NY Priest "Apologizes" for Saying Children are Often the "Seducer"

[joeybee12]

NEW YORK -- A New York priest says he "deeply regrets" if he hurt anyone by his comments that priests accused of child sex abuse are often seduced by their accusers and that a first-time offender should not go to jail.

The Rev. Benedict Groeschel of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal apologized Thursday for the comments he made in an interview with the National Catholic Register, published this week. The conservative, independent Register removed the story from its website and posted an apology for publishing the comments. Groeschel and the friars did as well.

"I did not intend to blame the victim. A priest (or anyone else) who abuses a minor is always wrong and is always responsible," Groeschel said in his post on the website. "My mind and my way of expressing myself are not as clear as they used to be. I have spent my life trying to help others the best that I could. I deeply regret any harm I have caused to anyone."

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/31/13583763-ny-priest-apologizes-for-saying-child-is-often-seducer-in-sex-abuse-cases?lite

[BeyondGeography]

1. That's the true Catholic hierarchy speaking...utterly remorseless

[LeftofObama]

2. You can't unring a bell, sir!

You said it, you meant it, and you know it!

[Scuba]

3. Too late, asswipe, your true colors were seen.

[Walk away]

4. It makes you wonder if " spent my life trying to help others the best that I could" means....

"spent my life trying to have sex with children" in Catholic speak!

[Paladin]

5. This Guy Should Have Been At The Republican Convention.

He would have fit right in.....

[davidn3600]

6. He referred to Jerry Sandusky as "this poor guy"

[Monk06]

17. I can't believe that but I will take your word for it. What a stupid perverted fuck!!

[WinkyDink]

47. It is true.

[Monk06]

64. I was speaking rhetorically. It is hard to fathom why the Catholic Church has not weeded out priests

like this. I'm beginning to think that the present Pope thinks pedophilia in the priesthood is not a big deal.

If only those alter boys weren't such flirts.

[WinkyDink]

7. Sure, Padre, sure. You said what you meant, and meant what you said.

[Iggo]

8. Apology NOT accepted.

Own it, dick.

[demosincebirth]

9. Im RC, and I think the bishop should defrock him

[hifiguy]

10. You can't unsay it, asshole.

What you really think is blindingly obvious.

[Lacipyt]

11. Too Bad He Isn't Perfect

Like the rest of us.

Here's what I found out about him:

-He has a PhD in pyschology from Columbia.

-He's almost 80 years old.

-He's spent most of his life helping the poor and homeless.

What are the odds that he misspoke, or didn't convey is ideas clearly or truly, madly, thinks that a priest (or anyone else) who abuses a minor is sometimes not wrong or responsible?

This is one area that I have zero tolerance for "gotcha" politics, where saying something stupid somehow becomes a signifyer of something greater simply because you don't care for the speaker.

What the Catholic Church did was inexcusable and appalling. The tragedy is that such a CYA attitude is hardly unique in any large institution. If you don't believe me, read what has been revealed in the New York Public School System over the last year or so.

Do you care about children: Protect.org

Or do you simply like such incidents because because they allow you to indulge in your prejudices?

[mikeytherat]

13. His own words:

Asked in the Register interview about working with priests involved in abuse, Groeschel had said, "Suppose you have a man having a nervous breakdown, and a youngster comes after him. A lot of the cases, the youngster — 14, 16, 18 — is the seducer."

In expanding on his answer, Groeschel also referenced Jerry Sandusky, the former Penn State coach convicted of sexually abusing boys, referring to Sandusky as "this poor guy" and wondering why no one said anything for years.

He also added later that anyone involved "on their first offense, they should not go to jail because their intention was not committing a crime."

Go ahead and let that last sentence sink in.

mikey_the_rat

[AngryOldDem]

15. Of course you don't arrest them.

You send them to R&R for a few months, and then transfer them to another parish.

[mikeytherat]

19. "I didn't mean to commit I crime when I robbed that bank, I just wanted all that money.

