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Damian Dovarganes / AP
The entrance to the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, headquarters for Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, is seen Jan. 21.
Retired Cardinal Roger Mahony and other top Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles officials maneuvered behind the scenes to shield molester priests, provide damage control for the church and keep parishioners in the dark, according to church personnel files.
The confidential records filed in a lawsuit against the archdiocese disclose how the church handled abuse allegations for decades and also reveal dissent from a top Mahony aide who criticized his superiors for covering up allegations of abuse rather than protecting children.
Notes inked by Mahony demonstrate he was disturbed about abuse and sent problem priests for treatment, but there also were lengthy delays or oversights in some cases. Mahony received psychological reports on some priests that mentioned the possibility of many other victims, for example, but there is no indication that he or other church leaders investigated further.
"This is all intolerable and unacceptable to me," Mahony wrote in 1991 on a file of the Rev. Lynn Caffoe, a priest suspected of locking boys in his room, videotaping their crotches and running up a $100 phone sex bill while with a boy. Caffoe was sent for therapy and removed from ministry, but Mahony didn't move to defrock him until 2004, a decade after the archdiocese lost track of him.
"He is a fugitive from justice," Mahony wrote to the Vatican's Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who is now Pope Benedict XVI. "A check of the Social Security index discloses no report of his demise, so presumably he is alive somewhere."
Caffoe died in 2009, six years after a newspaper reporter found him working at a homeless mission two blocks from a Salinas elementary school.
Mahony was out of town but issued a statement Monday apologizing for his mistakes and saying he had been "naive" about the lasting impacts of abuse. He has since met with 90 abuse victims privately and keeps an index card with each victim's name in his private chapel, where he prays for them daily, he said. The card also includes the name of the molesting priest "lest I forget that real priests created this appalling harm."
"It remains my daily and fervent prayer that God's grace will flood the heart and soul of each victim, and that their life journey continues forward with ever greater healing," Mahony wrote. "I am sorry."
The apology stands in contrast to letters Mahony was writing to accused priests more than two decades ago.
In 1987, he wrote to the Rev. Michael Wempe — who would ultimately admit to abusing 13 boys — while the priest was undergoing in-patient therapy at a New Mexico treatment center.
"Each of you there at Jemez Springs is very much in my prayers and I call you to mind each day during my celebration of the Eucharist," Mahony wrote to the priest, adding that he supported him in the experience.
The church's sex abuse policy was evolving and Mahony inherited some of the worst cases from his predecessor when he took over in 1985, J. Michael Hennigan, an archdiocese attorney, said in a separate series of emails. Priests were sent out of state for psychological treatment because they revealed more when their therapists were not required to report child abuse to law enforcement, as they were in California, he said.
At the time, clergy were not mandated sex abuse reporters and the church let the victims' families decide whether to contact police, he added.
In at least one case, a priest victimized the children of illegal immigrants and threatened to have them deported if they told, the files show.
The files are attached to a motion seeking punitive damages in a case involving a Mexican priest sent to Los Angeles in 1987 after he was brutally beaten in his parish south of Mexico City.
When parents complained the Rev. Nicholas Aguilar Rivera molested in LA, church officials told the priest but waited two days to call police — allowing him to flee to Mexico, court papers allege. At least 26 children told police they were abused during his 10 months in Los Angeles. The now-defrocked priest is believed to be in Mexico and remains a fugitive.
The personnel files of 13 other clerics were attached to the motion to show a cover-up pattern, said attorney Anthony De Marco, who represents the 35-year-old plaintiff. In one instance, a memo to Mahony discusses sending a cleric to a therapist who also is an attorney so any incriminating evidence is protected from authorities by lawyer-client privilege. In another instance, archdiocese officials paid a secret salary to a priest exiled to the Philippines after he and six other clerics were accused of having sex with a teen and impregnating her.
