Sex Abuse Victims Want Pope & Cardinals Investigated By Int‘l Criminal Court for ’Crimes Against Humanity’
- Posted on September 13, 2011 at 6:39pm by
Billy Hallowell
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THE HAGUE, Netherlands (The Blaze/AP) — The Catholic Church’s clergy sex abuse scandal is about to get even more intense.
Abuse victims are so upset over the fact that no high-ranking Roman Catholic leaders have been prosecuted for sheltering guilty priests that’s they went to the International Criminal Court on Tuesday, seeking an investigation of the pope and top Vatican cardinals for possible crimes against humanity.
The Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), a New York-based nonprofit legal group, requested the inquiry on behalf of the Survivors Network, arguing that the global church has maintained a “long-standing and pervasive system of sexual violence” despite promises to swiftly oust predators.
The Vatican said it had no immediate comment on the complaint.
The complaint (all associated documents can be read here) names Pope Benedict XVI, partly in his former role as leader of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which in 2001 explicitly gained responsibility for overseeing abuse cases; Cardinal William Levada, who now leads that office; Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Vatican secretary of state under Pope John Paul II; and Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, who now holds that post.
In a press release put out by CCR, the current legal effort was described as follows:
Leaders of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, together with their attorneys from the human rights organization the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), filed a lengthy and detailed complaint charging that Vatican officials tolerate and enable the systematic and widespread concealing of rape and child sex crimes throughout the world. Together with the complaint, they submitted more than 20,000 pages of supporting materials consisting of reports, policy papers, and evidence of the crimes by Catholic clergy committed against children and vulnerable adults
A graphic displayed on Center for Constitutional Rights' web site
Attorneys for the victims say rape, sexual violence and torture are considered a crime against humanity as described in the international treaty that spells out the court’s mandate. The complaint also accuses Vatican officials of creating policies that perpetuated the damage, constituting an attack against a civilian population.
Barbara Blaine, president of the U.S.-based Survivors Network of those Abused by priests, said going to the court was a last resort.
“We have tried everything we could think of to get them to stop and they won’t,” she told The Associated Press. “If the pope wanted to, he could take dramatic action at any time that would help protect children today and in the future, and he refuses to take the action.”
In the press statement, Blaine continued:
“SNAP wants to prevent even one more child from being raped or sexually assaulted by a priest and we hope that victims around the world will know today that they are not alone and that it is safe to speak up and report their abuse. We as victims are mobilizing across the globe, and every survivor is invited to join us.”
The odds against the court opening an investigation are enormous. The prosecutor has received nearly 9,000 independent proposals for inquiries since 2002, when the court was created as the world’s only permanent war crimes tribunal, and has never opened a formal investigation based solely on such a request.
Instead, prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo has investigated crimes such as genocide, murder, rape and conscripting child soldiers in conflicts from Darfur to this year’s violence in Libya. Such cases have been referred to the court by the countries where the atrocities were perpetrated or by the U.N. Security Council.
Also, the Holy See is not a member state of the court, meaning prosecutors have no automatic jurisdiction there, although the complaint covers alleged abuse in countries around the world, many of which do recognize the court’s jurisdiction.
“Politically, people do not want to look at this,” said Center for Constitutional Rights attorney Pam Spees before walking to the court with victims to hand prosecutors boxes full of documents.
But Spees conceded she was “not hopeful” the court would launch an investigation.
The prosecutor’s office said in a statement the evidence would be studied. “We first have to analyze whether the alleged crimes fall under the Court’s jurisdiction,” it said.
Attorneys for the Survivors Network argued that no other national entity exists that will prosecute high-level Vatican officials who failed to protect children.
In the U.S., no Roman Catholic bishop has been criminally charged for keeping accused clergy in parish jobs without warning parents or police. Within the church, only the pope can discipline bishops. The few who have been publicly punished by the Vatican have been sanctioned for molesting children, not for negligence in supervising priests.
“When a church has been left to its own devices it does nothing. It wouldn‘t even have the reforms it has now if these cases hadn’t begun to bubble up and erupt in the public outside the confines of what the church can control,” said Spees.
The Survivors Network and victims are pursuing the case as the abuse scandal, once dismissed as an American problem by the Vatican, intensifies around the world. Thousands of people have come forward in Ireland, Germany and elsewhere with reports of abusive priests, bishops who covered up for them and Vatican officials who moved so slowly to respond that molesters often stayed on the job for decades.
Vatican officials and church leaders elsewhere have apologized repeatedly, clarified or toughened church policies on ousting abusers and, in the U.S. alone, paid out nearly $3 billion in settlements to victims and removed hundreds of priests. Bishops insist they fully grasp the devastation that molestation causes to victims and the limits that dioceses must impose on abusive clergy.
However, the scandal is far from resolved.
