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Subscribe to RSSPHILADELPHIA -- After nine years and two grand jury reports, prosecutors have brought a landmark case to trial that explores how the Archdiocese of Philadelphia dealt with child sex-abuse complaints against scores of Roman Catholic priests.
Monsignor William Lynn is the first U.S. church official ever charged over his handling of abuse complaints. He supervised more than 800 priests as the secretary for clergy in Philadelphia from 1992 to 2004.
Prosecutors charge that Lynn kept dangerous priests in parish work around children to protect the church's reputation and avoid scandal. They say the church kept secret files dating to 1948 that show a long-standing conspiracy to doubt sex abuse victims and protect priests.
Assistant District Attorney Jacqueline Coelho called the case "a battle between right and wrong within the archdiocese and the office of secretary for clergy."
Defense lawyer Thomas Bergstrom said Monday that Lynn had the "ugly job" of overseeing sex abuse complaints, but that Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua alone determined priest assignments and transfers.
"There is documentary evidence that the sexual abuse of children happened in the Catholic Church," Bergstrom said. "We're not going to run from that. He (Lynn), perhaps alone, is the one who tried to correct it."
Solemn in court
Lynn, 61, appeared solemn in court, where he has appeared over the past few months for pretrial hearings and jury selection.
He has been under investigation for eight years, through two grand jury investigations that blasted Bevilacqua and his successor, Cardinal Justin Rigali, saying they covered up child sex complaints lodged against more than 60 priests.
The church kept secret files dating back to 1948 that show a long-standing conspiracy to doubt sex abuse victims, protect priests and avoid scandal, Assistant District Attorney Jacqueline Coelho said in opening statements.
"You can't protect the church without keeping the allegations in the dark," Coelho told jurors, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. "He kept the parishioners in the dark and he kept the faithful in the dark."
Coelho called the case "a battle between right and wrong within the archdiocese and the office of secretary for clergy."
Coelho outlined the decades-old sexual abuse complaints found buried in secret archives to build a case against Monsignor William Lynn, who supervised priests as secretary for clergy from 1992 through 2004. Lynn is the first U.S. church official charged for his administrative role in the sex abuse crisis.
He is on trial with the Rev. James Brennan, who is charged with the attempted rape of a 14-year-old boy in 1996. Both men entered not guilty pleas before the jury Monday.
Co-defendant Edward Avery, a defrocked priest, entered a surprise guilty plea Thursday to a sexual assault charge and will serve 2½ to five years in prison. Avery also acknowledged that the archdiocese kept him in parish work despite knowing of an earlier complaint lodged against him, a point that could bolster the conspiracy charge against Lynn.
Coelho said the archdiocese did little or nothing about sex abuse complaints until the church's sex abuse scandal exploded in Boston in 2002.
"Victims are met with skepticism and priests are believed ... at all costs," Coelho said, speaking softly to the jury.
'Warning signs or red flags'
Attorneys for Lynn and Brennan plan to attack the credibility of the priests' troubled adult accusers, though that strategy took a hit last week when Avery pleaded guilty, confirming one accuser's account of a brutal 1999 sexual assault inside a church sacristy. All three priests were to be tried together before Avery admitted that he abused a 10-year-old altar boy.
Prosecutors say the 61-year-old Lynn transferred priests to new parishes when a problem arose or told parishioners that their priest was taking a "health leave" when he was going for therapy or to a "safe" assignment at an old-age home. Before long, problem priests were back in parish work, with unsupervised access to children.
"By ignoring warning signs or red flags, Fr. Lynn kept Brennan and Avery in ministry, where they were able to hurt children," Coelho said.
Lynn remains the focal point of the trial. He could get up to 28 years in prison if convicted of two counts each of conspiracy and child endangerment.
He has argued that he prepared a list of 37 accused priests in 1994 and sent it up the chain to Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua — only to have Bevilacqua have it shredded. The cardinal died this year, but his videotaped deposition could be played at trial.
The trial will be closely followed by Catholics across the country, including some who say their lives were destroyed.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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The Catholic church is just evil!
I couldn't agree more.
These are just people. They are not special in any way...they put on a the robes and suddenly they are above reproach?
What parent could look in the eyes of their child and not believe them - just because this person is a priest?
