The reason the Roman Catholic Church is settling multimillion-dollar lawsuits is not that a relatively small number of priests abused children — as unconscionable as that is. Rather, it is that key church leaders knew about the abuse and yet did little about it or, in cases in Wichita and now Philadelphia, aided the abuse by moving the sex offenders to new parishes, where they violated more children.
In the latest case, a grand jury determined that two cardinals in the Philadelphia Archdiocese concealed sexual abuse by more than 60 priests for four decades. According to the report released Wednesday:
"To protect themselves from negative publicity or expensive lawsuits — while keeping abusive priests active — the cardinals and their aides hid the priests’ crimes from parishioners, police and the general public. . . . Archdiocese leaders have endangered and harmed children in parishes and schools by keeping known abusers in ministry and transferring discovered abusers to assignments where parents and potential victims are unaware of the priests’ sexual behavior."
As usual, some church leaders went on the attack, accusing the messenger of Catholic-bashing. But it’s clear that, in these cases and others, those who were supposed to be shepherding their flocks were more concerned about protecting themselves and their institution.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
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80 Comments
An all-powerful patriarchy fused with a twisted repression of normal sexuality . . . how could it have any result other than child sex abuse?
Wow! A totally non-political subject. This is what the Internet was invented for.If the primary job criterion at Knight Ridder (sp) were celibacy your ranks would be heavily weighted with homosexuals. Your bosses would understand this and try to move/shield known molesters whenever possible. Of course your image would soon be as bad as the Catholics.
Oh, no. I agree with Galahad.
Didn’t Jesus say “Get behind me, Satan”. I’m now questioning Jesus’ sexuality. Maybe we shouldn’t care. Maybe we should base our decisions on the ability of the individual to carry out the job, not on our own insecurities about a group.
Galoahad is right…bound to happen Ask an former seminary candidate and they say the seminaries are up to their armpits in gays. Surprisingly, they also say that women throw themselves at seminary students trying to “make” a priest. So, now you have the ultimate Aliced in Wonderland world. You have a school filled with gays when none are supposed to be there. You have women throwing themselves unwittingly at gay men for the thrill of making it with a priest. And finally you have straight men who’d like to make it with the women but who aren’t generally interested in going to a seminary and becoming a priest..sheesh.
The “PC” bunch still seems to think that you can simply change the name of a problem, it will somehow just go away. Well, as with the case of Catholic Priests, “celibacy” only advertises for Homosexual deviates and their twin brother, Pedophiles, and calling them “gays” doesn’t change anything. That’s the fact.
The fact the they’re Priests proves that fact, as deliberately hurting children is the last thing any religion would consider doing, unless it was full of sick queers.
The “misnomer trick” doesn’t work with calling Palestinians “terrorists” either. As people defending their homes, farms and land are not “terrorizing” anybody, they’re being “terrorized by sickos.”
Whether it’s hurting innocent children or murdering indigenous Peoples, the results are always injustice or crimes against humanity.
Actually, you all have it wrong: Ask any practicing Catholic, and they will tell you that the higher ups should be condemned for their lack of action in pulling the rogue priests out of the priesthood and turning them over to the authorities.Since it happened to the Catholic Church, pundits are lining up with the “see, I told you so” moniker spread across leering faces.The real problem is that if you take a deep look at this society, you will find that sexual deviancy is fairly well proportioned among any child intensive group. It’s not just the Catholic priests, its grade and high school coaches, teachers, scout leaders, ministers, etc, etc.So I don’t agree with the celibacy/pedophile connotation. That’s a cop-out. There are too many celibate priests out there who firmly believe in their vow of chastity to lump them with the moronic molesters who pass themselves off as priests.Condemn the Bishops and Cardinals that hid the problem and allowed it to continue? You better believe it. Condemn the Catholic church for the few bad apples? Give me a break.
Ed, you seem to be confused on the definition of homosexual and pedophile. The two are totally different entities. While there may be pedophiles who are homosexual, all homosexuals are not pedophiles. I believe you will find that there are a lot more heterosexuals who have the pedophilic tendancy. So does that make all heterosexuals pedophiles? Of course not.
No, “you” have it wrong. Before the Rudy Kos case, why were all the “celibate Priests” not turning-in the molesters? And don’t tell me that they didn’t know about everything that was happening. They knew and everybody was very busy covering-up for everybody else. Now that the “cat is out of the bag” everybody has become defensive.
As long as the Catholic Church has “celibacy” it will have a pedophile problem. They may become better at covering it up, but it will still be there. Why? Because, “Celibacy” is a cop-out. An unnatural state in which to live. Priests in the Episcopal Church don’t have a pedophile problem, because they don’t invite queers, by offering “celibacy.” which is an open invitation and the core problem.