The Vatican is fighting on multiple legal fronts in the U.S. against lawsuits alleging the Holy See is liable for abusive priests. Just last month, the Vatican was forced to turn over internal personnel files of an abusive priest to lawyers representing a victim in Oregon.
Those prosecutions also could form an impediment to the ICC taking the case. The tribunal is a court of last resort, meaning it will only take cases where legal authorities elsewhere are unwilling or unable to prosecute.
Also, the court doesn’t investigate crimes that occurred before its 2002 creation. A study commissioned by the U.S. bishops from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York found abuse claims had peaked in the 1970s, then began declining sharply in 1985, as the bishops and society general gained awareness of the problem.
But Blaine said the abuse continues and she wants church leaders to face justice.
“These priests and church officials live by some other law,” she said. “Somehow they’re not held accountable like every other citizen of a nation. That would be horrific in and of itself but what must end is shattering the innocence of even one more child.”
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Comments (121)
TRUTHandFREEDOM
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 7:02amThe crime itself makes me quite angry, but AT the individuals responsible and ONLY them.
Report Post »vtxphantom
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 7:55amWe can make a logical assumption that the muslim church could be held liable for the actions of the terrorist within their church. Their Imams know that some of their followers commit crimes against humanity because the Koran allows it. Every Islamist terrorist act should be taken to court and the mosque that the terrorist belonged to sued.
Report Post »GIDEON612
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 8:09amYes Yes Yes ! ! ! !
This is a very dangerous organization and I agree with prosecuting the muslims as well. Though I don’t see either happening any time soon enough to help those that are still alive.
Seek God and don’t rely on any man. Man will fail you, God never will.
Report Post »bioengineer
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 12:00pmvtxphantom, you’re an igit! Perhaps we should also sue every Christian church associated with any patron convicted of any crime anywhere. If fact, to facilitate this, all churches in the USA should be required to maintain membership/attendance records, which get reported to the government. If a person is convicted of anything from speeding to murder we’ll look up their churches in the database and exercise various levels of punishment depending on the crime. Depending on the severity of the crime perhaps others who also attended the church should be jailed as well. But why stop there, let’s also find the persons parents and beat the hell out of them for not raising their child right. Wow are you dumb.
Report Post »HAPPYRWE
Posted on September 16, 2011 at 12:22pmBull crap….The Vatican has taken in and sheltered many of the Bishops and higher ups who oversaw decades of abuse..growing up I heard and saw many “priests” who were moved around from parish to parish to HIDE their EVIL DEEDS…The Vatican is NOT above the law or God’s law. Internal strife within that church is their own business, divorce, riffs among congregation, etc. but when it comes to the abuse of an innocent person, We all need to have our say so and they need to repent and be persecuted.
Report Post »I don’t trust a man in a dress who calls himself The Holy Father…..Catholics need to stand up to this atrocity and start protecting child victims instead of “Holy Men of the Cloth”……..We all know what Christ taught about children and how precious they are…..Stop the insanity….Men have parts and Women have parts and these parts are meant to create children in marriage to “multiply and replenish the earth”…anything else is not of God……All faiths need to come together to fight the evils of this world…if you call yourself a Christian now is the time to do what is right and do as Christ does…….
TRUTHandFREEDOM
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 6:59amWake up! If an individual commits a crime, that person holds the guilt! The church itself did not commit that crime or put out a direct order to commit it, nor did the Pope, yet the church itself is the target! Over and over again. Why?
Obviously, these criminals need to be removed from the church, but the Church itself did not commit the crime.
People see the problem as does the church, who who has denounced it and is making efforts to remove it, but the church itself and the current Pope did not commit these crimes. Current individuals are committing them and these individuals deserve to be imprisoned for the maiximum time allowed.
Report Post »smokesters
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 7:20amI am a victim of this crime. To this day I suffer with trust issues and dealing with personal relationships. Yes the church did not committ these crimes, individual priests did, however the Bishops and the Hierarchy of the Church covered up these absuses and made victims for years, actually continue to this feel like they are the one’s at fault. They transferred priests accussed of these acts from parish to parish, for example the priest that abused me was removed from the Parish and placed as the Director of Vocations (this dirtbag, while be investigated, was recruiting teens to become priests), it is these kinds of continue slap in the face, the treatment that we are the one’s at fault and being treated like blacksheep that people want justice.
Report Post »mycomet123
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 10:09amSMOKESTERS, I’m sorry for what you have gone through. Come to find out years later the grade school I attended had a pediophile priest. I agree with you that the hierarchy of the church should be held accountable also for transferring priests that are suspected of this from parish to parish. I actually feel that the bishop/archbishop is MORE CULPABLE than the pediophile themselves because they provided the fuel for the fire. Justice will be resolved through Jesus, I will add you to my prayer list.