I just don't get it.
Actually, the pope is so useless--diseased/perverted--that he can't dress himself.
Think about it: The pope could issue a command to all christians to report all pedophiles and end the rape of children within his re.lie.gion within a month: He does not because it will be bad for business--MONEY$$$--AND he'd have to report himself as one. One need only look back at the crusades to see the christians were always led by pedophiles.
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia protected sexual predators in its ranks for more than 70 years
This is the result of a religion that demands "celibacy" from priests. Any predator can hide under those dresses ,and commit the most perverse acts against children. The worst part is that people keep defending them, and saying that "It's not the fault of the catholic church". It's unbelievable that so many people keep believing in these priests.
The catholics should be ashamed of having such stupid pope, that continues harboring pedophiles in the church.
They are no different that that a****e Sandusky, using a charity organization to prey on children. TRASH.. They know that there is no such thing as hell, because of there was, they would have not behave the way they did. That would be their permanent address. What a con just to keep people scared.
Santorum just won in Louisiana thanks to the catholics....Just in case you did not know...SAntorum LOVES the catholic church...Is there a coincidence that he is obsessed with SEX?
Why Janet, haven't you just heard the bishops say that they are taking the moral highground and refusing to let their female employees have free birth control -- of course Viagra is another matter.
I am ashamed to admit that I am even a former Catholic. I wish I could demand every penny back I ever gave to this travesty of fake morality.
The Catholic Church is the sum total of all its members. The bulk of these people are not evil, though everyone that I know has flaws. With all this institutional sin & priestly sin that has gone on for such a sad long time, perhaps it's time for the layfolk of the Church to assume leadership. When formal "leaders" and the hierarchical structure as a whole have such moral failures, they lose their true & genuine authority. Laypeople --parents who face so much greater struggles & tribulations, or such victims of clerical abuse, and others-- have a clearer sense of reality than many many priests. So laypeople have basis to assume genuine authority to lead the Church. Of course the full Christian Church encompasses so much more than just the Catholic Church. Perhaps lay leadership would have better wisdom on how to interrelate in grace with Christians of other denominations (or, for that matter, how to interrelate in grace with believers in different religions).
May those who have been abused find some peace, some healing.
If I would say "Hopefully those abused will feel the true love of Jesus", we could easily imagine that after their sad experiences as victims of such crimes, they'd have a snowball's chance in hell to be at all receptive to talk about the love of Jesus. So besides being sick abusive criminals, these priests & their sheltering "higher ups" have pushed people (including the general non-abused public who now see their ugly sins) away from God. Again, they've lost whatever genuine claim to leadership & true authority that they might have once held.
But overall, the full Church, the Body of Christ, composed of all its members, still is a channel of grace and blessing to the world, IMO.
Hello folks, the sexual abuse that has been perpetrated by the Catholic Church on tens of thousands of innocent children is on a scale that lends itself so that even the casual observer has to wonder if it is an accepted ritual within the church. Many people come to the defense of the church stating that it is the celibate role of the priests that has lent itself to the wide spread abuse. If so, why are the majority of victims boys?
A study done by The National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect found that even though only 25% of citizens in the U.S. are Roman Catholic, 54% of the sexual abuse cases were perpetrated by Catholic priests. The church has paid at least 2.6 billion to settle sexual abuse cases. In 2007 alone the Los Angeles Archdiocese on July 15 announced the largest church settlement of sexual abuse lawsuits to date, agreeing to pay more than 500 alleged victims a total of $660 million. The abuse continues and the wealthy Vatican is easily able to cover these claims. The Vatican even has insurance policies to cover these operating costs.
The minor victims of priest abuse are overwhelmingly boys and teenagers, which is
contrary to the pattern of abuse in the general population.
The problem is not just with the number of priests who molests young children, but in
a Vatican power structure which harbors and conceals pedophiles, hides other
sexual behavior patterns among its clerics and uses the strategies of duplicity
and counterattack against the victims.
Why is it that in most countries the Catholic Church doesn’t have to abide by the same laws that apply to other pedophiles and rapists? And why don’t Catholics see this atrocity as an integral part of their church?