The exhibits offer a glimpse at some 30,000 pages to be made public as part of a record-setting $660 million settlement. The archdiocese agreed to give the files to more than 500 victims of priest abuse in 2007, but a lawyer for about 30 of the priests fought to keep records sealed. A judge recently ordered the church to release them without blacking out the names of church higher-ups after The Associated Press and the Los Angeles Times intervened.
They echo similar releases from other dioceses nationwide that have shown how church leaders for decades shuffled problem priests from parish to parish, covered up reports of abuse and didn't contact law enforcement. Top church officials in Missouri and Pennsylvania were criminally convicted last year for their roles in covering up abuse, more than a decade after the clergy sex abuse scandal began to unfold in Boston.
Mahony, who retired in 2011 after 26 years at the helm of the 4.3-million person archdiocese, has been particularly hounded by the case of the Rev. Michael Baker, who was sentenced to prison in 2007 for molestation — two decades after the priest confessed his abuse to Mahony.
Mahony noted the "extremely grave and serious situation" when he sent Baker for psychological treatment after the priest told him in 1986 that he had molested two brothers over seven years.
Baker returned to ministry the next year with a doctor's recommendation that he be defrocked immediately if he spent any time with minors. Despite several documented instances of being alone with boys, the priest wasn't removed from ministry until 2000. Around the same time, the church learned he was conducting baptisms without permission.
Church officials discussed announcing Baker's abuse in churches where he had worked, but Mahony rejected the idea.
"We could open up another firestorm — and it takes us years to recover from those," Mahony wrote in an Oct. 6, 2000, memo. "Is there no alternative to public announcements at all the Masses in 15 parishes??? Wow — that really scares the daylights out of me!!"
The aide, Msgr. Richard Loomis, noted his dismay over the matter when he retired in 2001 as vicar for clergy, the top church official who handled priestly discipline. In a memo to his successor, Loomis said Baker's attorney disclosed the priest had at least 10 other victims.
"We've stepped back 20 years and are being driven by the need to cover-up and to keep the presbyteriate & public happily ignorant rather than the need to protect children," Loomis wrote.
"The only other option is to sit and wait until another victim comes forward. Then someone else will end up owning the archdiocese of Los Angeles. The liability issues involved aside, I think that course of complete (in)action would be immoral and unethical."
Mahony preferred targeted warnings at schools and youth groups rather than a warning read at Masses, Hennigan said. Parish announcements were made two years later.
Baker, who was paroled in 2011, is alleged to have molested 20 children in his 26-year career. He could not be reached for comment.
The files also show Mahony corresponded with abusive priests while they underwent treatment out of state and worked to keep them out of California to avoid criminal and civil trouble.
One case involved the Msgr. Peter Garcia, a molester whom Mahony's predecessor sent for treatment in New Mexico. Mahony kept Garcia there after a lawyer warned in 1986 that the archdiocese could face "severe civil liability" if he returned and reoffended. Garcia had admitted raping an 11-year-old boy and later told a psychologist he molested 15 to 17 young boys.
"If Monsignor Garcia were to reappear here within the archdiocese, we might very well have some type of legal action filed in both the criminal and civil sectors," Mahony wrote to the director of Garcia's New Mexico treatment program.
Mahony then sent Garcia to another treatment center, but Garcia returned to LA in 1988 after being removed from ministry. He then contacted a victim's mother and asked to spend time with her younger son, according to a letter in the file.
Mahony moved to defrock him in 1989, and Garcia died a decade later.
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Would that be called an accomplice after the fact, or obstruction of justice?
I just call it a typical day for the catholic church hierarchy.
No wonder that the Catholic church is against abortions. It's easier to oppress unwanted children.
Plus male priests having sex with boys doesn't produce children. Hence, no need for abortions.
Bob, you nailed with your comment. Exectly what I was thinking.
Don - That is exactly the point! That's why Catholics aren't supposed to use birth control. The Catholic Church's way to create more Catholics, i.e., more money for the church. Of course, it appears they are also breeding more children to molest. Sick, sick, sick! Religions are sick cults!
