most alarming in the context of religious care and instruction of youth.

One of the most reprehensible factors that relates to such license with the vulnerable is the media's fixation on paraphilic behaviors as entertainment in film, television, music and now the latest technology, the i-phone with its uncontrolled communication of offensive materials.

Specifically, the Roman Catholic Administration must evaluate, within the context of professional resources, the issue of celibacy as it factors in the behaviors of celibate men trying to meet natural needs for intimacy complicated by underdeveloped social and emotional skills and a sense of powerlessness.

Again and again and again. It won't stop. It will go on. It will be condemned but it will be hidden. What else does the church hide? There's so much we Catholics don't know about the real inside church. Who are the wheelers and dealers, the insiders who've known all along about the abuse? Plenty (most bishops) would say it is none of our business. Only when finances get involved do the bishops get involved. It took blackmail in Austria; what will it take in Germany. Finally our Pope was a German bishop once--what did he know and when did he know it?

Same song; way too many verses.

Of course, much pablum about this meeting will be regurgitated for the pew potatoes: weakening of faith, lack of episcopal courage, blah blah blah.

Will mitred heads roll? Festering inbread chanceries swept clean? Organizational structures changes? Yeah, sure. I have a bridge to sell you cheaply.

A first Vatican step should be to rescind the spin they put out i.e. 'clerical abuse is an English disease'.. then apologize to Americans, Canadians, Irish, English, Australians, So Africans, Nwe Zealanders all who have a tradition of English common law needed to uncover clerical abuse.

I could only hope that people over the age of 65 would remember the climate during their growing up years. Discipline was strong and often physical not just in the schools but in our homes as well. There was minimal chance that a sexual abuse situation even got to the parents' ears. I am sure there were some families where such a thing would be believed but I consider those families rare.

We must keep these problems in context as to the lack of reporting to the police. Trust me, people were not even reporting in the early 1980s.

From my perspective, get the abuser, help the abused w/therapy, but don't blame all the people who were not reporting it to the police. That seems like double indemnity to me. Will all families with situations of incest receive monetary compensation from their families? Not likely. Money is not the issue. Destroying the church is also not the goal, I would hope. Healing is desperately needed.

Regarding Cardinal Kasper's suggestion:

The Cardinal calls for "...a more general analysis..." in connection with the widespread scandal of sexual abuse in the Church. The question is whether the Vatican is willing to do it. It is clear that the problem, indeed the crisis in the Church goes beyond and much deeper than sexual abuse and its cover-up.

If I were Archbishop Robert Zollitsch of Freiburg, I'd ask the Pope why he did not expect this scandal to happen when he instructed me, back in his CDF days, not to report these crimes to secular authorities! Somehow, I cannot believe that Cardinal Ratzinger was a Pollyanna!

But then, what does an ignorant and gullible pew warmer like me know, anyhow?

Joseph Ratzinger, aka Papa Ratzi, is himself responsible for the abuse as he continuously covered it up as Prefect for the Congregation of the Faith.

Now the sex scandal is rocking Holland or The Netherlands:

http://www.la-croix.com/afp.static/pages/100309172539.0g9zr5f3.htm

Joe Ratzinger's meeting with German bishops will amount to zero. He has already shown us that he is part of the problem of denial, cover-up and containment. Ratzinger hasn't a clue about what he, as Bishop of Rome should be addressing in regards to the Church hierarchy's blame for mishandling the entire sexual abuse of children crimes by clergy and bishops. Shame, shame, shame on Benedict!

TO: Vatican Curia

Let's see now--Ireland, Germnay, Italy, Spain. Are you ready, to admit that it is not solely a problem of the American church as you have previously claimed, but a universal problem poisoning the entire Church?

Speak up!!! Come out from behind your cardinal red robes and admit the truth!

Some legal authorities are needed to not only probe, but to prosecute and do so before Rome calls high level offenders to Rome before prosecution can be accomplished. Remember,Cardinal Bernard Law? He did such a good job of protecting the image of the Roman Church that he was promoted after having been "called" to Rome.

Let us all pray for Pope Benedict XVI and the Catholic Church.

This is obviously now a Church-wide institutional problem so the times require an "institution wide" analysis. What evil entered our Church and breath its evil life force into Christ's holy process of selecting and training priests? Whot tolerated this so glibly while children paid so terrible a price? Who looses his job in disgrace or has his career ended because of his complicitness? What will snuff it's life out forever?
So Angry....

There is a way out. All those members of the Catholic Church, females and males, who have defiled another human being should just stand up and say it. Atonement and reconciliation can not come without admission and contrition. It actually is not about MONEY-dollars, pounds, marks, francs, pesos are but a symbol of the reality. The Catholic Church has the means to transport all the fallen to Saint Peter's Square offer absolution for all participants, including those who KNEW, but chose not to speak out, thus failing to protect the innocent.