Pedophile priests have molested innocent children in the Roman Catholic Church probably since the beginning of the church. These pedophiles have been protected and their horrendous crimes against children have gone unpunished. It is amazing to me that there are over a billion Catholics. I guess acceptance of pedophilia in the church is the cost of salvation!
Yes, the Catholic church has done a lot of good in it's history. But Sandusky was also really good with children, and John Wayne Gacy made a fantastic entertainer, dressed as a clown at children's parties. Given that, would you still want them as your baby sitter?
Did Monsignor William Lynn testify at Rep. Issa's hearing on birth control/contraception?
Where is Rick "butt goo" Santorum backing up the church saying "At least the priests buggering little boys didn't need contraception"?
If the World Court has the fortitude to act, they would demand all paperwork showing who authorized the transfer of pedophile priests from continent to continent to avoid prosecution.
Well put TrustVerify.
I wonder when the same type of patterns of abuse are going to start finding their way to the light of day in South America, France, Spain, etc., etc.
Only a total fool - or a politician who wants to garner the Catholic Vote - doesn't realize (and won't admit) that it was and undoubtedly still is - just as bad in all those regions of the world, if not more so, than it is here in the U. S..
Time for these countries to start going after the Church; pretty soon the Vatican will find that no one is willing to insure and indemnify them so they can continue to ignore and not be serious about their not so little, abominably dirty secret as it becomes common knowledge throughout the world that this has been "business as usual" for The Church since its inception.
I suggest the World Court or at least in the Court of Public Opinion the Vatican be declared a Rogue Nation and the Pope as its leader an international criminal subject to prosecution for leading his "Christian Soldiers" in all manner of debauchery and protecting them from those who would righteously visit punishment in our earthly realm for sins as egregiousness as any one can perpetrate short of murder.
I said it before and I'll say it again.
The Catholic's don't want the birth control provision because they don't need it. Little boys can't get pregnant.
Put them all under the jail and throw away the key. I hope this jury has the courage to put the wood to the Catholic Church.
wrong don't put them under the jail, put them in it and let them get to know BUBBA maybe they will see what it's like
They're not "putting the wood" to the Catholic Church, they're doing it to two (read: 2 ) pedophile priests who deserve it.
SonOfAdam is right. This is happening to but two priests. How many more are still poking away, even today? This has been going on for so long it's nearly a fraternity or cabal within the church. How have they gotten away with it for so so long? Why is it so difficult to stop? Is it THAT entrenched? THAT deeply?
I recently read an article that said there were around 800 pedophile priests just in California. Talk about the tip of the iceberg...
if this was my church- and thank god its not and also thank god im not religious - i would never go back - HOW COULD YOU - after you learn the place you go to worship and also pour your money into is a place of horror and lies and deceit and perverts - you have to be a complete heartless gutless coward to go back - and everyone that does and puts money in their pockets is just as guilty as the abusers - end of story - you all should go to hell - how is there no outcry , boycott ,complete distain for this cult, you are all a bunch of weak pathetic losers and should be ashamed
Fred-2553568
Religion is the opiate of the masses; and we all know how much people can ignore when they are addicted to something, don't we?
When I was 16, after having had the misfortune of being forced to attend a Catholic school, I decided that if God was the hateful S. O. B. that the Catholic Church portrayed Him to be - who oddly enough always chose to condemn those The Church felt were out of sync with its twisted, perverted version of reality - I wanted nothing to do with "Him".
Later, fortunately, I came to realize - once getting past the only black and white thinking of a teenager - that I could believe in God WITHOUT having to believe in anything as despicable and destructive as The Church is to human integrity.
The Catholic Church wouldn't know how to lead someone to Christ if He were standing two feet away from them; it would be too busy focusing on making sure its own selfish agendas were being fulfilled.
Isn't it time someone found a way to go after the Vatican and even the Pope? That's where the deepest pockets lie; hit them in a place they actually care about, take away their money, their undeserved power and status, bankrupt them. Anyone or any institution that could allow this type of horror to go on, and on, and on not just for 70 years, (that's all they can find records for to "prove" it for this case), but undoubtedly hundreds and hundreds of years, deserves to be brought to a well deserved and final end.
Of course, you can tell a crack addict till you are blue in the face not to go back to their pusher, and no time later they are back on the street corner.