I understand your first sentence. However, making a blanket statement about unwanted children is totally unwaranted.
How do you know these children, and there are hundreds, more likely thousands, are unwanted. Would there have been more than a half billion settlement if at least some of the children were unwanted? Certainly some might have been, probably were. Yet if you read the article at least one female, impregnated by a priest, was involved and more probably.
Certainly most were boys and they deserve every penny, more really since that church is the richest in the world. But the young lady also deserves hers. As do other females that were molested.
The figures cited of those molested, in a Diocese the size of LA is, IMO, grossly understated. I wonder how many thousands were, especially before 1987 when Cardinal Mahoney took over. And how many more thousands after him. I just don't believe the numbers given.
Releasing the names is nice, but I truely don't believe anything can be gained by printing or putting them on the Internet. There has been enough harm done already.
After saying all that, I think no one should be shocked that Ratazinger, also a Nazi Youth member, and now Pope Benedict, is known to be involved. He gave a free ride to so many molesters, monsters from the Nazi regine (as did the Pope during WW2) that I'm not shocked at all. I wouldn't be surprised if he molested children also. That sentence may be considered libel, but I wonder if the Catholic Church would be willing to go after me. If so, come on but don't forget to bring your heavy weight gloves. I fight back and I fight dirty, much dirtier than they do.
Just one more day, scandals no longer shock me, in that most dirty church. And yes I know that molestation also happens in all religions, but the Catholics are by far the worst.
There's this great line from the movie "Blazing Saddles," where the Governor, played by Mel Brooks, warns his cronies, "Gentlemen, we must protect our phony-baloney jobs!"
Mr. Mahoney way back in the 80's knew about the abuse of the Priest and before the LAPD could interview these suspects he sent them not within the US but sent them out of the country. If you recall Mahoney at first denied even knowing about the Priests who were abusing kids and now its "well, uh uh I knew of some so I sent them to New Mexico", no you have known about them way before that, but covered it up, Shame on you. So what does the church do...Promotes him ????. He should be banned from the church, his heartfelt feelings are nothing but a ploy and coverup. Once a liar always a liar....
and these priests sit back now on their golden thrones and smile
I think each and every person that was molested file a large lawsuit and put an end to this church and this practice of child rape
Banned from the Church??? He should be banned from society.
Jackieboy the Muslims are the worst "religion" for child molestation and abuse.
It's their "right".
Catholics are very bad with that also and both discriminate against women.
Why does the US give them tax breaks? Way too much of the tax deductible donations go to real estate, lawyers and fines.
The catholic religion is the largest cult in the world. The ceremonial drinking of blood and eating someone's body is just as lunatic as the Mormon's wearing magic underwear.
It's pathetic how millions of believers give their hard earned money to keep these phony organizations in business.
@AllPeople, so because Catholics are sickos, every religion is a cult? I dont see the relation here. Help me understand this idiocy.
Let priests get married! Geez! Sex is a thing all forms of life need! You can only abstain for so long. Religion was created to keep people in check! Now it's just a business that doesn't pay taxes! Bring all of the molesters out to be known.
@Debi that ceremony was not invented by Catholics. It started with Christ. And its symbolic. Wouldn't it make sense to attack real cannibalism instead of a tradition you dont understand? It symbolizes manna, and living waters, established in the OT. I am against Catholicism, but that tradition is not theirs.
Whether it is the Church, Boy Scouts, some school or college or any other organization, I cannot understand why anyone in their organization would protect a child molester for the sake of their organization's reputation. If the child molester is exposed immediately and brought to justice, then the shame is on that person alone and not the organization. But if that organization makes the effort to cover it all up, then the crime is on them as a whole as well and child molesters will see that organization as a safe haven. Only one thing can cause such a lack of morals and that thing is money! People who would trade the safety of children for money have to be the sickest and saddest of humanity!
