Well I wanted to make a statement here but I find I can't. The whole situation sickens me. At this point I have more questions than opinions. Why are these men any different from anyone else? Why are they protected when they should be prosecuted? Why are they still preaching when many of them are repeat sex offenders? What is happening to the Catholic religion?
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The Catholic Priest Issue
- Thread starter talons
- Start date
TicklingDuo
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Talons.....You're right. This is a VERY difficult situation. I think that part of the problem is that the media so loves to report it when the offender is a Catholic priest. There are just as many other clerics who are abusers. But, they get glossed over. Part of that is sadly the fault of chancery staff who mislead their bishops in the case or, worse yet, bishops who'd rather hide from the facts. Sometimes, I wonder if a requirement for consecration as a bishop is the removal of his backbone. They've done much more harm and added to the betrayal felt by the victims.
A priest I know (who treats these guys) used to tell us of a saying one of his seminary professors had. "If you're a jerk before you're ordained, you'll be a jerk after you're ordained. You'll simply be an ordained jerk." Sadly, this applies to all areas of personality...including the inclination towards child abuse and wanting to protect those with whom we are associated. Ordination instills certain graces. Unfortunately, it DOESN'T remove the evils that lie within.
Ann
A priest I know (who treats these guys) used to tell us of a saying one of his seminary professors had. "If you're a jerk before you're ordained, you'll be a jerk after you're ordained. You'll simply be an ordained jerk." Sadly, this applies to all areas of personality...including the inclination towards child abuse and wanting to protect those with whom we are associated. Ordination instills certain graces. Unfortunately, it DOESN'T remove the evils that lie within.
Ann
I agree TD. Another question is would letting Catholic priests wed reduce the incidences of sexual abuse. My take is no. I think these men are sick and need treatment I don't believe taking a wife would waylay their feelings for young boys. I believe the only way this issue can be remedied is if these men are treated like the criminals that they are and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. After all, If it were me or anyone else on this site we would be thrown to the wolves. Also, I believe the parents of these victims that take the churches bribes in return for amnesia are just as much at fault as the priest. Money can't change what has happened to your child and any parent that accepts money in exchange for justice is very selfish and could well be doing their child more harm than good.
only one winner....
I've been following this thing for a while. You've got abusing priests, a gleeful media who hates religion, ESPECIALLY the Catholic religion, all the Protestants faiths who are salivating over this, Bishops and Cardinals who are covering it up out of lack of feelings and when discovered, they refuse to resign beacuse they don't want to give up their seat of power.....
There is a winner in all of this. And his name is SATAN. I'm sorry to say, this, but if we don't acknowledge that Satan has thoroughly won this round, we're not going anywhere.
I've been following this thing for a while. You've got abusing priests, a gleeful media who hates religion, ESPECIALLY the Catholic religion, all the Protestants faiths who are salivating over this, Bishops and Cardinals who are covering it up out of lack of feelings and when discovered, they refuse to resign beacuse they don't want to give up their seat of power.....
There is a winner in all of this. And his name is SATAN. I'm sorry to say, this, but if we don't acknowledge that Satan has thoroughly won this round, we're not going anywhere.
giggledude
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I've expected to see more weighing-in than I've actually seen from the salivating Protestants (not all Protestant faiths, though perhaps a majority of the currently noisier ones) you mention. Maybe they just don't want to rush in, or it just isn't being widely publicized. But I expected to hear something, particularly from those Protestant faiths that call themselves "Christian" as if Christian and Catholic were as different as either is compared to Judaism.
giggleygirl25
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speaking as a protestant (methodist to be exact)....i find it sickening that ANYONE be it Catholic priest or a minister in any faith would prey on children like this...its terribly sad that these "men" will never be caught and won't have to face up to what they've done. As for why some Protestants haven't been tap dancing with glee at this its probably because they've gone thru this with their own clergy and wouldn't want their church examined too closely.
Dave2112
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As some of you have mentioned, you've been offended that the media would concentrate so hard on the Catholics. What I find interesting is that it seems to be easy to assume that Protestants are dancing with glee over this whole thing. It's the same kind of generalization, isn't it?