Just a few years ago, my best friend paid approximately $1,200 to have his former Catholic marriage "annulled". The myth that you can't get married again as a Catholic is just that -- a myth. I must mention that my buddy is very rich and his fiances family demanded he get married again as a Catholic, so he opened up his piggybank again to pay for the wedding with a 2 hour boring "mass".
It gets better-- now they are having their child "christened". All this when both he and his wife admit the whole thing is a scam, but they are afraid to upset her parents.
you have to remember catholics are brainwashed from birth.why the good people of that church havent stormed the vatican???i have no idea.what do you expect when the main guru or pope is a nazi youth product?
stoops and scientist - it s all about money and power - and yes the old ,guard parents and grandparents are still around to push the agenda and guilt , when that generation totally passes on then the new real wave of common sense can prevail - still about 10- 15 years away - then the churches numbers will decline enough so they will start to lose control at least in this country - however in the more superstitious cultures like italy , spain , central - south america i think it will be harder to do away with - something in those cultures and genes makes people need to worship and have that emotional tie to a spirit in the sky - a need to know someone is watching over them and something to wail and plead to for forgiveness and miracles - crazy - and august do not know what your deal is other then you think the whole church is gay ?
They not only get to rape kids, they get to do it tax-free.
How do you feel about the cat'lick church, Santorum?
I'm a bit surprised that Rick Santorum isn't at the courthouse protesting this as a part of President Obama's "war on religion".
This is another reason we need to stand up for our tradition of separation between church and state. If Santorum had his way, the church would be the state and these cases would never see the light of day.
Shocked - I agree with you - Santorum is very scary in what he thinks should happen with the country.
Amazing the catholic church is so against gays but protected gay priests for decades. This should be just like the Sandusky outrage. Everyone who knew something should be jailed for child abuse. The country was outraged over Sandusky (rightly so) but with the catholic church it is sort of like 'well they are a church, so it is ok'. Dig deep investigators and get all that are guilty.
Amazing the catholic church is so against gays but protected gay priests for decades
Those people are not "gays" They are pedophiles...There is a difference.
Irrespond. They are gay pedophile rapists because they only go after little boys.
CAIN/SANDUSKY in 2012. Who cares what they did in the past, they are both against abortion. The catholic priests look up to Sandusky for guidance, so he will get their votes.
August - you're ignorant. If you are "gay", it means you are sexually attracted someone of the same sex and it is legal. If you are pedophile, it means you are sexually attracted to a CHILD. Big difference and illegal. It is particularly repugnant when the pedophile is in a position of authority such as a priest or a coach.
Right KimH-1330542
August & the pope both blame "gays"...
to deflect focus from the ugly truth about pedophile priests
August a catholic church troll?
As Hitchen's once said, you're either on the side of protecting the rights of children or the priests. It's a crime and a huge hypocrisy not side with protecting children. The church has zero credibility when it comes to teaching morals to the world, and should never be listen to again until they clean up their own house.... but they can't.
molesting boys = tolerable
birth control pills = intolerable
Hello!!! The catholics are all about "SACRIFICING a son for the 'so-called' fathers" (they are just as willing to sacrifice daughters and mothers, too--check out the crusades).
Pedophiles/preachers are so mindless that they openly reveal themselves by saying how wonderful and noble it is for a 'so-called' father to sacrifice/murder/kill a son. They show their pride: their greatest sin/perversion of all and they are full of pride because they have no honor. They will go to through their hell: and it (rebirth) is WORSE than any of you have ever imagined; for them, and their followers, it WILL seem an eternity.
Keep your children far, far away from all the catholics/christians/etc. Or learn the hard way as so many have.
Christ left His church for sinners to be led by sinners. If you can live for Christ you can get over it. Pray for the priests that are guilty because they have ruined their lives and the reputation of the church. They must pay double for their wrong. Do not wish them in hell because you are wishing them to hate God. Hell is hate and heaven is love. In hell the condemned hate God for ever and that is why he pays no attention to ir or have any thing to do with it.
The first priority is to protect the church because Christ is the church. No human being comes before God. Abraham showed that when God asked him to sacrifice Isac(sp). These priests put themselves before God, people shouldn't put themselves before God. Sure it hurts but so did Christ. The first person who is offended or hurt by wrong is Christ.