Why isn't Mahony facing criminal charges? This man was an accomplice to several child molesters, with at least 20 victims. People are saying he should be banned from the church, but if he wasn't a priest he would be facing criminal charges, which he obviously deserves.
This is sad. I refuse to be a bigot and judge a whole religion off the actions of many, but these stories seem to constantly be coming. The fact that they didnt protect children over themselves shows that they should not be allowed to call themselves men of God. If the Pope was involved (we'll see if more comes out as there is not quite enough on him for me to hate on him) the church should do whats right and make him step down, and allow someone who didnt rape children or cover it up to take his place.
No, it doesn't. Catholics believe that the bread and wine, when consecrated by a priest, become the ACTUAL flesh and blood of Jesus. It's known as transubstantiation.
signed,
Ex-Christian
Here we go again,everyone needs to see,,, Deliver us from evil,,,,,,,,,,Documentary of this problem rent it at loacal redbox
I know this will piss a lot of people off.....Oh well.
And they call us gay people sick.
Abuse of a child in any manor is sick. Using ones power or possession to do so is even sicker.
We need to do everything in our power to protect children from harm.
If your offended by my statement and then try to defend or compare my being gay with your religion remember:
1. It's my constitutional right to practice religion as I understand GOD.(Don't try and judge me using your version of your God).
2. You may come off looking like your defending the actions of people like this, and you yourself have something to hide.
This whole thing with the Catholic church nowadays makes me want to vomit. I'm not religious, but I've always had the opinion that if religion works for you, then you're likely a person who wants or needs the guidance of some external moral standard, so go ahead and keep on believing. I think the very concept of god and religion has indeed been incredibly damaging to the planet and to humanity, but having individuals out there who can't control themselves without having some form of faith or religion to guide them might be even worse.
And then we come to the Catholic Church. The whole idea of an entire religion covering up, protecting or delaying punishment of known sex offenders within their OWN ranks is so disgusting and sickening that it makes me wonder just what evil those people are truly capable of, given the chance. This is probably the single biggest religion on the planet, being incredibly evil and selfish. What good is it then? The leaders can't be trusted on at least some moral issues...so what are the followers to believe now? What's real, and what's fake? It boggles my mind.
@ Jim Yes, it does. The Catholics could take it literal if they want. But it was done originally by the Hebrews in the form of manna (Angels food), and the cleft rock (living waters). I am a Jew, i know that practice starts with us.
I forgot to mention one other important thing.
3. Most pedophiles consider themselves and identify themselves as heterosexual.
(This is for those of you that would prematurely jack your jaws and shoot too early)
I don't believe I ever stated it was invented by Catholics. Besides, what is your point? Drinking blood and eating flesh, be it ceremonial or otherwise, is barbaric.
As a former Catholic, I practiced that tradition since my first communion.
And on another note, it's very difficult to believe the catholic hierarchy even believes their own dogma.
Church members cannot receive the holiest of sacraments, communion, if they are divorcees, but priests who are known pedophiles are allowed to partake in this sacrament by the upper echelon.
Typical cult.
Vicki-2888285
before the LAPD could interview these suspects he sent them not within the US but sent them out of the country. If you recall Mahoney at first denied even knowing about the Priests who were abusing kids and now its "well, uh uh I knew of some so I sent them to New Mexico",
If you check your history book New Mexico is a state. its between Texas, California, Colorado, Oklahoma Arizona and Utah. you almost sounded convincing until you proved your lack of knowledge of your own countries political Geography. New Mexico was added to the Union of the United States in January of 1912, our capital is Santa Fe, and unfortunately our governor is a TEA party endorsed lap dog of the Catholic Cult named Suzanna Martinez.