Celibacy is relatively new in the Catholic Church, not some long-standing doctrine. Think about it. It invites homosexuals by suggest no sex with women. That’s the “red flag.” And “If you know a tree by the fruit it bears,” the right answer is easy to see. Unless, of course, you have something else in mind.
This is why I refuse to live in a theocracy until Jesus Chist returns.
I understand what you’re saying. But deviate behaviors are closely attracted together. And responsible parents should keep queers away from their kids. That’s just asking for trouble.
Kids are impressionable and mimic behavior and queers know that. And don’t think for a minute that queers are not predatory.
JM, I can’t believe that you’re saying that the problem is with rogue priests. They’re all rogue priests because they all knew about what was happening and did nothing about it.
By difinition: that is a rogue priest.
Nola, I not confused about anything, you are. Homosexuals and pedophiles are like vegetable soup. They’re all mixed together and all queers try to separate themselves out by using that same tried old argument.
Deviate behavior is all linked together. That’s the “slippery-slope” for all queers as they try to sell themselves as a “life-style” or whatever. They can run, but there’s no place to hide, except using a willing media trying to destroy our society.
I believe when you remove the sexual outlet for people you can expect abuse.
Why are we trying to take away the sexual outlet for many people here in Wichita by shutting down adult business?
The catholic priests aren’t the only people who prey on our children. Whether it be the neighbor, a parent coach/teacher or even a trusted priest. Pedophiles will be drawn to where the children are.
The church was able to maintain for a longer period of time, because the church grows people into sheep. Don’t question us, we have your welfare in mind.
Ed,I think you have a problem with the Catholic Church in general. The “rogue Priests” were not in every parish, nor were all priests in all parishes aware of the problem. To say they were is total bs. In other words, if one grade school teacher is a pedophile, than all teachers are enablers…which is what you are implying with your blog on catholic priests. As I said, total bs.Sum1 said it best so far, but even that is incorrect: it should read “SOME catholic priests…”. It could just as well have said “SOME teachers…SOME coaches…”As for the church turning people into sheep, why is it that so many people have this obvious hatred and distrust for anything associated with the Catholic Church? If you don’t belong, don’t worry about it. What, are you afraid some priest is going to brainwash you in your sleep? Kidnap your children? Rape your goat? Maybe you think they don’t help the poor? Wrong, they just don’t advertise the fact that they contribute billions a year in aid. Against abortion rights? It’s a religion. They believe in life at conception, ergo, they believe abortion is wrong. Don’t like their teachings? Find another religion.Ed, you’re a perfect example of bigotry at its most blatant. You assume the worst, and try to feed others with your own brand of hate.I would think that the majority of intelligent people who do not belong to the Catholic Church would have other things to dis. And people who have nothing better to do than spread their own brand of fear and hate smear it over the Catholic Church…or Jews…blacks…rednecks…Muslims…et everything they hate. This is the twenty-first century. Bury your bigotry along with your bs.And nail pedophile priests, teachers, coaches, etc, to the wall.
J. M. Walker, You come-on like some sort of self-appointed authority on who’s right and who’s wrong, yet you don’t know your ass from a hole in the ground, or offer anything constructive. Because as a jealous little worm, the only way for you to get some spotlight is to throw weight around that your too stupid to have.
People like you are always just somebody’s ignorant stooge and always will be. Pathetic.
Ed, take a pill, J.M. has a right to his opinion.
I disagree with that opinion though. While one does find child sex abuse in every institution one can think of, the problem is clearly more widespread among Catholic clergy than other groups.
You don’t hear of these kinds of scandals among the Episcopalians or the Methodists or the Baptists–not that they don’t happen there too, but obviously the problem is not so common as it is with the Catholics.
Also, the ban on priests marrying was originally NOT a sacrifice of carnal needs to higher purity or anything–it was just a practical decision that by not having to raise a family, priests would have more time to serve the parishioners.
Sum1, Good points all. Obviously you understand that situation. The Catholic Church is an important institution and needs a thorough house-cleaning. And that takes a big nudge. Finally the new Pope has taken a stand. We’ll see.
Hey Ed,”Homosexuals and pedophiles are like vegetable soup. They’re all mixed together and all queers try to separate themselves out by using that same tried old argument.”Yeah, yeah, yeah. And all supporters of Palestinians are antisemites, therefore all mixed together with nazis, racists, republicans and mass murderers. Ed, your logic is superb, as always. Unfortunately, it has nothing to do with reality.Homosexual pedophiles are regarded in the gay community with exactly the same loathing as heterosexual pedophiles are seen in straight society. Your attempt to equate them is pure propaganda; an area you need to avoid, since you aren’t very good at it!