True, it just so happens that robbing banks is a crime, but I did not intend to commit a crime - I was only trying to steal the money."

mikey_the_rat

[Lacipyt]

20. He's Clearly Wrong

No doubt about that. None.

Fr. Groeschel is an old man, one who has been in declining mental health the last few years (he was hit by a car a few years ago and was actually in a month-long coma) and I truly believe these statements, based on his history and education, are the result of someone in his old age losing his grip.

That he has apologized and been relieved of his responsibilities by his order give me the impression that most people within the Church are as appalled by his comments as I am. Hopefully, he is as well.

I stand with this statement, also make by a priest: “Blaming the abused for their abuse is indefensible,” said the Rev. James Martin.

And as I wrote: protect.org

[AngryOldDem]

41. His remarks were pretty coherent and straightforward to me.

But then, I have my own agenda.



If they didn't believe it, they sure as hell would not say it. They take their words back only for PR purposes.

That's all this is. A PR move.

[Lacipyt]

44. You Do Have An Agenda

And that's fine, but I'm afraid it doesn't make your claims correct simply because you believe it.

It's all "a PR move?" Right, no one in the entire organization actually cares about children.

[AngryOldDem]

14. Because once again, the blame is being deflected on to the victims.

Groeschel also had a stroke, which you forgot to mention. BUT...this kind of crap is exactly what the RCC has been doing in this scandal for YEARS, and a lot of us are sick of it. Especially those of us who have known and worked with survivors of priest abuse through Voice of the Faithful and other organizations, like SNAP.

His intent was all too clear because we've heard it all before. It's one of the many institutional responses the hierarchy has for this, rather than accepting the blame for the abuse and doing something constructive to stop it.

(Groeschel, by the way, is also a star on the EWTN network, which would gladly take both the Church and the world back to the Dark Ages. Check THAT out when you get a chance.)

[Lacipyt]

22. I Wish I Had Your Powers

But I can't determine a person's motivations or intentions. I can say that if you think the Church recently has not done anything constructive to stop the abuse or accept the blame, you're as naive as those who think it a blameless party.

The abuse of children is appalling enough, but when either side tries to use such instances to further their own ideas, I only get sick to my stomach.

"Dark Ages?" Wow, you think of that term yourself or did you acquire it from a long, focused study of history?

[joeybee12]

38. Tell us what the Church has done constructively...

Fighting the justice system in this country by trying to argue they cannot be sued over the abuse?

Yeah, that's constructive.

[Lacipyt]

57. I Might

Be inclined to point you towards articles like this: http://www.slate.com/articles/life/faithbased/2010/03/making_amends.html

But I have to be honest, based on the responses I read, no matter what I write I'll get, "That's a lie" or "that's just PR" or "they don't mean that" etc etc.

It seems this board offers two sides:

1) The Catholic Church is inherently evil, and will always strive to abuse children

and

2) If you say anything else, you condone and support the abuse of children.

I wish life were so simple. Alas, it isn't.

[AngryOldDem]

39. The Church's motivations and intentions in regard to molesting priests

Has been widespread knowledge for years. It has knowingly covered up crimes involving adults and kids by shuffling priests from diocese to diocese, offering financial settlements in turn for no further legal action, intimidation families with the threat of court action, etc. etc. There is a report called the Doyle-Peterson Report. Read it and learn. It spells out pretty well the lengths the Church has gone to to cover this up.

How many priests, pray tell, have been defrocked -- LET ALONE PROSECUTED -- for sexual abuse of minors? The Church has cracked down harder on "dissident" nuns than it has against men who have hurt children. There is still a belief within the Church that the blame for ALL of this lies with homosexuality, and there is still a movement to ban gays from entering the priesthood, when it has been determined over and over again that homosexuality has NOTHING to do with this.

But that said, it is AGAIN the Church's foot-dragging for decades on this which has caused the most damage. What they are doing in terms of "reform" -- is too little, too late.

I take great offense at what you term as my "naivete." Do you know personally any victims of this abuse? I have. I know what they have gone through, and that all that most of them wanted from the Church was a **simple apology.** The Church won't even give them that, hence their anger. And mine.