It's disgusting that people seem fine with covering up children being MOLESTED by someone they are suppose to trust. Like do you need to have a scenario broken down to you in detail to make you less jaded? Think of YOUR child being with someone they trusted and that person telling them that they would only go to heaven if they (took off their pants, sucked his d!ck, had sex with him) YOUR child being scared, vulnerable, hurt, having some nasty old guys d!ck in them, or your child having to perform any type of sexual act with them, it's absolutely disgusting. Like do ppl on here not care that much because its not YOUR kid? I dont get it, Why are we all not joining together to make sure this never happens again? These ppl should be executed. These people are fukking freaks and everyone needs to stop overlooking it and start putting ppl in jail,.....if not EXECUTING them.
Pardon the rant:
More people have died in the name of religion in the history of the world than by any other means.
From before the Christian Crusade to today. It's been about nothing more than power & control.
The Nazi party was nothing more than over zealous religious freaks. Most people don't know why it is that we in the gay community wear triangles. The history comes from the death camps. While Jewish people where made to wear the Star of David, Gays & Lesbians where looked upon as half the worth and thus made to wear pink triangles for gay men and black triangles for lesbian women.
We wear these as a symbol of pride & in memory of those that came before us, and would condemn us in the name of their God.
The world today is no better. The wars that are being raged are about religion, and the death that is a result of them is just a by product for some one's God.
Steve,
Your posts are just another person pushing an agenda. War and crime are a function of mankind. People have used religion as an excuse yes. Take out religion and there will still be war and crime. Christ never told anyone to abuse children or even judge someone. The truth is that he said he without sin case the first stone.
This means that religion is in no way capable of running a government. Church and State has to be separate so that we can take action against someone committing a crime.
Amanda,
I'm all for executing the sex offender. We just have to find them give them a fair trial and then their injection. Anyone who is found covering up for them needs to do JAIL TIME.
Gossamer Wings
What is that thing they call in Rome again????? You might want to talk to someone in the middle east also. What you said here is BS.
My posts are based in fact not an agenda.....Yours however are based in the myth of your religion by inferring Christ into this and pushing that agenda. Saying that war would be because of something else & taking religion out of it, denies the facts of history. Like saying the sun revolves around the earth, we know that to be untrue.
If you bothered to read any of my posts you would have known my stand on child abuse of any kind.
I might add that in our country yes church and state is separate and it should remain that way.
So equal rights or wanting to have an abortion, should not be dictated by the religous wing nuts.
Steve,
Nice try. Doesn't work with me. You are not all knowing. It is clear you just want people to think that religion is the cause of all that is bad. You are no better than the right wing nut.
Religion has raped this world since society began. It's sad to see so many people unwilling or unable to live their lives in a good, productive manner without the fear of an imaginary sky daddy hanging over their heads and the promise of a perfect heaven waiting for them when they die. We shouldn't do the right thing for fear of punishment or because we expect a reward, we should do the right thing because it's the right thing.
And when I say the right thing, I don't mean the right thing as laid out in the bible. I mean the right thing as in not hurting others, helping when you can, the golden rule, not molesting small innocent children. You know, the right thing.
It is no surprise that the church was covering for pedophiles, because the church, while pretending to be about some kind of morality, is really about power, and if their leadership looks perverted, they lose some of their power. They are more concerned with control than people, and that in and of itself should make intelligent people open their eyes to the lie that is religion.
Amanda-4335692
HIGH FIVES sister friend....You go.
Steve,
We didn't invade Iraq because of religion. It was greed.
Gossamer Wings
Go ahead keep the blinders on...The church need you to.
Did I say anything about Iraq.....NO I said the middle east. That region consists of more than one country, or am I just stating the obvious.
The Catholic Church is foremost a business and not a religion. It has been extremely successful at manipulating its followers in the name of God for centuries. It is hoped that they are finally getting their comeuppance. I predict the total demise of this organization very soon. The grief, the tortures, the horrendous abuse going back centuries all over the world (eg., the diabolical Inquisition; the witch burnings), the destroyed lives with the latest atrocities--all in the name of God--far outweigh any good they might have accomplished.
