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dates this sort of abuse back 60 years, to WW II--long before the liberal reforms of the Church in the 1960s under Pope John XXIII, which many conservatives have sought to blame for bad priestly behavior. This type of abuse is not new, in order words, and has to do, not with any short-lived liberal policy, but with lack of accountability, and lack of democracy in that prototype of fascist organizations, the Church hierarchy. In fact, the truth of the matter is that the liberalizations under Pope John--which tended to open dialogue on many subjects within Catholic communities, and which tended to support the dignity and rights of individuals--probably loosened tongues, and freed abused people from the suffocating authoritarianism that had silenced them. "Liberalism" didn't cause the abuse; it resulted in the exposure of the abuse. ("Liberalism" was so short-lived, in any case, that I doubt it had ANY impact on priestly education or ethics, which is much to be regretted. A permanent policy of openness, honesty, repentance for past Church sins, equality between the sexes, and clergy accountability, might have PREVENTED further abuse, which almost always occurs in conditions of stifling secrecy and power-mongering relationships.)
Kudos to Bishop Gumbleton for his courage and truthfulness!
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