Report Post »spreadthefaith
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 11:19amyour right.I trust Pope Benedict with making sure that those that need justice will get it.the main stream news lies about the catholic church like they lie about politics, global warming,tea party,and any one else who doesn’t fit into their agenda.The people who are taking advantage of the vulnerable victims reminds me of the people who wanted to bring President George Bush to international court. Next persecution/“justice” will be coming after prolifers,carbon footprint rule breakers,“intolerant” people who are for traditional marriage,global warming disbelievers,peole who are not in the right political party, and anyone else who doesn’t go along with the anti christian way of life. When it comes down to it,this about good vs.evil. for all those who are not catholic…they are already going after the jews and after they are done trying to persecute Pope Benedict and the Catholic Church they will easily come after all other christian denominations.
Report Post »encinom
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 12:09pm@Spread the faith
“Pope Benedict with making sure that those that need justice will get it.”
What a farce, the Pope, when still a Cardnile, helped with the cover-up and the surpression of an investigations. He is the problem, not the solution.
Report Post »TRUTHandFREEDOM
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 5:56pmAssault = crime *Cover up/ obstructing justice = crime * relocating an unconvicted person = no crime
Innocent until proven guilty = Constitutional
When found guilty, I demand the maximum penalty against the convicted & pray for the victims but until a conviction is delivered, the church chose relocation in the past as an alternative to punishing for unproven guilt. I call for it away from leading any group of children or individual child until the case is closed to protect all parties including the church itself. Unfortunately this is often difficult to prove. Many cases have unfortunately turned out to be true. I suspect that some accusations MAY be false claims made by some people who developed anti religeon political views.(because there is a history of some priests/pastors etc advocating that people follow unChristian principles to endorse communism, socialism, communism, marxism ie coveting neighbors goods, stealing from the “haves” ) that some of the criminals have specific intentions to put a negative light on churches. It would be tactical. Why? Because turning people against our religeous institutions means turning people away from teachings like thou shall not kill, not covet thy neighbors goods, not steal and to Do unto others as you would have done unto yourself! Without having & LIVING BY those laws/principles, the public is more easily manipulated into communism & commies do play very dirty. Outside the box? Yes. Most of what surprises us is ……….
Report Post »HAPPYRWE
Posted on September 16, 2011 at 1:19pmTo Smokesters no one should have to live with the things you have gone through. I truly feel compassion for your loss of innocence. Please look into RET or EMDR for help. Rapid eye therapy or technology is an amazing way to rid yourself of past trauma, and the issues you have today. Go to a therapist who holds your beliefs so that you are comfortable with them. But I promise it works and a miracle in itself. I have gone through the therapy and I want to practice one day so that I can help children and adults who have suffered abuse.
Report Post »Nemo13
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 6:43am“This clearly IS an attempt to weaken people’s respect for Christianity.” Absolutley silly. THis has NOTHING to do with respect for Christianity, it has EVERYTHING to do with accountability and power without question. Wise up.
Report Post »TRUTHandFREEDOM
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 6:41amCharge INDIVIDUALS with crimes that they are PERSONALLY responsible for in THEIR lifetime. This lawsuit clearly IS an attempt to weaken people‘s respect for Christianity by not focusing on an individual’s crime, but trying to sell the premise that these crimes were ordered or that currentntly living individuals are responsible for crimes of long dead individuals. Different Christian denominations are under attack in different ways. For example, numerous United Methidist Churches have closed because of infilitration by socialists who subvert the self responsibility golden rule and who replace it with socialism and favorable sermons on Obama care, causing attendance to drop and the church to close. Anglicans have been split by gay bishops, which is just plain and simple against Christian teachings. It’s all a war strategy to those who would subvert power by removing the platform and teachings that our principles of liberty sit upon. They removed it from the schools and public land, which is clearly unconstitutional, but the opposite is sold by the media. Their final targets are the churches and books/authors who still teach us how to be responsible, self reliant and strong on our own, enabling our desire to live without government interference.
Report Post »encinom
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 12:15pmThe problem with your argument is that you leave out the fact that Catholic Bishops and other further up the food chain had been active in covering up the offenses of the priests. While the Bishops and the Catholic Church was not in the room with the priest when the crime was committed, they clean up the mess afterwards, hindering law enforcement investigations, moving priests outside of jurisdictions and out of the country.
Report Post »HAPPYRWE
Posted on September 16, 2011 at 12:39pm“And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” so let them have their day in court, if this is truly God’s church it will stand right? Moving a priest from church to church is a cover-up and subverting the truth. Not enough was done! Sometimes nothing was done! Children should not be left alone with a priest, there should always be a few parents around, allowing your son or daughter to sleep over at a priest’s house is something that should definitely be reconsidered.