I see no other way out of this conundrum. The Catholic Church can not move beyond its secrets.

I agree fully with the "progressive" Kasper:
Kasper said that while the question of the pastoral letter was up to the pope, he felt that because "such a difficult problem has emerged not only in Ireland, but in Holland, Germany and the United States, perhaps it deserves a more general analysis that applies to the universal church and not just a single nation."

1. What are the bases of pedophilia in the human bowls, all over the world.
2. Why does it strike more certain cultures/countries
3. Is it really true that, all things equal, prie4sts were worse than other teachers or Scout leaders, as obviously pedophiliacs move to grounds (schools etc..) where the grass is greener.
4. Was the issue worst in the US because Lawyers made money and Churches had real estate, which is not the case everywhere.

And the truth shall set you free.

Well, I sure hope so. Perhaps this overflow of allegations is the work of the Holy Spirit, inspiring courage and a sense of justice among those who can point out the wrongs that have been done.

Even if it is a painful truth, may it set us free.

Amen.

Japanese say, "When something stinks put a lid on it." Vatican says, "When something stinks put a mitre on it."

From what I read, this did not all happen after Vatican 2. Just a thought.

So a lot of time and energy is spent changing the words in the mass.

So sad. I do agree that prayers are needed - for the church, meaning everyone - from the Pope to the innocent child in a pew. From sadness and anger can come reconciliation and a healed church.

What Will Pope Benedict Do? So far he has done nothing about instructing the Bushops world-wide to discipline all politicians who support abortion and homosexuality. Afterall, when Benedict was Prefect For The Congregation Of The Faith he claimed that the dissenting politicians were not to receive the "Holy Eucharist". What happened? These and the above situations only add more scandal to the Catholic church.

In my experience, the Church still adamantly protects its secrets and disregards hypocritically the mandate for "zero tolerance." Acting as a whistleblower in a situation where a Catholic religious order harbored a credibly accused, high-profile priest who'd been allowed to remain in ministry, I was treated indifferently at best by diocesan officials and aggressively manipulated by my parish pastor (who knew my story). No Catholic official has explained or made amends for the order's cover-up, though it cost me a job and entailed ostracism and/or vicious hostilities against me. I tried to believe in the good intentions of Church leaders through the whole ordeal, but time and again, they've been found severely wanting. Jesus Christ may be sincere, but Catholic clergymen often are not; they're out to maintain a facade. The whole Church needs to be brought to its knees in this sordid affair.

A familiar expression comes to mind: "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely." The heirarchy is more concerned with obtaining, securing, and maintaining power over people than with the mission of Jesus. As a result, it is corrupt. More countries will be added to the list of the "scandalized". Europe is only beginning to see the full problem in its backyard. Other parts of the world where democracy is newer or not present, will also find the scandal in their part of the church.

As long as bishops, cardinals, and popes are appointed for life rather than for defined terms, the problem will persist. Only when power has built in limits can the thirst for it be contained. Imagine a church where someone is appointed/elected to serve as bishop or pope for three to seven years and then returns to regular pastoral duties. We'd have a heirarchy in touch with the people rather than secure in a fortress! What a concept.

Pedophile crimes require legal action and criminal penalties, justice. The pope obstructs/obstructed justice, and hides crimes. The pope refuses to co-operate really and the crimes against children, youths and vulnerable adults will continue. In India, Africa too crimes will go on!

Criminal Prosecution is required of the priests/bishops/archbishops/cardinals/pope who allowed the abuses to continue. The crimes continue even today as new credible cases are continuously coming to light, including new cases of bishops' possessions of child pornography too.

Change the clerical structure. Ordain the MARRIED, Jesus chose many MARRIED Apostles, BOTH WOMEN and MEN Married Apostles were chosen by Jesus. MARRIED St. Peter, MARRIED WOMAN Apostle Junia , she who is called Outstanding, Foremost among the Apostles. "Celibate" male only is not the only criteria for priests! Bring the community balance of MARRIED and BOTH genders, male and female to the priesthood. Jesus did! Only then can health and safety be restored !

Saint Peter was Married for heaven's sake! How crass and untheological, and biblically ignorant the pope is to refuse married priests!

Ordain our home-grown MARRIED Roman Catholic men and women too and not just ex-Episcopals and ex-Anglicans who despise women or the 'gay'. How ridiculous of ex-Anglicans coming over as priests when they hate 'gays' as so many of our clergy are hidden homosexuals. How hypocritcal the pope is!