God Bless,
Fran
Christ left His church for sinners to be led by sinners. If you can live for Christ you can get over it.
That is rich! Tell that to the VICTIMS of the priests....
Fran:
What if it was your son, would you feel the same way?
You heard it here, folks. "The first priority is to protect the church" To hell with the children.
I'm pretty sure religion is an addiction. Listen to you drivel on about how we should protect the church blah blah blah .......
You sound like a heroin user now. If I'm gonna quit this terrible habit I'm gonna need MORE HEROIN !
Give up the mindlessness that is religion and live your life rationally.
Well, funny how I can be both religious and rational. Your point, my friend, is invalid.
Fran - The first priority is to protect the church!!!??? I feel sorry for you if your really believe that. Does Santorum feel this way about the church? I hope not.
Which church is that? Certainly not the Catholic Church. I guess some people will believe whatever they are told regardless of the facts. Time to open your eyes and as well as your mind.
Christ is so annoyed he is throwing them all out of the temple...
They're more concerned about contraceptives than they are about dealing with their evil little secrets!
The Catholic Church use to castrate young boys who sang in the choir - because it made their voices 'prettier'.
Religion has always had a big problem with sex - unless it involves their own perverts
I wonder if the ringleader the Pope will come to testify at the trial. He hides his head up his ass when it comes to the perverts within the church. This has nothing to do with any gay issue it has to do with perverted sex by people in authority and little children.
It would be great if the Pope would wear his Nazi uniform to the trial. He will run back to the Vatican after leaving Cuba. I hope he went to see the Superman show while he was in Cuba.
This priest should be put in jail with Bubba as cell mate who loves to receive oral sex and gives anal sex. He should be raped at least 20 times a day and given out as a reward to the other people in prison. After 25 years of being raped he might know what it is like to be raped. I hope he rots in Hell.
You can be sure that the Catholic Church will keep the coffers of their legal team full of money from the tithes of their blind followers. What are they hiding behind their pomp and circumstance, dog and pony show masses??? The "masses" are easily fooled, as history has time and time again shown. Same evil people in the the Holy See, as the disgusting evil happy people gave us the Nittany Lions of Penn State. And, easily a drive from the Penn State campus; so Jerry Sandusky can watch the proceedings. He's still not in jail folks....Oh, yeah, neither are the priests. Disgusting charlatans.
Oh my! How the Catholic-bashers are coming out from the woodwork. Never heard such hate, like this, directed toward anyone.
The catholics deserve to be hated. How can any person with a scrap of decency even think about supporting this evil, child raping cult?
Sure you have, if you've spent more than a day on Newsvine.
Haven't you ever read any of the comments on political articles?
Besides, the catholics SHOULD be bashed for covering things like this up for so long. Men (women) of god my a$$! And sell some of the vatican treasure, for christ's sake! Use some of it to pay taxes. That last bit was for all religions, but the vatican has to be the richest country, per square foot, on earth. You can even afford to buy nukes if Santorum gets elected.
Yes they are. But sadly, the catholic church is giving reasons to. And I will hate anyone who abuses a child.
Freedomist.............
So, you are saying give the pedophiles a free ride a'la Penn State??? Wouldn't want to see you around my children. It's not about about "bashing". It's about protecting children from institutions covering their asses at the expense of innocent children, no matter what institution, be it secular, or religious. I have renounced Catholicism, and feel better about looking better at myself in the mirror, as opposed to being a predator who believes that absolutionism can be found inside a confessional. Get real.
Evil, child-raping cult? So do you hate schools as well, because they certainly protect teachers who have complaints against them until it finally boils over. I know that you'll certainly continue to hate because all you want to focus on is sex-abuse scandals, but the Church is not evil, nor does it condone child abuse/rape.
And Bernie, being Catholic makes you a predator? I hate to use the Internet saying, but if that's what you believe, you're doin' it wrong.
I don't condone what the Church has done when it comes to protecting its own, but I'm not about to damn it because of it.
So you consider a "complaint" against a teacher the same as child rape? No wonder everyone hates you, you stupid twit!