If you want to defend this sick man and his sick institution, then go for it. I've **seen** the damage they have done.

[WinkyDink]

49. Uh...there is only ONE correct side here, pal. (And BTW: I've studied the Dark Ages.)

Taught about them, too.

[Lacipyt]

56. I Wish Life So Simple

But people who oppose child abuse only when it takes place in the Catholic Church don't care about children so much as they hate the institution.

Sorry, but according to government numbers, in 2010 alone, there were some 63,527 reported cases of child sexual abuse in the United States. That so few people know or seem to care about this makes me...skeptical, let's say, that people care about children as much as they claim.

Protect.org

You have studied the "Dark Ages?" When? I'm curious because I have a friend who is an historian who says that term isn't really used anymore the same way black people are no longer called "negros."

[Bradical79]

21. "Gotcha" politics? Sounds like the Sarah Palin excuse.

He was pretty clear as Mikey pointed out. Nobody's perfect is a pretty poor defense, as some flaws are clearly more damaging than others. Jerry Sandusky and the Penn St. officials that covered up what he did weren't perfect either. He seemed pretty clear to me expressing an attitude that has directly lead to the harm of many children and women, and is consistent with how the church handled the child sex abuse initially.

[Lacipyt]

25. Sarah Palin My Rump

I am not defending his comments, but I do not think that the words of an old man with a history of head trauma is somehow indicative of a larger conspiracy or mindset, as many on this board are attempting to insinuate, if not making an outright accusation.

That's my point. The man has a history of good works behind him, his comments cannot be excused, and I think the actions taken by the Church regarding him show that this is the current policy.

[Zorra]

24. Why should we STFU? If this were an isolated incident of figures in the Catholic Church

saying and doing mean, hurtful, hateful things, then you would have a case. We have no reason to believe that what Groeschel said was not what he has believed all his life. If the Catholic Church had not had such a long history of intolerance, hatred, and repression, we would be much less inclined to be critical.

"...what Father Groeschel said cannot be allowed to stand unchallenged.

The sexual abuse of a minor is a crime, and whoever commits that crime deserves to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," spokesman Joseph Zwilling said.

David Clohessy, director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP, said there needs to be consequences for figures like Groeschel, "who say incredibly hurtful and mean-spirited things."

Incredibly hurtful, hateful, mean spirited things such as this:

Cardinal Dolan: Obama's 'gay marriage' support undermines society

Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan is charging President Barack Obama with undermining the “very cornerstone of society” by supporting “gay marriage.”

Bishop hits up flock to beat Referendum 74

The Roman Catholic Bishop of Yakima is hitting up worshipers in the pews of his 41 parishes to donate money to defeat Referendum 74, the same-sex-marriage measure on Washington’s November election ballot.

The Rt. Rev. Joseph Tyson, in a letter to pastors, deliverer 14 talking points and told them: “I am asking you to announce a special parishoner financial appeal” to boost the political warchest to fight marriage equality.

“In addition to informing ourselves and others about R-74, we can contribute to the campaign by using the envelope in this week’s bulletin to make a generous donation to Preserve Marriage Washington,” Tyson wrote.

Preserve Marriage Washington is the group fighting against approval of marriage equality in Washington. Washington, Maryland and Maine will vote on same-sex marriage in November, with indications that at least one and possibly all three states will approve it.

We're not the people who are advocating the spread of hatred, inequality, and intolerance on a daily basis.

The leaders of the Catholic Church are the ones doing this.

[Lacipyt]

29. Please

"We have no reason to believe that what Groeschel said was not what he has believed all his life."

Who is "we?"

Are you their spokesperson?

Why do you think a Franciscan Friar like Fr. Groeschel and not a Jesuit like James Martin, who said in 'The New York Times,' "Blaming the abused for their abuse is indefensible" speaks for the entire Catholic Church?

"We're not the people who are advocating the spread of hatred, inequality, and intolerance on a daily basis.

The leaders of the Catholic Church are the ones doing this."

Again with the "we" and this time with a "them."