Galahad, I don’t believe that that was their underlying reason. I hope it was, but judgeing where they took it, makes me think otherwise.
Hey, Galahad, Everybody has a right to an opinion, but coming after me carries a price. Sum1 can disagree. You,Galahad,can disagree, but That Jerk can GTH.
Damn, they’re coming out of the woodwork. Jed, heterosexual pedophiles is a contradiction in terms. Fagit.
Galahad,”Also, the ban on priests marrying was originally NOT a sacrifice of carnal needs to higher purity or anything–it was just a practical decision that by not having to raise a family, priests would have more time to serve the parishioners.”While that was probably also a consideration, historically, the primary factor was that the priests should not have heirs other than the church. They didn’t want what they considered church assets falling into lay hands.
Ed, Ed, Ed,You make an awful lot of assumptions! And if you’re going to try to insult someone, at least learn how to spell it!So, heterosexual pedophiles is a contradiction in terms? Tell that to the one out of four little girls who got molested before puberty!
Jeeeese, Catholic Priests do not have any assets. They give-up all that going into the Priesthood, and the church is their only heir.
Try again: heterosexual pedophiles. You are either one or the other.Heterosexual: Normal sexual attraction.
{ notitce the absence of queer terms }
Ed,Yes, and that happened at the same time celibacy was introduced. Before that (and to some extent afterward) priests often amassed personal fortunes that were passed on to their children. The church felt that the wealth was their property, and their solution was to force poverty and chastity on the priesthood. Of course, the church itself had no vow of poverty, so well-placed church officials still lived oppulent lifestyles. Creative accounting, and all that.
Ed,So, raping little girls is just normal sexual behavior? Is that how you get your jollies? Good luck in prison!
Also Ed,The term “Pedophilia” refers to sexual attraction to CHILDREN. It is not gender specific.
You’re at it again puck-ass. That’s not what I said, pig. Raping little girls makes you a Pedophile. Which you seem to want to include.
Heterosexuals don’t rape little girls, Pig. So, FO. K.
You brought-up little girls.
Ed,Sit down, breathe slowly and deeply and calm your mind. You’re going to give yourself a heart attack or stroke.
Ed,Did I hurt your excessive libido? Step on your little phobic mind? Too freakin bad. As you said, everybody has a right to their opinion, and your opinion smelled of pure hatred for the Catholic Church. You want to lump all priests under one umbrella (read your own post)you better think that someone who has a little more knowledge and intelligence than, say, yourself, is going to slam you. You get what you give. Take it like a man, and shut up. Quit whining like some girlyboy.
Did I interrupt your child-raping fantasies, you seem awfully hung-up on little girls, Pedophile. Instead of Jed, why not Ped. Much more accurate.
Steady there Ed,You’re blathering again. Relax and think calm thoughts and everything will be all right. You can do it. There, there.
Pure Hatred?
Sum1, Good points all. Obviously you understand that situation. The Catholic Church is an important institution and needs a thorough house-cleaning. And that takes a big nudge. Finally the new Pope has taken a stand. We’ll see.
Posted by: Ed Friedemann | September 23, 2005 at 11:55 AM
Walker, As usual you really don’t understand much.
Now Ed,Go get Pookie and your blanket, sit in your quiet spot and think about Mickey and your trip to Disney World. It’ll get all better. I promise!
Jed, It must be terrible to be despised by so many people that you begin to see it everywhere.
How awful, for you to be so hated.
To be so hated for such a long time must be so very frustrating. Making you feel helpless.
That has to be real burden for you to carry. I feel sorry for you, really, and wish that it weren’t so.
Hey Ed,I’ve got lots of good friends, from all sorts of backgrounds. They provide me with all the love I’ll ever need, and then some. They’re good people. If you assholes despise me, then it means I’m doing my job right! Thanks for the complement!
Ed,I understand, all right, you just fail to see the truth. It’s really out there, really!
Whoa Jed! Leave me out of this. Ed isn’t my type. I’m strictly straight arrow!
Balderdash. The vast majority of these perverted priests, if you check closely, entered the priesthood during the “anything goes” days of the 60s and 70s. Get a bunch of Lib priests, you’ve got problems. Celibacy having anything to do with this is crap. Those at the top who hid them deserve to pay the money they’re paying.
Jimmy, Your real big on somebody paying, and, after all they did to you, you deserve payment. You’ve been Holocausted. After they stuck it to you 6 million times, you deserve all the 9/11 money and whatever else you can scrounge. You earned it. Happy Holidays.