Last I checked, it's complaints that lead to the exposure of crimes, do they not? How can a teacher, or priest, be exposed for a pedophile if no one says anything? And unfortunately, due to the way both systems work, it takes multiple people to say something until action is taken, cause, suprise surprise, people protect their own.
Here, I'll break it down for you, since you think I'm comparing the complaint to child-rape:
Priest A has a complaint of abuse filed against him. Priest A's rape is exposed, and he can be prosecuted. Teacher B has a complaint of abuse filed against them. Teacher B's rape is exposed, and he can be prosectuted.
Get it now?
Aww how cute. August learned a new word today.
there he is again...August...supporting the pope's position...
I am Catholic and I am ashamed by this cover-up.
This does not mean all Catholics are bad or that everyone of the priests are bad either, but those that are should have to pay for their crimes.
If you donate money to the catholic church you are supporting a conspiracy to cover-up child rape as well as helping to pay for a top notch legal team to defend and protect child rapists. How does it feel?
You are also donating money to the largest charitable organization in the world, who many people depend on for support. Convenient for Church-bashers to forget to mention that.
They maybe the largest but not the only charitable organization in the world. But why give money to this institution when you already know that your money probably will go to pay for settlements of these crimes.
I actually don't give money to the Church at all, so it's a non-problem for me. But for others, donating to the Church also means helping their community (yes, many parishes are involved in their community), or helping the needy.
I'd like to actually know how much these priests' lawyers get paid, to be honest.
The catholic church has created more poverty than they have alleviated with their archaic stand against birth control. Convenient for catholic church apologists to forget to mention that.
Really now? That I would like to see proof of, how their stand against birth control somehow causes great poverty. You gonna blame them for the recession and rising gas prices, too?
Hah. Of course not, figured.
You need to have it explained to you, that having more children than you can afford results in poverty??? No wonder you still support the catholic church, you seem too stupid to understand what evil religion is.
you sound like such a good person.too bad you cant see that the money you give this heathen of a church money to pay off little boys parents.
The Bishops should be more worried about the pedophiles in their midst, instead of trying to denonce birth control to the citizens of the United States and other women around the world.
Truly, religion is the mask man uses to conduct true evil.
TAX CHURCHES NOW
ALL OF THEM !
August...supporting the pope's position once again
Thank God I'm not Catholic, I want to make it to Heaven when I die.
You're just as bad. Believing in an invisible man the sky.
Compared to someone who believes it was all an accident.
lol im sorry but im sure snakes don't talk and fruit isn't magical.
Rnr, Snakes don't talk? You've never been in a courtroom, have you? There are snakes in there talking every day.
Oh, and the fruit was forbidden, not magical.
First I in no way defend the actions of these priests what they did is horrific and very wrong. That being said I don't think you can just blame the Catholic Church as a whole. I am not Catholic, but I do know in every church there are bad even evil people. The Catholic Church does do a lot of good in the world as well, but because this is a sensationalized story it gets more coverage than the good the church does. I just don't feel that it's right to generalize and attack an entire church because of the wrongs of the few.
Yes, it IS okay to attack the entire church, because the entire church from the pope on down is guilty of aiding and abetting child rape, if not rapists themselves. This coverup has been going on for centuries; this is nothing but a child-raping cult. What do you think the "celibacy" requirement is all about? What normal man would agree to such a lifestyle?
Bull@!$%#, Leroy. You just want a reason to hate, so you convince yourself that every member of the Catholic Church is evil. You can go on living with your hate and ignorance, but forgive me for being a tad more enlightened.
And that's the point, it's not a "normal" man. It takes a certain type of man (see: strong-minded) to take a vow of celibacy and stay true to it, and, unfortunately, many of these men are not fit to be priests as we find out in the worst ways. And no, you can convince yourself that it's been going on for centuries, but given that it wasn't difficult to be relatively secretive 200 or so years ago, priests who really wanted to could avoid their celibacy vow with relative ease.
Southpaw is right. Only an idiot damns everyone for the actions of the few.
Leroy has a valid point. This has been going on for centuries not just a decade or two. And since it has been going on for so long and we just NOW (in the last 10 yrs or so) know of it... it is a complete and total cover up from the top down. To say ALL catholics are to blame is a bit over the top I agree, but the many many many priest, bishops, cardinals AND popes throughout the centuries that have committed or have knowledge of the improprieties show proof of how entrenched this blight is in their society.