Report Post »TRUTHandFREEDOM
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 6:32amThis clearly IS an attempt to weaken people’s respect for Christianity. Diffierent denominations are under attack in different ways. For example, numerous United Methidist Churches have closed because of infilitration by socialists who subvert the self responsibility golden rule and replace it with socialism and favorable sermons on Obama care, causing attendance to drop and the church to close. Anglicans have been split by gay bishops, which is just plain and simple against Christian teachings. It’s all a war strategy to those who would subvert power by removing the platform and teachings that our principles of liberty sit upon. They removed it from the schools. Their final targets are the churches and books/authors who still teach us how to be responsible, self reliant and strong on our own, enabling our desire to live without government interference.
Report Post »TRUTHandFREEDOM
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 6:42amIndividuals have commited crimes. Individuals should be held responsible for their actions.
Report Post »saranda
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 11:03amThis is not an attack on Christianity, but rather an attack on those who systematically acted to allow the pedos to avoid prosecution and sometimes continue their activites. I am not sure that the Vatican itself made those calls or if the local bishops, etc did, but in each case someone who knew of the accusations and maybe had knowledge of the crime acted to allow the pedo to avoid answering for it in the courts.
Report Post »I am Catholic and this may be a blot/stain that cannot ever be removed from the church but it does nothing to change my belief in God. Hopefully most people see it that way.
NuffSaid
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 5:52amAbuse victims- Take it to the US courts-You’ll get what liberals want for you.
I hear the sexual abuse will become mandatory for all 3rd graders along with passing a course on “An Inconvenient Truth.”
Want justice? You have two hands, two eyes and two feet and a mind.
Report Post »EP46
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 5:27amAnother thought….
Report Post »These are the same groups who want to make pedophilia a mental disorder, not a crime, and who want pedophiles made a protected class
Nlitend1
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 2:49pmIf it were a mental disorder, I do not believe that would excuse the acts…psychosis is a mental disorder yet psychotics are not protected.
Report Post »It’s an emotional issue and involves a heinous act, but a compassionate viewpoint should not be negated on these grounds alone. Not to condone or excuse the act, many of the molestors were previously molested…there is no reason that they shouldn’t receive some understanding, even if that understanding is delivered from behind bars for the rest of their lives.
EP46
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 5:23amThis has been …and is ….simply another way to destroy religion. This was the first really big attack by the left on religion a few years back and people did not see it for what it was. Established laws will and should deal with each incident of child abuse….but that is not the purpose behind this ongoing attack on the Catholic church. Using the abuse of children to destroy a religion is what the left is doing here.
Report Post »HAPPYRWE
Posted on September 16, 2011 at 1:22pmThen let the Catholic believers stand up and do what needs to be done in their church and not just wait for the Hierarchy to do it. Hold them accountable yourselves quit dancing around the subject.
Report Post »Nemo13
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 5:07amSome of the posts here are silly and naive. Let me help you: Any large group of predominantly men, or women, or children will be infested with gays, freaks, perverts. I am Catholic, but not fool enoguh to believe that this ‘organization’ is not filled with those that should not be there. For those that protect, I’m sure you speak first and not explore the facts first. The church is covering up many crimes. I was shocked how the church took no servere action on those priests who were guilty in the past. The church only acts very little only when there is public outcry. Look close enough, you see it is no different than a political party, not a church. It is very simple really; the Catholic church has NO PLACE for gays, freaks, or perverts. You are to be IMMEDIATELY cast out / charges applied. If not, you are not following the path of the Catholic religion, you are profaining it. All of you who think that some molester just need prayer you should be in jail next to them. God is not with you. If you cannot take a strong stance for the innocent, you do not understand real religion. You are a protector and harborer of injustice and evil. The Catholic Church needed an overhaul long ago. Time to get back on the right path. All of you who turn a blind eye or just think it is just about money, you need to go to. Go and join up with some fraud evangelist tv guy or something. Or perhaps silly s.cientology, they are forgiving for sin also for $$$.
Report Post »Applehead
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 5:16amPrayer to Saint Michael the Archangel
written by Pope Leo Xlll at the beginning of the 20th century.
St Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle,
Report Post »Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly hosts, by the power of God
Thrust into hell Satan and all other evil spirits
Who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.
Anglo-Catholic
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 3:05amI predict this has nothing to do with abuse and all to do with bringing down the Holy Roman Catholic Church. The Pope and the Princes of the Church had nothing to do with the actions of 1% of the clergy over 50 years. Sum up the amount of teachers who have abused students over 50 years. These people are a joke!
Report Post »colonial10
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 3:21amYou are right. The hierarchy is not to blame for the individual assaults but they are to blame for creating an environment that enables this to continue on happening. Since the Great Schism the Church has always been about power and control. If you read the right history books anyways. Newer ones don’t tell about the massacres of innocent people by the Church or the massacres by the so called declared Holy Roman emperors throughout the history. No one holds the Church accountable. The Church cannot be touched. How can you bring the most powerful Church to the ground? To much power. Someone has to try something. A minority of people will protect their own in any corporation or organization using corrupt principles. We see it here in the U.S., in Europe and especially in the Middle East. My opinion is I hope something fruitful comes of this. 20k abuses that have been reported may be more then one percent of the total of priests. Their is a real serious problem and we need a real serious solution. I think they should allow priests to merry. I agree with Martin Luther as well. No one should have that much power on this Earth. It breeds corruption. The policies should be scrutinized and the liberal policies that allow people to be protected need to go. Someone should be made an example but it most likely will be the wrong individual.