Jed, I don’t begrudge all the loving friends you have and they should love you back. I’m so glad that you have loving friends. Love will make you stronger and more sure of yourself. That’s a good thing, not a bad thing, like the other things.
Von Pookie,Sorry about that! I forgot! Wrong Pookie! I was going for his teddy bear.
Hey Jimmy,Bullshit! This has been a problem in the priesthood for centuries! The only reason it’s an issue now is that the church has finally lost the power to keep it quiet!Yeah, celibacy is a part of the reason for it, but only part. The whole catholic attitude toward homosexuality, and sex in general is at the root.
Ahhhhh, I feel better now.
Ed is actually Phred Felps, son of Ian by a Zionist sypathizing Gypsy named Farta Lotta.
Jed, nice theory. Facts, please.
Anon, Was that your mother?
Walker
I know that the truth is out there, I write about it all the time.
You seem to have trouble recognizing it. Need new glasses?
NONE of you have a frickin’ idea of what you’re talking about. People who molest kids have a mental illness, it has nothing to do with being gay, straight, or celebate. The Church doesn’t turn anyone into a pedophile, pedophiles are drawn to the church because they seek external control to suppress their compulsions and impulsiveness. A big part of the problem is the way the Church defines sexual deviation, it tends to see everything as right or wrong, wrong being temptation and sin that can be forgiven and overcome if the perpetrator is sincere in asking God’s forgiveness and desiring to change his sinful ways. Sexual deviation is a whole different can of worms. It’s is an overwhelming compulsion that is very difficult to control and there is no “cure”. Sexual predators need to be kept away from those that are vulnerable, no exceptions. The Church needs to start recognizing the difference between human temptation and sin and sexual perversion caused by mental illness.
Damoon, Wishful thinking, all.
Ed, you need to see a therapist, it might help.
Damoon,
It stands obvious as to whom a therapist should visit.
You and Ian are starting to sound like the same person. He hates blacks and you hate Jews and “queers”.The old “I know you are but what am I?” is juvenile. Grow up and quit calling people names.
It’s difficult to say how things sound in your mind. But I’m sure that it must be fun to listen to.
You seem to enjoy it.
Damoon,
You make some excellent comments.
I wonder, when did the psychology community widely agree that sexual deviations like pedophilia could not be cured? I have the impression that church leaders were being erroneously advised that pedophiles could be cured.
My question is not intended to excuse leaders who gave an offender more than one chance to change his ways. Common sense argues otherwise, regardless of what the psychologists of the time might have been advising.
Ed,I hate to bust your bubble, but most little girls are raped by their fathers/uncles/brothers/cousins. Which make them heterosexual.
On the other hand, many in the church were homosexual. Men/boys.
I know of an individual who at 18 was convicted of being sexual with a child. After spending their years n federal prison and approaching release, the feds decided to push him into confessing another incident he was not convicted on. Currently he is on trial to put him behind bars the rest of his life (in texas) rather than try to find a way to deal with this issue.
I’m not condoning his crime, but he was raised in a family with a pedophile grandparent. He wasn’t even 18 when he went to trial. Now he will be given NO CHANCE to even try to live his life productive. Life in prison that we the taxpayer will pay for isnt’ the answer.
I don’t know the laws in Texas, but in Kansas it would be really hard to put someone like that away for life.Sudden Sense, I’m not sure that church leaders ever sought out much council from the psychiatric community, like I said before, the Church sees pedophilia as a sin that can be repented and forgiven more than a mental illness. Personality disorders, like most mental illnesses can’t be “cured”, only treated. Unfortunately, unlike thought disorders (schizophrenia), and mood disorders (depression), personality disorders don’t respond well to therapy or medication.There is also a myth that most perpetrators were sexually abused. Most sexaul perpetrators have antisocial personalities. They have little or no ability to empathize and they lack a conscience, therefore they victimize others. For many the only way to control their acting out is to keep them in prison or in some other controlled facility so they can be constantly monitored.
Damoon,I really think the church, at least in some cases, did try to deal with the problem. They do provide psychiatric counselling and retreats for troubled priests.Unfortunately, they were in the position of maintaining their holy image above all, and couldn’t admit any faults in the Infallible Church, so all attempts were internal, secret and doomed to failure from the outset.They were also faced with a major shortfall of new priests, and were reluctant to dismiss problem cases.The scandal is the result of centuries of doctrine colliding with today’s reality of a populance that is less ignorant, less willing to suffer in silence and more likely to file lawsuits when wronged. It is not a problem of a few personalities. It’s systemic, and unless dealt with system-wide, will probably mean the end of the church as an influential institution.