Ordain the married and both sexes so that balance and community can be in the hierarchy. Use all the gifts of the Holy Spirit, restore health to the Church, as it was in the beginning with married priests, and women too. Refuse to give money till this is done. Jesus knew what to do. Obey. from Bob

Another cover up being planned. Right before our unbelieving eyes!

And the usual diversions: these are only allegations, these are just an attack on the Church.

I ppreciate the anger, disappointment,rage of those who have written. However, the following statements, in my opinion, seem to be some of the most rational and compassionate.

"While the sexual abuse of minors is NOT limited to the Roman Catholic Church or any specific religious or secular institution, it becomes most alarming in the context of religious care and instruction of youth.

One of the most reprehensible factors that relates to such license with the vulnerable is the media's fixation on paraphilic behaviors as entertainment in film, television, music and now the latest technology, the i-phone with its uncontrolled communication of offensive materials. [Couldn't each of us do more to change this??]

Specifically, the Roman Catholic Administration must evaluate, within the context of professional resources, the issue of celibacy as it factors in the behaviors of celibate men trying to meet natural needs for intimacy complicated by underdeveloped social and emotional skills and a sense of powerlessness."

It's a cultural thing...well entrenched before 1950.

And B16 is doing his level-best to preserve and promote those ecclesial artifacts and cultural beliefs that have served over the centuries to elevate the ordained and subordinate the laity.

This may be one instance when God, indeed, is ready to help those who help themselves. Pew potatoes need to stop their tithing (= enabling) until their local bishops get back on the Vatican II track.

"Those who refuse to learn the lessons of history..."

Let's not forget that sexual abuse occurs across society. It is not limited to religious persons. Families keep many secrets themselves. This issue is systemic on a global level.

The problem will continue until the leadership of the Church embodies the morality of Jesus in practice or the people refuse to be quiet. If every time the Pope, the Cardinals, Archbishops and Bishops speak, they are shouted down with demands for reform, something will happen. If Catholics refuse to give money without a clear (legally binding) understanding of how it will be used, things will change. In other words, Catholics must stop acting like children and let papa know we have grown up and must be treated as adults. It is not a matter of asking any longer. It is a matter of our responsibility to the children of the past, the present and the future.

Anything less makes us complicit in the "heinous" crimes and with the ones who perpetrate them. It is clear that no real action will be taken by the Pope unless it is forced upon him. So either you believe God is happy with the lack of accountablity toward offenders and the Bishops who facilitated their cover up and transfer, or you take action. The Pope and his predecessors are guilty. They knew. If you say they did not understand, you declare them to be fools or morally bankrupt. They lacked the integrity, intelligence and will to take action. What about the rest of us?

Re Bp Joseph Ratzinger.....I think it's unfair to entirely blame Bp Ratzinger. He's a product of the institution himself. He's been "protected" from reality for so long; he's denied himself intimate human relationships; he's never been a parent; he's been looked after for decades. Most of the hierarchy haven't a clue about the real world. How very different to the apostles!

How can we have "heinous crimes" and yet there has been no punishment of "heinous criminals"!!

Apologies and sorrow are expressed, but there is real action taken to clean up the hierarchy.

It is too bad we cannot use impeachment in the Church. But I do like the idea of confronting the hierarchy in the United Nations forum!!

Go for it!

Of course celibacy is the root of the sexual abuse scandal. But the Church will never budge on this issue, why? Becuase a married priesthood is too expensive -- higher salaries, increased benefits, housing allowances, health insurance, cars, etc Moreover the hierarchy would loose control of its priests because they would have to deal with wives and wives are women --well usually.

Yes we can pray about this tragic and painful issue of sexual abuse and hopefully the Holy Spirit as a result of that prayer will lead us to take a good look at what healthy human sexuality is all about. I happen to believe that the Roman Catholic teaching on human sexuality for the most part is totally unhealthy whether it is about birth control, about women's ordination, about homosexuality and celibacy. It is obvious to me that it is a most uninformed position. I agree with the remarks made by a previous contributor (a doctor) as it relates to the psychological problems that result from celibacy. Perhaps if the laity makes an effort to educate itself about healthy human sexuality, they will not blindly follow the dictates of the institutional church as it relates to sexualty. I don't hold out a lot of hope that the all male clerical hierarchy will be open to taking a look at the issue of human sexuality. We need to be open and tolerant and educated/informed and come out of the dark ages as it relates to human sexuality and how it is used within the Roman Catholic church. As a lay person and mental health worker, I question what in the environment of the priesthood, attracts men who as priests sexually abuse minors ?

All Bishops of Rome, and other local bishops should be directly elected by lay people, clergy and fellow bishops. The only way we are going to bring this change is to stop giving these thieves our money. Take away the money and you bring them to their knees.

Papa Ratzi should abdicate and be prosecuted to the full extent of civil law.