"All religion is nothing but mankind's fear of the unknown, institutionalized as propitiatory magic, and capitalized on by priests." Mencken
Steve,
"Stalin killed around 20 million people. Mao Tse-tung (Zedong), who, and I quote "...for decades held absolute power over the lives of one-quarter of the world's population, was responsible for well over 70 million deaths in peacetime."
My point is that war and crime is not just about religion. It happens with or without it. Anyone who dictates to others is dangerous. I'm pro-choice and believe in gay marriage. I also believe in Christ and support the right not to. I just don't care for someone trying to blame everything on religion.
Gossamer Wings
Thank You for your support.
You can point out individual mass killings in so called peace times where you think that religion played no part. At the bases of it all is a belief system. The history of mankind is factual and I stand by what I posted.
I didn't try to blame "everything" on religion.....Just a boat load of death and suppression.
Perhaps we should bring back "stoning".
The monsignor who was recently busted for selling meth would probably highly agree with you. Lol
Catholic church. A haven for child molesters and sexual deviate faggots. What a slimy bunch they all are.
Yep, churches will tell you that Homosexuality is wrong, but then they protect the child molesters...
not all child molestors are gay, thats just a misconception, they just happen to like children for sex.....look it up and i think you both must be gay to have use those words as much you both do
Anytime you can be around children, it will attract pedophiles. Easy access to their prey. But the higher ups should value the innocence of a child over a priest. Jesus was pretty damn serious about not harming children.
Q: How do you get a nun pregnant?
A: Dress her up like an altar boy.
If they hope to prosecute Mahony they had better move fast, before the Church transfers him to the Vatican and out of reach of prosecutors. They did this with Bernard Law in Boston.
Yup, then old Bernie got promoted to Cardinal. Makes you wonder what the church leadership really holds sacred!
Power & Money. In that order.
The statement about 'the public' finding out is telling. A bigger self-obcessed, narcissist than this Cardinal Bernie Mahony I never did see... every sentence that quoted him had 'I', 'me', 'I', 'my', as if any harm was completely about him.
Talk about 'holy crap' and I do mean that quite literally.
If the Vatican corporation cannot abide by the laws of the United States, they shouldn't be allowed to operate here.
Hmm, and has the State of Massachusetts ever produced an Order of Extradition to the Vatican? No, they have not, have they. So who is at fault here? Could it be that Law actually broke no laws? Check out the Slate article that confirms this. Awful, I know, but the idea of the Vatican "shielding" Cardinal Law when nothing has actually been criminally charged against him just does not hold up.
How much proof do people need before they realize that religion is a con??? Sky pilots use a book of myths to scare the low intellect masses into giving them money and labor...the government subsidizes these con organizations that "pray" on the masses with tax monies...some gig...
You've got that right! Mistakenly switch TV on a Sunday and listen to the "Pastors" asking for money. So sad! You know that the poorest of the poor are getting their checkbooks out. One recently talked about placing a "seed". Then, he goes on and on about how he pays $1,000 "seeds" to others and all this success and money comes to him! Yeah, he and his "investors" are raking in the cash! These people believe this nonsense. Meantime, they can't afford to feed their families!
Dee, I'm with you, but please don’t' take away other people's right to choose and believe if that is what they need. Just like any other organization, people have to keep their eyes open and observe the red flag warning signs that lurk. Sexual abuse happens in a lot of organizations when people become lax and too trusting of the higher ups. What blows my mind is if there are so many followers obsessed with religion, why is there so much hatred in the world? It seems like the more religious, the more hatred they exude.
If you can't understand it, then obviously your insight into human nature is wanting. Or you're a catholic.
Wombat, your intelligence level is about that of a Wombat. There really is no reason to insult others on the 'Vine. Use some decency in your posts.
That said, I realize I didn't in mine, but I used public information without insult.
Wombat.. maybe you are just far to intelligent and superior compared to the rest of us. Hence, YOU must be the Catholic one.