Report Post »Taldren
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 3:37am@colonial10,
Report Post »What is said in confession cannot be used for any means. Once you factor that out, the only way the hierarchy can “know” about it is to walk in on it. Confession is not something that can be “reformed”. It isn’t protecting someone, its performing their sacred duty.
The Third Archon
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 3:54am“What is said in confession cannot be used for any means. Once you factor that out, the only way the hierarchy can “know” about it is to walk in on it. Confession is not something that can be “reformed”. It isn’t protecting someone, its performing their sacred duty.”
See how stupid and immoral religion makes people think and act–”oh my god, someone told me about child molesting–oh, but I’m a wooden box, I guess I can’t do anything about it.” I guess those kids just have to keep getting molested because there welfare isn’t as important as the privacy of this ADMITTED CHILD MOLESTER. Oh. If God weren’t a complete ******, and he were benevolent, as he supposedly is, he would undoubtedly prefer for you to stop ongoing sexual abuse of children rather than perform your duty as a man of God for this *******–God murdered people in the old testament all the time with fire and pillars of salt and ****; take him to the police.
Ah, Christ, I don‘t know why I’m even trying. I feel like I may be the last sane person on Earth. Hello, can anyone here me…is this thing on?
Report Post »Taldren
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 4:37am@The Third Archon,
Report Post »That wooden box has been around for around two millenia … longer than any one country in the world. The duty of the priest is to help the person making the confession to become more moral … something that cannot be accomplished by reporting what was said to whatever transient authority there is at the time. This system has been copied in present day institutions as attorney-client privilege. Replace “moral” with “legal” for lawyers or “sane” for “psychologists”. To rend this so-called secrecy is to destroy the institutions as a whole which would be a very large net negative for society.
Applehead
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 5:13amGod has permitted the Devil to test his church but we know Satan will not prevail!!! The Evil One will always attack the Catholic Church the hardest bc we are the direct descendants of St. Peter “The Rock” “And on this Rock I will build my church!!!” The Evil One has infiltrated the church and has done damage and needs to be purged and the Priests who committed these crimes excommunicated!!! The teach of the church is perfect and the Catholic Church will bc stronger than ever after extensive test permitted by God!!! These groups know they have to destroy the church completely to accomplish their Marxist Utopia!!! The attacks by these groups will bc much stronger in the future! The Church need to reinstall the St. Michael Prayer written by Pope Leo XIII after he heard Satan asking God for special powers to test the church for a century!
Report Post »TRUTHandFREEDOM
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 6:22amIf an INDIVIDUAL commits a crime, the INDIVIDUAL is the one who gets criminal charges against them. No other INDIVIDUAL gave orders to commit these crimes. No other INDIVIDUAL shall be charged.
Some native Americans will not carry a twenty dollar bill because of what Democrat President Andrew Jackson did to their people. Does that mean that our current Democrat president is guilty of what he did? No! Althought he is guilty of other forms of and attempts to oppress, that one was all Jackson.
Report Post »mycomet123
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 10:26amI am Catholic & i am by no means trying to take down the church. BUT, I do feel that if the priest in question was any way suspected of this, & the archbishop/bishop continued to transfer the priest from parish to parish that had schools — they should be held guilty. Unfortunately in the 60′s & 70′s alot of these issues were hidden or covered up so as not to bring shame to the church. I had a pediophile priest in my parish (come to find out years later) that was transferred evey couple years to another parish most of them had grade schools. I personnaly feel that if the archbishop/bishop was aware of possible abuse by a priest –at the very least that priest should have been assigned to a parish without a school! I feel if this priest was in any way accused of this-error should have been taken on the side of protecting the child not the priest–& that’s not what was happening!
Report Post »HAPPYRWE
Posted on September 16, 2011 at 12:57pmYes, but if the schools are protecting these abuses they do need to be prosecuted.
The Catholic church is destroying itself because it has allowed this for decades if not more, they have not done enough to prove they are serious about stopping it.
A man is not without the woman in the Lord…period. How is a man not marrying any different from an alternative lifestyle?
All child abusers need to be forgiven but they also need to pay for their crimes and be locked up. Death penalty for child p-rnography producers ….have they not taken the life of the child?
