U.S. Bishops Quietly Reinstate Accused Priests

[kpete]

Source: NPR

U.S. Bishops Quietly Reinstate Accused Priests

by Barbara Bradley Hagerty

While the Roman Catholic sexual abuse scandal unfolds in Europe, the Catholic Church in the U.S. is under renewed scrutiny.

In the wake of its own scandal almost a decade ago, the U.S. church says it has reformed its policies for handling sexual abuse allegations and will remove from ministry every priest who is credibly accused of abuse.

But some of those priests are now being quietly reinstated.

Read more: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125420225

[jody]

1. Why aren't guilty priests treated exactly like any other person who commited the same crime?

I understand separation of church and state but I don't understand separation of guilty priests from their guilty friends.

[LiberalFighter]

7. They must be under the belief that they are not subject to civil law.

Of course, in the past local governments may have thought they were exempt. Especially, if they were a member of the same church.

[caseymoz]

8. Yes, that's exactly what's wrong with them.

And exactly what has always been wrong with this "celibate" men's club.

[Hosnon]

9. I agree. It's time to bring the hammer down HARD on the Church. Turn these guys over immediately

to the civilian authorities or accept the consequences (e.g., revocation of tax-exempt status, criminal charges against the bishops --> ... --> the Pope).

ETA: And I don't think separation of church and state has much to do with it. That doctrine has never exempted clergy from complying with the law.

[goclark]

16. I'm Christian and I agree

The church should not be able to protect criminals!

[calimary]

18. I'm a lifelong Roman Catholic and I agree WHOLEHEARTEDLY!

This is a disgrace!!! These felons are NOT above the law, regardless what their collar looks like.

[No Elephants]

19. Sometimes, in some states, the statute of limitations has expired by the time

the abuse is public. Sometimes, that's because the victim was sworn to secrecy, with or without a cash payment.

[superconnected]

21. you mean molest 10 kids then let go with little to no jail time, like the rest of the peds are

treated. Sorry, I know two peds that are free to molest as many kids as they want with past convictions.

[gorfle]

2. Ain't forgiveness great!

Just go to confession and all is well! It's like a moral reset button. How convenient!

[jody]

3. But Jesus said "repent and be forgiven, go and sin no more" not "repent & keep sinning". n/t

[gorfle]

10. How's that working out?

Not so well, it seems.

[caseymoz]

30. Unfortunately, the Catholic Church has put this into a ritual sacrament.

Penance. Confession. The priest performing it is supposed to become Jesus himself during that time and is supposed to be able to tell. This was all put in place before there was any such thing as abnormal psychology. Then, the Popes declared themselves infallible on issues of doctrine, dogma and faith, retroactively making all previous Popes infallible as well. A glance at the history of the church will tell you that isn't true, but the results were to impede any change, for that would mean some Pope previously got it wrong.

Meanwhile, throughout history, and I mean all through the history of the church, priest, bishop, cardinal or Pope were the very best jobs a pedophile could have besides noblemen. Pedophilia is in no way a new problem for the Catholic clergy. The difference between them and other religions or organizations is that they are calloused to it. To the point where they don't consider it a big thing. They see pedophilia as a sexual sin, an equivalent to a mortal sin like participating in oral sex with one's spouse (I am absolutely serious). They have no concept of the harm to the victim of abuse, and they don't see it as a concern. So, of course, they'd treat the victims like whiny kids.

I really see the Catholic church staying just like this and doing the same thing Ratzinger is doing for a century, and hemorrhaging membership throughout that whole time.

[madmom]

6. and that is exactly why I concluded when I was about 14 that religion in a farce!

[calimary]

20. All this "I'm Forgiven!" business is completely distorted and horribly abused.

Seems to me, based on what I've observed of those public figures who proclaim this loudly in public, is that they seem to view it as some sort of handy-dandy get-out-of-jail-free card that they can whip out anytime they've done something bad. It's NOT a free pass that entitles you to do whatever the hell you feel like and then fall back on the "I'm forgiven!" default afterwards to explain away your sin and your guilt. What a cheapening of the Sacrifice (hmmm... that turn-of-events that many folks just happen to be remembering tomorrow, on Good Friday, yanno?). That attitude is nothing but a slap in the Face of the crucified Christ. I constantly have to force myself to remember that Jesus died for these bastards, too.

[gorfle]

24. It's not just abused, it's magical thinking.

I'm convinced that pedophiles and other sexual predators have permanently warped sexual urges. I don't believe there is any cure available by today's medical technology, and these people are basically fighting a battle of willpower their entire lives to not do give in to their warped urges. Unfortunately, sexual urges are about as urgent for most people as the drive to eat, or sleep, or drink. Thus very few people can hold out indefinitely against them.

Sending these people to "confession" and then putting them back "on their honor" to hold back against their warped urges is just naieve at best.

It's sad that these people get branded with a scarlet letter, but unfortunately once someone is proven to have these warped sexual urges, until there is a cure they should never be put back in similar situations ever agin.