Dee, Christianity is based on Christ not a religion. There are plenty of people that believe in Christ's teaching and are not tied to the Roman Catholic Church. No one can help you understand and therefore the only thing I request is that you respect their beliefs. It is their constitutional right.
Milehighcity to answer your comment you should know the following: Many Christians do not act like Christians. All humans not only religious are flawed. A recent study showed that babies are born just but prejudice. It is up to the parents to teach their children to have empathy and understanding.
As for crimes like this all I have to say is that I'm proud to live in a nation where church and state are separate. This is why we can prosecute these child sexual abusers.
@Dee...so we agree the problem is the government and banksters? Because they are raping more people than the churches are. They're even raping you. I wonder if anyone pities you for the fake American illusion you are caught in. Channel your words toward the right purpose.
They have been doing this to boys from the start of this world false religion,and nobody seems to care,year after year this is in the News,
And our bad leaders in the US mean that the principles that America was founded on is bad too right???
This is pretty much what you are saying.
Mile high, of course things happen in any organization.
The HUGE difference is that most organizations wont try to cover it up and protect the pedophile while alienating the victims. You need an organization that is morally bankrupt in order to act this way.
So the Boy Scouts are morally bankrupt as well. They covered up and didn't report abuse for years as well.
All organized religions in one form or another are cults. And the cults perpetuate myths and fantasies and call them "religion".
One of the definitions of faith is believing in something that you know isn't true. Or, in the case of organized religion, something that can't be verified. You can say anything youwant about what is god's will because it can never be proven or disproven. How convenient.
In addition to the Catholic Church coverup of it's merry band of pedophiles, the other disgusting thing the Catholic Church does is take advantage of the poor and ignorant people who still believe in the gibberish they peddle by soaking them for money, money they really should be spending on feeding and clothing their families.
I wonder how much of a problem this sort of thing was in ancient Sparta.
They shielded molester priests...no $hit Sherlock...
Religions = Masked cults.
I am sick of religions pretending to be something better than they are. They are "clubs" and "cults" - nothing more.
They should be investigated continually and should pay taxes. They exist to brainwash and harm the minds of the weak and, obviously, the minds and bodies of children!
Are you an atheist, or just against organized religion?
He's against organizations that shield and protect pedophiles.
Jo,
No I think he is bias. He states all religion. The truth is this stuff happen everywhere. Don't forget teachers, Boyscout of America, Penn State, etc......
This is why no organization should be above the law.
And Im pretty sure AllPeopleRights is a she.
There's a special place in hell for these bastards !! Right next to the furnace and a long walk over hot coals to the johns !
except that heaven and hell don't exist, we've all been conned by this business enterptise for years, stop supporting this myth with bogus bogey man stories
@basic Seeing as though you've only been around a few years, i find it much more wise to believe the ancients over some new guy, born in a world full of illusions, who cant even explain the things they experienced.
More wise to believe the myths of anonymous, bronze age goat herders over science and reality? The fact that people are so willing to stick their heads in the sand and remain willfully ignorant is why religion is still around.
Atheists claim not to be ignorant, but they use no logic to support their side besides talking points for people like Hawkins and other writers.
MrBurns where is the logic in believing that which has NO evidence? I await the 'logic' you will provide us in support for your side.
If you wander upon a house that was well-built, surrounded by a beautiful environment, with delicious food would you not conclude that someone intelligent and caring brought this about? How do you think you got here? The big bang theory? Well, you and everyone else are so intricately designed that we could not have come about by accident. Our DNA is so complex that we could not have "just happened" . To think any other way is illiogical. Faith, on the other hand, is a different subject. True faith is not blind, it is based on evidence of past events and how they correlate with current and future events. The priests in question are centainly not men of faith, honesty or integrity.
Well written Dakota.
Natural selection is not an accident. It is the opposite of an accident.