I have no interest in talking about this with someone who has so clearly and absolutely made up their mind. You don't want to discuss; you just want to pontificate. Let me offer you some closing advice - Choose your enemies carefully, for they are what you become.

Godspeed.

[Zorra]

34. "We" are the people who believe that everyone was created equal and are endowed

by our creator (or endowed by virtue of existence) with certain inalienable rights, like the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

I have a question: Do you support marriage equality?

Because the official position of the Catholic Church is that it does not. Yes, there are, and have been, many awesome, decent people who are Catholic, and I believe that James Martin is one of them. Unfortunately, his opinions are not generally shared by the leadership of the Catholic Church. And these awesome, decent people continue to support an organization that promotes inequality and legalized bigotry.

I really don't care what anyone believes, that's their choice, and I honor it, as long as this belief does not cause harm to others. Unfortunately, the Catholic Church is deliberately advocating for the persecution and legal inequality of innocent people in the US and around the world.

And that is simply flat out wrong. It's really, really wrong.

I have every right and reason in the world to speak out against any bigots or bigoted organizations who are actively victimizing a substantial segment of the population of this country.

Pope Condemns Marriage Equality in Speech to U.S. Bishops

In a Friday Vatican address to visiting American bishops, Pope Benedict XVI condemned the growing push for marriage equality in the United States, AFP reports.

“Sexual differences cannot be dismissed as irrelevant to the definition of marriage," said Pope Benedict, who warned of "the powerful political and cultural currents seeking to alter the legal definition of marriage.”

That's real Pontiff-icating. Pun intended.

"Choose your enemies carefully, for they are what you become."

My enemies are those who choose to promote, and who are actively responsible for, the perpetuation of ignorance, hypocrisy, fear, violence, aggression, death, destruction, suffering, hatred, poverty, inequality, and injustice.

When they make these choices, they choose me, and people like me, to be their enemy. We are compelled by our natures to try to prevent bullies of all stripe from harming others in every way we reasonably can.

That's why most progressives are attracted to the Democratic Party.

[dsc]

31. you left out some of his most important work

He founded Courage which is the Catholic ex gay ministry and even wrote a book telling gays to live celebate lives. Sorry no sympathy here.

[Lacipyt]

33. I Know You Might Not Grasp This Idea

But not everyone in the world thinks that a natural inclination towards a behavior makes it acceptable.

There are some Catholics who are gay and strive for celebacy. Others do not. Fr. Groeschel has his beliefs on this matter. You may disagree, but Bulverism wins you no converts.

[Zorra]

35. Trust me, we really get it. They hate us, and persecute us constantly, even murder us.

Thanks so much for your concern.

[dsc]

36. It sure puts his comments on pedeophilia in perspective though

He apparently thinks sex with boys is AOK but sex with men not so much.

[Lacipyt]

45. I Disagree

I think he makes it quite clear in his apology that "A priest (or anyone else) who abuses a minor is always wrong and is always responsible."

How did he arrive at the original statement? No idea, but an almost 80-year-old with a history of brain trauma? I'm afraid tabloidish knee-jerk reactions don't serve the problem at all.

[WinkyDink]

53. Your capital-letter defense is a tad knee-jerk itself.

[dsc]

54. yes it just was an accident

to call them seducers. Incidentally it just happens to coincide with what the Church itself repeatedly argued in court while defending these suits. He is gay hating moral scum who coddles pedeophiles and deserves every bit of crap he is taking for his outlandish behavior.

[Lacipyt]

58. He Deserves The Flak

He's getting. No doubt. He's getting it even from his fellow priests.

But the imbecilic extrapolations about how somehow he's revealing a secret agenda about the Church "really" thinks?

Horse feathers.

[MelungeonWoman]

65. It's no secret, everyone knows

Everyone knows what the church "really" thinks, thanks to years of their very own testimony on the subject.

I'm sure he's getting it from his fellow priests. I read the apology as directed towards the superiors that have been hurt as a result of the article.

[Lacipyt]

67. I Love It

Probably a big 'Da Vinci Code' fan. "Everyone knows" what they "really" think.