We also need to not call them Pedophiles anymore it means child lover which they are NOT. I am just saying stop protecting your religion in the name of religion-if it is of God it will stand on it’s own and God will protect it. I don’t believe in tribunals or suing everyone for all they have but someone has to stand up to protect these children, and the church has done very little…
Report Post »I know Catholics are good people but stop defending a crime, it is what it is, if you can rant and rave about the atrocities in our government you can do it in your church. We are not trying to dissolve the government or Destroy it by supporting the Tea Party idea- we want to RESTORE it to it’s correct and proper place. We need to call a crime out for what it is and make people responsible for actions of omission or commission is this not an American idea???
HAPPYRWE
Posted on September 16, 2011 at 1:06pm1% ? Possibly this is the number of cases of children or adult victims that have actually come forward in our lifetime or the percent of cases in the news. It is a truth that most children do not come forward after being abused, raped etc. Adults who are raped don’t always come forward, fear, embarrassment, trauma. Don’t give the 1% without all of the necessary proof…….
Report Post »JGraham III
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 1:22amI have never understood the Roman Catholic Church’s position on forbidding their priests to marry. It is unnatural to force a man to stifle his normal sexual urges and desires by forbidding marriage. If indeed Peter was the first Pope as the RC’s claim, then the tradition for priests to be celibate makes no sense as Peter clearly was married. Mark‘s gospel speaks of Jesus’ healing of Peter’s mother in law. For Rome to continue to enforce this tradition on the priesthood is to continue the parade of sexual abuse charges and cases, as most men will find some outlet for sexual expression, and if the Biblical provision for such is denied, then some other outlet will be found. Who knows where it will lead? The solution is simple: follow what the Word says.
Report Post »jb.kibs
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 1:59ami agree. they need to marry.
Report Post »jb.kibs
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 1:59amalso, how can any leader speak for families when they do not have one themselves?
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 2:32amThe Greek Orthodox church allows priests to marry. You just can;t be a the Patriarch or other top officials.
I like that system.
Dearth of people entering priesthood solved.
Report Post »Chet Hempstead
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 4:42amThat will help, but there will still be people attracted to the priesthood for the wrong reasons. In Canada a few years ago there were some very serious abuses committed a few years ago by Episcopal priests, who are allowed to marry.
Report Post »Applehead
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 5:39amJGRAHAM III,Some verses used to support Priestly celibacy.
Jeremiah 16:1-4 – (Jeremiah told not to marry or have children)
Matthew 19:12 – (Jesus who was celibate, praise celibacy)
1 Corinthians 7:8 – (St. Paul was celibate)
1 Corinthians 7:32-35 – (St. Paul recommends celibacy for full-time ministers.)
Jeremiah 16:1-4 – Jeremiah told not to take a wife and have children
Matthew 19:12 – celibacy praised by Jesus, who was, himself, celibate
1 Corinthians 7:8 – St. Paul was celibate
1 Corinthians 7:32-35 – celibacy recommended for full-time ministers
Ephesians 5:21-33 – marriage is good: holy symbol of Christ and the Church
1 Timothy 5:9-12 – pledge of celibacy taken by older widows
2 Timothy 2:3-4 – no soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits
Celibacy by Priests gives the church graces and the Evil One would go after the Priests wife and children to get to the Priest also! Most cases of sexual abuse in the Priesthood were homosexual pedophilia not bc of celibacy!!! Marriage wouldn’t have prevent the vast majority of cases!!!
Report Post »spreadthefaith
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 10:46amHow do you explain married men who sexually abuse children and women? marriage has nothing to do with it. Satan crosses any line. Just like Judas, other men called to be priests can betray Jesus,his church and cause scandal. all people even those called to the priesthood are capable of evil,it is only by the grace of God that we do not physically or emotionally inflict harm on another person. Jesus promised that the church will always prevail -the evil will be conquered. with a spirit of Christ we are called to pray for the victims and their persecutor. The christian life calls each individual, in their state in life, to restrain their appetites for self pleasures. If you are called by Christ to marry than you must resist other women and cannot give into your own weaknesses or temptations from the devil.Priests are called by Jesus to the priesthood and just as graces are in marriages to remain faithful they are there for the priests to remain faithful to their calling. the response is to scrutinize our priests,have better seminaries ,and more people praying for them. I wouldn’t expect adultery to be the answer to men/women who can’t keep their commitment to their spouse.
Report Post »JGraham III
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 10:57amre: Applehead;
Report Post »While I certainly don’t want to enter into an argument with you, because I don‘t personally care what the RC’s want to believe or practice; for that matter because they are accountable to God for their own actions, biblical or otherwise. I do want to make a “tweak” on your list of scriptures however. The Apostle Paul was in fact unmarried at the time Corinthians was written, but if you reference Acts 8 & 9, it says he was “consenting to Stephen’s death”. In the First Century, a man of Israel could not do this unless he was of the Sanhedrin. Saul/Paul was a Pharisee the son of a Pharisee and knew the Law forwards and backwards. For a man to be a member of the Sanhedrin he had to be at least 30 years of age, married and have at least one child. The ‘mystery’ is that the Word never says what happened to Paul’s wife and family in his later years from the time of Acts to the time of Corinthians.