[caseymoz]

31. To your first paragraph, I want to add . . .

To use willpower with any reliability they have to feel guilt and disgust over what they are doing. It's not in the nature of pedophiles to feel that about what they do. Or in some state of mind, they don't feel it. Any normal person feels that disgust deeply.

The sacrament of confession was put together without any notion of abnormal psychology. But it isn't the only problem. The Catholic clergy has, in the long history of the church, had a problem with pedophilia. Including a few Popes at least. Catholic clergyman has simply been, historically, the very best job a pedophile can get. The church's notion of sin and forgiveness is warped accordingly. I'm not saying that they are all pedophiles, or most of them are, but enough of them are and have always been. Unfortunately, they are used to having it in their midst, their dogma and doctrine have no notion of harm to the victim. To them, rape and molestation are both "mortal sins" which makes them equivalent sins to having oral sex with one's spouse. Really. That's the way they see it.

[Soylent Brice]

4. wow. an enormous display of disregard for the safety and welfare of children.

they're really outdoing themselves these days.

[saigon68]

13. It starts at the top

[Stuart G]

26. It sure does...

[LiberalFighter]

5. Were law enforcement aware of criminal activities connected with these priests?

And did they give up jurisdiction to the Catholics? If so, they should be prosecuted too.
Any church that knowingly hides criminal activity should also be prosecuted.

Under no circumstances should any church not be subject to criminal prosecution.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

11. Aren't these priests on a sex-offender watch list?

Or do they get some kind of immunity, like diplomats and cops?

:hi:

[Solly Mack]

12. Sick

[pattmarty]

14. Jesusfuckingchrist!!!!!!!!

[olegramps]

15. One of the major obstacles is the Statue of Limitations.

Several states have taken the step to exempt sexual abuse of a minor from its Statue of Limitations such as applies to homicide. There have also been attempts to make the revisions of the code retroactive in order that some could be tried for their crimes.

The Statue of Limitations has provided the Catholic Church and their clergy with an exemption of being found guilty, convicted and placed on sex offender lists. I find the Catholic Church to be without any conscience since they have routinely sought to prevent their secret files from being made public. While the majority of the bishops that now preside over dioceses may not have been involved in the initial cover-up and decry how evil the abuse of innocent children is, they none the less have no problem with shielding the church from being exposed as to the depth of the problem. If anyone of these bishops was truly concerned and they were aware of abuse they should immediately, regardless of how old the case is, have gone to the churches where these degenerates had served and urged anyone who had been abused to seek church paid for therapy. What they have done was to place the church's financial wellbeing before the wellbeing of those who have been molested and continued the cover-up and are to a certain extent just as guilty as the predecessors.

[Crowhill]

17. "Accused" priests

It's important to keep that distinction in mind. Reinstating accused priests -- while not a good idea -- is not the same as reinstating guilty priests.

There are such things as false accusations.

[No Elephants]

22. Did you read the entire OP article?

[Crowhill]

25. Looked to me as if it was a mixed bag

Some "accused" and some clearly guilty. That was my point.

[No Elephants]

32. A priest found liable by a jury is not merely "accused" wrongly.

Before I'd give anyone, especially a priest, accused of child molestation access to kids under my care, I'd have to be damned sure of innocence--and that "damnded sure" part sure did not come across in the OP article.

[No Elephants]

23. Why doesn't the law require that these guys keep their distance from children?

I mean all child molesters, not only priests.

[hedgehog]

27. From the USCCB Web site:

(United Sates Council of Catholic Bishops)

"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
7
Woe to the world because of things that cause sin! Such things must come, but woe to the one through whom they come!
8
If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into eternal fire.
9
And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into fiery Gehenna.
10
"See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.

[No Elephants]

33. Causes little ones to sin? WTF? What is the "sin" of a molested child, ffs?

:wtf:

Interesting, the King James Version (not used by the Roman Catholic Church), says it differently (and btw, nothing in the Bible indicates that this refers to molestation of minors):



Matthew 18
1At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

2And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,

3And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

4Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

6But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

7Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!

8Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.

9And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

10Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

11For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. .....


Counterparts of the above passage in Mark 9 and Luke 17 are worded similarly to the above.

[hedgehog]

37. I think the King James version is the more accurate, in this case!

[defendandprotect]

28. Reinstated--!!! Are these men out of their minds or simply arrogant -- ???

[laconicsax]

29. "Are these men out of their minds or simply arrogant"

Umm...

Can't it be both?

[No Elephants]

34. It can also be protecting themselves, their "brothers," and their income, regardless of cost to

others.

[defendandprotect]

35. Agree . . . you have the better answer . . . "both" . . .

[Vidar]

36. Not unlike the Republican Party.

[hedgehog]

38. I will say this - I looked up some articles on one of the priests

mentioned in the report and I would not be willing to condemn him on the basis of what was reported. Apparently there is a claim of recovered memory. Sometimes people do spontaneously recover memories, but there are many, many cases of false memories being implanted by a poorly trained therapist. As near as I can tell, there is a single accuser in this case describing an incident from 30 years ago. I'm thinking that it is unlikely for there to have been a single victim, I'm thinking there are usually many or else none.