It's times like these I have to remind myself: Pearls before swine, pearls before swine...

[dsc]

59. actually it is even worse

Benedict expressed a belief that most of these "relationships" are heterosexual in nature, and that historically sexual relationships between men and boys have not been thought of as crimes. "If you go back 10 or 15 years ago with different sexual difficulties—except for rape or violence—it was very rarely brought as a civil crime. Nobody thought of it that way... And I’m inclined to think, on [a priest's] first offense, they should not go to jail because their intention was not committing a crime."

words his bolding mine

So he actually discriminates between the pedophile relationship with is heterosexual and thus normal and relationships between adult males which shouldn't occur in his world due to being homosexual and thus immoral. It literally boggles the mind.

[Lacipyt]

62. It Is Indeed

Mind boggling.

That's why, based on his reputation, education, history of brain damage, age, etc. I'm really stunned and saddened by the comments. Gore Vidal, when about the same age as Groeschel, made a similar comment about Roman Polanski's victim, referring to her (13 years old at the time of the incident) as a "whore" who basically had it coming. When you've been around as many old people as I have, you find them espousing some really crazy ideas.

Let me repeat this: Those ideas are indefensible. He has apologized and stated that abuse is always wrong. His order has relieved him of his duties. The archdiocese of New York has called them "terribly wrong."

Frankly, I don't think in regard to an issue like child abuse, we should worry about the words of an old man whose community and Church (except for William Donohue, and don't get me started on him) have lamblasted him for his comments when there is serious work to be done.

[dsc]

63. the thing is he was lucid enough to make sure

what he was saying fit what he actually believes right down to calling the pedo relationships he felt were OK heterosexual. The fact is certainly some Catholics believe exactly as this man stated in that interview. Oh, and they published this on a Catholic website so apparently those Catholics saw nothing wrong with the contents of that interview until the crap hit the fan.

[Lacipyt]

66. Do You Understand

That there literally tens of thousands of Catholics in the US and there are liberal and conservative factions within the Church itself?

Honestly, how many people on this board even knew who Fr. Groeschel was before those comments? So why, suddenly, based on the responses, has be become the spokesperson for the entire institution?

This is what I have a problem with: People who really aren't aware of the epidemic of child abuse that is going on but only become outraged when it has something to do with their political leanings.

You mention that the publishers saw "nothing wrong" with the content? Isn't that something to investigate further, asking them, for example, why the interview was published?

[dsc]

68. He founded Courage which is my problem with him

and he is on their network.

[Lacipyt]

69. I Get That

You don't care for Fr. Groeschel because of views on homosexuality, but I'm finding, on these boards especially, a self-righteousness that mirrors William Donohue in its attempts to turn one priest's comments (that have been condemned with near-unanimous boos in the Church) into something more significant.

Child abuse is a serious problem, and for crying out loud, look at are our public school system. That's what bothers me: People who feign outrage about these issues almost solely for political reassurances.

[WinkyDink]

52. La-di-da.

[AngryOldDem]

40. I forgot about that.

He most certainly did.

Courage -- just another puke-inducing Catholic organization.

[Care Acutely]

42. Forget "perfect" - HE'S A BABY FUCKER.

He conveyed his ideas very clearly. He said children seduce their attackers. Where do you suppose he got an idea like that?

[WinkyDink]

48. He called child-rape victims "seducers"! WTH does his PhD or AGE have to do with it??

[Confusious]

55. Sorry, but

I would in no how, no way, not ever, think that and nearly choked on my salad when he called a child "a seducer."

He's one sick, sick, sick puppy.

We all make mistakes, but NOT like THAT.

[AngryOldDem]

12. Apology NOT accepted...

....because you meant every word you said, asshole, and you KNOW it. That's how these fuckers work...they don't count on getting blowback on their comments, and when they do they back-pedal and try to erase whatever it was they said. Too late.

I had to laugh, though, because I checked the National Catholic Register website and the commenting feature has been disabled for this story. Chickenshits. If you print trash like this, then you need to take whatever just deserts comes your way.