Also, the epistle of Timothy states (quite plainly in fact) that if a man desires the office of a bishop he desires a good work. It says that he may only be the husband of one wife. It doesn’t prevent him from marrying a woman nor does it say he must “marry” the Church as I believe some in the RC circles interpret this scripture to mean. The trick of understanding the Bible is to allow it to speak for itself on a subject and act accordingly, not to cherry pick only what supports a predetermined position.
spreadthefaith
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 12:30pmJ Graham III…
Report Post »Is a man not more than a sexual being?Are you saying that men are merely animals that have no control over their natural instincts? It is a natural instinct to eat,yet we are called deny ourselves and fast. by saying that it is natural for a man to want to have sexual relations with a woman, but denying that it is possible with God’s grace to deny yourself that pleasure is no different than being Darwin or any other evolutionist because we are nothing more to them than animals with no creator, no free will, and no soul. With God’s grace, we are all called to rule our passions and pleasures. A beautiful book,Theology of The Body by Pope John Paul II explains the connection between a person’s body,soul and spirit and how those in marriage and religious life can be celibate vocations.
WhiteFang
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 3:49pmJGraham III,
Well said.
Report Post »HAPPYRWE
Posted on September 16, 2011 at 1:13pmAgreed….God sets forth the rule not the exception to the rule. If this abuse has been going on for centuries, we know it has happened throughout history in many civilizations, the church is just a catalyst for it. Many children over decades are lost in the world as normal feeling people so they do marry, or appear normal on the outside but carry this horrible injury inside sometimes continuing the injury. I do feel so much sorrow for those who were horribly molested and have not found peace so they repeat the crime, but it does not mean we quit trying to stop it.
Report Post »ModerationIsBest
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 1:19amNot surprised to see people on here say they feel bad for the Catholic church.
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 2:34amYes and the gay community says not to judge them by the people at the back of their Pride Parades.
Report Post »Double standard don’t you think?
scout n ambush
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 1:18amThe soros funded ICC would love to push this . why not go after muslims who marry little girls or kill their daughters for being raped or claim they were westernized or the ones killing unarmed christians or any non muslim . In the midle east and african continent it’s an everyday thing .There’s you a job go after them ICC.
Report Post »BrayDeck
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 12:46amThe Pope didn’t molest children, the priests did. You can’t blame the employer for the crimes of the employee.
Report Post »Stinkin Progressives.
MrMagoo
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 1:05amDon’t believe the lies.
There are sick individuals in every religion.
The Catholic Church is very honorable,always has been.
Report Post »encinom
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 12:21pmThe Pope only covered up the crime.
Report Post »MrMagoo
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 12:43amWell,I*’m not perfect.After 3 kids,35 years of marriage and 5 dogs,I’ve seen it all.The one thing that kept us together was the Catholic Church.
Report Post »It was’nt BS from the pulpit.Nor was it lies about our Father.
It was charity and community.And we were/ARE one.
We had no time for LIES,then or now.The Survivors Network will get sued.
MrMagoo
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 12:54amProud to be Catholic!
MrMagoo
:)
Report Post »TomFerrari
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 12:40amI thought this all came up in a class action suit some time ago.
Are these new cases?
Or, are these the same ones, after additional charges?
If it is the same ones, I think it has been settled.
If it is new charges, it needs to be investigated.
It was a shameful, ongoing scar on the Catholic Church, to be certain.
I can only hope and pray they cleansed their numbers and actively police themselves for such wrong… wrong… WRONG doings.
Talk about SIN ! !
Brian8793 has a point that the Catholic Church’s hierarchical structure was developed by their leaders in a time when communication/transportation did not exist. Now, that same structure may well be a part of the difficulty in managing such a large organization.
I’ll reserve judgement on whether these are “unfair” or “fair” until I know more.
I find it bizarre that they kept FILES on these activities.
If they were AWARE of it, they should have ACTED.
Then, a file would be kept to protect themselves.
If they IGNORED it, they were foolish to keep files about such a thing while they ignored it.
Just goes to show you. ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD – - – INCLUDING PRIESTS AND BISHOPS.
Report Post »MrMagoo
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 1:00amwe all fall short.
Report Post »dontbotherme
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 1:26pmTomferrari- The Church did act on the crimes (which the bishops initially ignored). The criminals have been punished. The Church has paid dearly for the coverups. Amen to the quote: All have sinned & fall short of the Glory of God.
Report Post »tangonine
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 12:37amI‘m not sure what the catholic church did or didn’t do in response to these crimes. I guess I’ll have to do some research before I post an intelligent, informed response. I suggest you do the same.
Report Post »Chet Hempstead
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 4:38amWhat they did was move priests known or suspected to be molesters to other parishes without warning the congregants and promote the former bishop of Boston who was implicated in the most widespread and systematic coverups to a job at the Vatican. What they didn’t do was defrock any priests even repeat offenders for sex crimes or voluntarily cooperate with any legal authorities investigating these crimes.