Science flies you to the moon, religion flies you into buildings
@Leroy, please be a bit more rational.
"it IS okay to attack the entire church"??-- you've got to be kidding! The entire church includes all those baptized who haven't been excommunicated. That's more than a BILLION people worldwide, including about 1/2 million priests. Your across-the-board condemnation is outrageous (though not as outrageous as the sins of the abusive priests and the sins of their higher ups who provided "cover"). And your statement "this is nothing but a child-raping cult" is outrageous & irresponsible.
To quote the Credit Maven: "Religion is for people who are afraid of Hell. Spirituality is for those who have been there."
Pedophiles exists in every single walk of life. Doctors, lawyers, priests, teachers, coaches, salesmen..everywhere and in every single culture, religion and place. No place is immune, no people are immune. The only thing for it is to guard the children, examine and watch those who are in contact with them, believe them when they tell us about it and make good and God damn sure that it's a one-strike deal, rape a child=death. Period. End of rant.
Pass the scotch.
Unreal how these church officials let Priests continue to rape and molest children for years and then have the nerve to deny a gay woman communion at her mothers funeral. I bet these perverts took communion while they were performing deviant acts on children, they must think it's ok since it's kids and not adults. Do these priests that did this and the priests that covered it up think that their God will be pleased with them when they get to where they are going? Oh thats right they can confess their sins and all is forgiven, sorry don't think you can continue to choose to repeat the sin and continue to confess over and over again. Seems many of these men would have been homosexual or child molesters and used the church to get access to their victims better.
I find it funny that so many of the bashers don't understand the Sacrament of Penance. Just because you confess does nothing, you must take action and actually repent to be cleansed of sin. Ignorance really is not bliss once people start to open their mouths.
I find it funny how you thumpers simply ignore the brutal, violent parts of the bible while flaunting the fluffy stuff.
Its called hypocrisy
Let the clergy marry. Let heterosexual priests marry partners of a different gender and let homosexual priests marry partners of the same gender. There will be no more problem. Clerical celibacy is a matter of discipline, not doctrine. Priests of the Eastern Orthodox Church, who are recognized as priests by the Roman Church, are allowed to marry. The hypocrisy, blindness, and obstinacy of Rome in all matters pertaining to human sexuality is the underlying cause of their appalling practice of childhood sexual abuse.
This. So much this. Unfortunately, many are not strong-willed enough to resist temptation, and we find out in the worst ways when this happens.
Rick the Dick' Sanitarium's followers, the pedophile breeding, rapist gay catholic priest society have caused more harm to little boys and their families than any group of rapists in history. Instead of Sanitarium trying to get a constitutional amendment to ban abortion, ban contraception, try doctors that perform abortions for murder and have biblical fairy tale Creationism taught in all schools, he should get an amendment banning the pedophile breeding catholic religion from operating in the U. S.
It is not o9nly the priests, it stats from the top down. A top Monsugner os going on trial for coverups. The Catholic Cardinal Bevilaqua was suppoed to go trial, but died before it came up. This is one sick criminal religion.
Can't wait for the Pope's boy Sanitarium to be president of the right wing radical cracked teanuts, the gay, rapist, pedophile catholic priests and the braindead evangelical Children of the Corn zombies. Men will no longer have to purchase condoms, as they will no longer be allowed in this country. All mens sperm must be used to create babies. Cameras will be in every bedroom. Catholic priests don't have to worry however, because, according to the testimony of former raped little boys, they don't use them.
I think Sanitarium is in desperate need of a vaginal ultrasound to find out what happed to his brains.
The Pope's first order to his boy will be to release all catholic rapist pediophile priests from prison as the Pope is running out of people to continue the process of shearing his sheep. He is running out of collection pot fillers. After all, he needs the money to fight off all of the lawsuits against the church worldwide.
His second order to RickyDickyDo will be to move the White House to Vatican City.
There are gay men and there are gay pedophile rapists. The latter are the ones attracted to the catholic church. Who else but a gay nut would want to be a catholic priest trying to teach biblical fairy tales to brainwash young children. I am surprised that these priests don' t keep lying to them that Santa Claus and the tooth fairy are real.