[Monk06]

16. That's a classic remark made by pedophiles when they are cought. "The kid asked for it, wanted it,

he seduced me the little bugger." I don't think the catholic priesthood can be salvaged. It's ingrained in them to see kids as sexual opportunities

[Lacipyt]

23. From 'The New York Times'

Many New York priests and others — including advocates for victims of child sexual abuse — reacted with anger at the remarks. “Blaming the abused for their abuse is indefensible,” said the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit commentator for America Magazine.

Stupid conservative rag. Trying to pretend people in the Church are actually upset by those comments!

[Ikonoklast]

37. Of course they are going to react that way. They HAVE TO.

They are part of an organization where systematic child abuse has been rampant and ignored for hundreds of years, until they got finally were exposed.

You make a good apologist for them, though. Keep up the bad work.

[Lacipyt]

51. I"ll Bet You

Actually believe that. That this isn't a social issue that affects, and has affected, all of us but merely that the Whore and Beast of Babylon is an organization dedicated to the idea of sexually abusing children.

From Newsweek in April, 2010: 'We don't see the Catholic Church as a hotbed of this or a place that has a bigger problem than anyone else,' said Ernie Allen, president of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

!@#$ him for saying that, right?

Here's a fact: the US Department of Health and Human Services report stated that there were over 60,000 reports of abuse in 2010 alone. The number not involving the Catholic Church is enormous, huge, especially compared to the coverage it gets. But my cynicism arises and I flat-out think you had idea the numbers were that high until a few seconds ago.

This is what bothers me about people like yourself: You don't really care about children's welfare - Only when an organization accused and convicted opposes "liberal" platforms. If the New York Public School system, which has been revealed by the New York Times is recent years to have engaged in a similar coverup of such abuse (and if you think this is somehow new, I have four words: "Wake the !@$ up&quot came out against abortion and gay marriage tomorrow, I'd wager you'd suddenly care about those children as well.

[Bradical79]

18. It's not exactly a new belief

Lots of organized religions blame the victim whenever a man does something awful like rape a woman or a child. The bible has many laws punishing women for crimes committed against them, and though I don't know what the Quran specifically says about such things, it seems there are laws in Islamic governed societies similar to what's found in the Christian bible.

The guy is pretty old, so I suppose some of that old Catholic teaching may have just "slipped out", but as a sexist male dominated religion I'm not too surprised when something like this is said. The church itself does have a history of such things after all. I don't buy that he intended to say something else... I'm not sure of any other way what he said could be interpreted. He seemed pretty clear to me, and it's consistent with how the church handled the child sex abuse initially.

[Zoeisright]

26. Too little too late.

Burn in hell, Groeschel.

[a geek named Bob]

27. I need the following...

1.) a large and dangerous black silver tipped percheron.
2.) a fashionable and well tailored black leather outfit
3.) a sword

I bitterly resent asswipes like these are using a portion of my air supply.

[Kalidurga]

28. Apology not accepted...

And I want to know how many children seduced this guy.

[DiverDave]

30. Um, yeah, when I was

FOUR, I just HAD to have that thing in my behind...what an...he's going to HELL.
He better hope he never is in the same room as me.

[redqueen]

32. 'I didn't mean to blame the victim'... how sadly common is that sentiment.

At least in this case, the victim is a child, and so pretty much everyone sees it.

Unfortunately, in other situations...

[hamsterjill]

43. It's funny how they only apologize when they get caught.

Isn't it?

Sickening!

[McCamy Taylor]

46. He did so intend to blame the victim.

How short was that choir boy's skirt?

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

50. Even if that's the case, which I doubt it is in most cases

there must be self control on the part of the adult at all times. Too many adults in our society forget the heavy responsibilities that come with being an adult along with the privileges. I know you can't stop certain adults from fantasizing about certain disgusting practices such as this, but they damn well better control their acts or go to prison, even for a first time offense.

[zbdent]

60. Don't blame him ... that chair was looking at him longingly ...

with lust in its heart ...

[theinquisitivechad]

61. Hope they're investigating this guy.

Highly doubt his "perspective" has innocuous origins.