Report Post »BurntHills
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 12:36amthose are not ‘victims’, those are activists. once ‘international” anything starts, Christianity will be purged from the Earth in an Armageddon.
all of this is on obama’s entrance, he has pulled every despicable creature from Hell itself into the light demanding it’s own way.
Report Post »The Third Archon
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 3:11am“those are not ‘victims”
Report Post »They were molested as children. Would you want your children molested?
Libertarian B 4 Libertarians Were Cool
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 12:35amCatholicism is experience a slow, prolonged, and agonizing death at it’s own hypocritical hands…
Report Post »INOGAWD
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 12:51amReally ?? God Bless You !!
Report Post »ZengaPA65
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 10:22amThe death it deserves.
Report Post »Libertarian B 4 Libertarians Were Cool
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 11:24amI’m more likely to be blessed than those pederast priests and the hierarchy that covered up for them!
Report Post »spreadthefaith
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 1:09pmIt’s not going to die..it’s been through dark times before and always triumphs. Did you see world youth day?the future of the church was there and it was awesome. no one had to force them or bribe them they went with enthusiasm and love for their church. Have you watched EWTN? Many of our christian brothers and sisters are returning to the church.There is much reason for hope in the church where sin abounds, grace abounds more.
Report Post »capitalismrocks
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 12:22am20-30 years ago, yes these acts were unfortunately swept under the rug or paid off in hush money… a terrible way to have addressed a serious situation, that was then, this is now… the Catholic Church is much more vigil and is far more aggressive in dealing with any abuse cases, these are people trying to prosecute those who weren’t invvolved in such affairs 20-30 years ago.
Its a terrible thing to have happened to those people when they were kids, but that was then, this is now and no international court is going to do anything against the Vatican or the Pope. This is nothing more then a continued attempt to hurt the Catholic church for old and already dealt with transgressions….
Report Post »dontbotherme
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 1:31pmCapitalismrocks: Thank you.
Report Post »MrMagoo
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 12:18amThanks the BLAZE for exposing and bringing to a forehead the Catholic Church.Its a wonderful religion.Always has been.
Report Post »We,the members,won’t pay another DIME to extortion!Our swords are mighty.
Gatekeeper
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 12:11amGotta love the woman smiling with her picture. Evil? Maybe.
The world hates the Catholic Church, and the truth she provides. One of the truths is that everybody is a sinner. The laity needs to wake up and start living their faith. It’s on us. THAT MEANS PRAYING FOR PRIESTS, BISHOPS AND THE POPE.
Time for me to pray my Novena for the canonization of Archbishop Fulton Sheen. If you don’t know who he is? I’ll tell you…. He is a patriot of this great country. St. Thomas Aquanis said patriotism is a virtue. So I beg you, read up on the two, especially Fulton Sheen. Pray that he becomes a Saint.
Report Post »MrMagoo
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 12:10amThey wear Blue helmets in times of war.They rape women and children.The United Nations ‘soldiers’.It’s all for all to see.
Report Post »MrMagoo
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 12:04amOld news,new $$$$$$$.Everybody and their brother were abused?What a shame,what a lie.That’s alright.I guess we all have to meet our Creator and answer to Him someday.
Report Post »The Catholic Church has done more for getting people out of poverty and promoting Charity than ANYONE entity.
Walkabout
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 2:35amThink of what Europe might have looked like without the Churches Peace movements of the early medieval ages.
Report Post »The Third Archon
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 3:20amBy “Peace Movements” you do mean, sir, to refer to the purging of heresies to church teaching that resulted in the Dark Ages?
Report Post »Catholic Convert Mom
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 9:12am@The Third Archon–what are you talking about? The Dark Ages were caused by sociopolitical and epidemological factors. You know, barbarian invasions, the Black Death? Pick up a history book. Any history book. If not for the Church (you know, all those monastaries) holding on to as much Classical history as they did, we probably would never have had the Renaissance.
Report Post »brian8793
Posted on September 13, 2011 at 11:52pmI’m not religious, but I’m sure these people are just trying to get money. I feel sorry for the Catholic Church. It’s sad that their archaic church structure has left them vulnerable to these sort of unfair attacks.
Report Post »ZengaPA65
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 10:21amThe Inquisition was sad. The way they backed the fascists in WW2 was sad. All the people they killed martyred and tortured over the centuries was rather sad as well. There’s a whole lot of sad associated with that institution.
Report Post »spreadthefaith
Posted on September 14, 2011 at 1:49pmDon’t feel sad for us.hundreds of thousands of saints gave their lives for the catholic faith…God uses these dark times to bring about a greater good in the church and the world. Justice will be there for the victims,the offenders and the church will prevail more humble and stronger.
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