I agree.
Very good.
Sum1, Once again you are descibing a pedophile. The act itself descibes the condition.
Once they cross the line, they lose their status as a heterosexual and become a pedophile.
Now, do you understand how that works?
Here is 2 definitions for pedophile1.) An adult who is sexually attracted to a child or children.
2.) sexual perversion in which children are the preferred sexual object
Here is the Definition for Heterosexual
1.) adj. Sexually oriented to persons of the opposite sex.
Now tell me where does it say that if a person is a pedophile they can not be heterosexual.
Now,Do YOU understand how it works Ed?
Sprout,
Well, First grow-up. Then study psychology and human sexual behavior in an accreted University for enough time to graduate { not online }. Interview patients until you can grasp enough knowledge for an accurate diagnosis. Your training needs to be under the supervision of a medical doctor with clinical experience.
At that point you might be able to make a accurate assessment. Judging by the questions you are asking, I doubt that you have the intellectual level or capacity needed. This is not a put-down or intended to be that way. It’s just how things work.
Human behavior is not an east subject to master, as even those accreted often fail to make the correct diagnosis.
I wish that I could be more helpful, but the subject is extremely complicated and has no simple answers.
What is your background, Ed?
Ed,
Well, First grow-up. Then actually try to answer a question when it’s asked of you. A message board, such as this, is a place for sharing of ideas. So please, share your ideas with the world. Take the time out of your busy day of posting about sexual perversion, and answer Sprout’s question. This is not a put-down or intended to be that way. It’s just how things work when you are condescending towards people you don’t know.
Impatience is a sign of immaturity. You seem to want simple answers to complicated questions. And when simple answers are not available, you start manufacturing opinions not based on fact. I suggested that you educate yourselves before claiming any expertise, or giving baseless answers for subjects.
This is not just a “message board,” but rather a major newspaper asking for some hopefully intelligent comments about serious current issues.
The subject at hand is Catholic Priests with severe psychological problems and catastrophic mental illness, resulting in criminal behavior.
Cutting and pasting from a dictionary adds nothing of value.
Ed,I’m sorry you must have misunderstood me,I said nothing about diagnosing pedophiles nor did I claim expertise on that subject all I claimed is that being a pedophile has nothing to do with whether a person is heterosexual or not. By defining them I believed that you might be able to look and see that.
I certainly understand you. You’re displaying symptoms of exhibitionism in concert with a very unhealthy need for attention. key phrases are “show me” and “show me where.” You entered this conversation, not by talking about “Priests” but rather by talking about yourself, explaining a willingness to learn or be discovered combined with a ridged perplexing self-evaluation and an inordinate interest or prurient thoughts about sex. You want desperately to be understood: The choice of wording: “I’m sorry” you must have misunderstood me,” which is showing a lack of any reliable support base or possible abuse. There might be some paranoia working in the background.You should see a Psychiatrist as soon as possible.
Again, Ed, what is your background? What sort of training do you have in behavioral health? I doubt you have any.
Sprout, you are right. Pedophiles are often heterosexual. One doesn’t stop being a heterosexual because they’re a pedophile. Some pedophiles are “exclusive”, meaning that they only desire sex with children, some are “nonexclusive” which means they desire sex with both adults and children.
Don’t pay any attention to Ed, he’s a patient pretending to be a professional, it happens all the time.
Damoon
You have no idea what you talking about.
The first thing you’ll learn { If you bother to study } is when making a diagnosis they are no two individuals alike. Symptoms tend to travel though the personality and defense mechanisms surround the core issue, which is driving the illness. You can’t simplify a complicated problem any more than you can just label it off-hand. In another post you had Schizophrenics and neurotics bunched together. That’s nonsense. Your anger has you on edge, apparently driven by persecution { either real or imagined } and you keep feeding it. I’m not your problem, you are. Get help
Sorry Ed, it wasn’t my post that had “neurotics” and schizophrenics bunched together. I actually do know what I’m talking about, I’ve been a mental health professional for 20 yrs. So tell me, Ed, what is your background, what is your formal training? You really don’t even do the psychobabble very well.
Also, Ed, you can’t diagnose people unless your a doctor. Or didn’t you know that?
Damoon
I’m sure you’ve spent a lot of time in a hospital { see about getting your money back }.
The arrogant little bastard wants a resume’
After 20 years did they let you keep the mop?
Ed, Ed, Ed, why are you so insecure? You sure dish it out but you can’t take it!And yes, what is your background? Why do you keep avoiding the question? Seems to me if you’re such an expert, you’d have some credentials.