As a Pentecostal, I take no joy in the suffering of the Catholic faith because of the misdeeds of a relatively small percentage of its clergy. I'm a little offended that anyone would thing I or other Protestants find any enjoyment in the suffering of children, even indirectly. A true Christian's concern for his fellow man crosses denomination.
This is a hot and valid topic that deserves discussion, but I don't want to see this turn into another "my religion is better than yours" debate please.
Definitely not dancing with glee,
- Dave
As a Pentecostal, I take no joy in the suffering of the Catholic faith because of the misdeeds of a relatively small percentage of its clergy. I'm a little offended that anyone would thing I or other Protestants find any enjoyment in the suffering of children, even indirectly. A true Christian's concern for his fellow man crosses denomination.
This is a hot and valid topic that deserves discussion, but I don't want to see this turn into another "my religion is better than yours" debate please.
Definitely not dancing with glee,
- Dave
TicklingDuo
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Re: only one winner....
This is so true Mabus. Half the problem with coming to recognize it, however is that so many (including some clergy) have shyed away from discussing the reality of satan's existence. And THAT is his greatest victory of all. How can we fight someone who we don't recognize the existence of? We can't. Trying to teach someone how to avoid satan's games would be like someone who's born without the use of any of their five senses trying to teach another to appreciate the wonders of nature. There's nothing to base it on.
Satan has indeed won this round. But we...as a universal church, not just Catholics...have the power and authority of Jesus' Name to take the final battle. And He has promised that the gates of hell will not prevail against us. So, we have nothing to fear...IF we act on His Word.
Dave, I suspect that the "dancing for glee" remark is aimed more towards those denominations that are routinely anit-Catholic and teach that we are non-Christians and idolaters. Those groups seem to take joy in hardships that the Catholic church faces...though, I'm sure they don't take joy in the reason for this particular hardship. I could be wrong. But, I don't think that's what was meant by the comment.
Ann
mabus said:
This is so true Mabus. Half the problem with coming to recognize it, however is that so many (including some clergy) have shyed away from discussing the reality of satan's existence. And THAT is his greatest victory of all. How can we fight someone who we don't recognize the existence of? We can't. Trying to teach someone how to avoid satan's games would be like someone who's born without the use of any of their five senses trying to teach another to appreciate the wonders of nature. There's nothing to base it on.
Satan has indeed won this round. But we...as a universal church, not just Catholics...have the power and authority of Jesus' Name to take the final battle. And He has promised that the gates of hell will not prevail against us. So, we have nothing to fear...IF we act on His Word.
Dave2112 said:
Dave, I suspect that the "dancing for glee" remark is aimed more towards those denominations that are routinely anit-Catholic and teach that we are non-Christians and idolaters. Those groups seem to take joy in hardships that the Catholic church faces...though, I'm sure they don't take joy in the reason for this particular hardship. I could be wrong. But, I don't think that's what was meant by the comment.
Ann
To me it doesn't matter what religion it is. I also don't care about the media. Bottom line is these men are criminals preying on our youth at the most vulnerable and impresionable stage of their young lives. Someone said these men will never be caught but that is not right they have been caught but they are allowed to continue preaching unpunished. These men have tremendous power over our youth. We teach our young that the priest is an earthly messenger to our lord. So you have a priest telling a kid, who believes that a priest is the next best thing to god, that what he is doing is ok and not to tell anyone or they won't go to heaven. Pretty sad isn't it? What is a kid to do but obey his saintly liason? I could go on forever with this issue it just sickens me to no end.🙁 🙁
D
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married preists
the assholes who molested the kids would not be interested in marrying a woman. but if preists were alowed to be married, normal men would be willing to become preists, and would readily turn in the molesters.
just hang the bastards that molest kids!
steve
the assholes who molested the kids would not be interested in marrying a woman. but if preists were alowed to be married, normal men would be willing to become preists, and would readily turn in the molesters.
just hang the bastards that molest kids!
steve