A being who could create something so complex would have to be infinitely MORE complex. Since, by your logic, complex things HAVE TO BE CREATED by 'someone'...who designed 'him?' You can't have it both ways.
What is this evidence? One tiny shred would suffice...
Totallydisgusting. They should all be thrown in jail. That church is run by a bunch of perverts who have nothing to do with God.
Only that church? LOL.
I agree that those who can be shown to have done crimes should be imprisoned. But I will also point out that the laws are very limited, or non-existent on this.
And as for the Church being run by perverts - that is quite a broad brush there.
Whats the best way to get a nun pregnant ? Dress her up as an alter boy.
the catholic church is a criminal organization run by perverts using the mythology of "god" to supress people on behalf of governments for ever, it's all a con, religion is a total con, it's difficult to understand all of this misery based upon a fairy tale, it's really sad.
Same ole same ole. The entire church, not followers, shielded molesters and should all be found of crimes against humanity.
It
amazes me that there are so few comments on here to discuss this topic.
Although I feel you are all correct, why isn't anyone listening? Why are they
still in Business, getting away with (murder in some Spanish cases) these travesties?
What must be done to convince the Masses (Pun intended) that these religious
fanatics must go? They are even circumventing our Laws to bring their people
(From India) to push out, and punish Americans that are working under the false
giese of saving money for the Big Giant CHI (Catholic Health Initiative).
Coming to work in America under h1b1 visas, because of the politicians they
have paid for. This when Americans were doing a great job and the Greedy CEO’s
want more money’s to bolster their agenda’s within the church. Attacking
America from Within under false agendas. When will this be realized by Real
Americans, Not Greed!
What a bunch of hypocritical criminals, all of them! The church has as much credibility as Bernie Madoff - ZERO!
""This is all intolerable and unacceptable to me," Mahony wrote in 1991 on a file of the Rev. Lynn Caffoe, a priest suspected of locking boys in his room, videotaping their crotches and running up a $100 phone sex bill while with a boy." Really...as bad as that??? (intolerable and unacceptable). My opinion? That what was REALLY 'intolerable and unacceptable' was the idea that all this would become public and the church would be held liable.
NOTHING in the behavior of church officials before or since these all came to light indicates they were the least bit disturned by anything other than getting caught.
Authorities protect their friends, regardless of the crime. In Hopkins County Texas, the authorities are protecting a teacher that has been in and out of mental hospitals at least twice. One local attorney even assisted her in obtaining a firearm this past fall. People who know her fear she will snap again and take precautions, but the local authorities refuse to do anything.
Organized religion drives me nuts, but I would never presume to force my opinions on that subject on anyone. That being said, they should round up as many of these pedophiles as they can and put them in jail, maybe a 20 years of sleeping with their backs against the wall will teach them what it's like to go through the living he!! they put those kids through.
I wouldn't feel bad if they gave them lethal injection. It would stop them from doing it again.
The only way to stop this... and the only way for any type of justice for those who were abused... is for local and international law to stop protecting the vatican and the pope, who knew all about what was happening and sanctioned every move to protect these priests.
Allow the pope to be brought to trial, and if he refuses to attend, try him "in absentia." If convicted, he will be imprisoned in his fairy tale castle, unable to travel posing as the Prince of God, finally branded and known for what he is.... the leader of the most vile cult of genocidal, sadistic pedophiles in the history of mankind.
Just one more day in the Big Lie called Organized Religion. The only thing any organized religion has going for it is the scare tactic of GOING TO HEL L. People need to wake up and close their check books. You can't buy your way into Heaven. All organized religions have two things in common, greed and power over people. Just treat your fellow man with a good and decent heart and you will have no problem getting to Heaven.
The part that bothers me is that these are men who are supposed to be representing God . . . to me it is not possible that they believe that he is living and by their conduct sway others to believe the same way. The answer to all this garbage is God's promised kingdom and IMHO it can't get here fast enough.
As with all things, Roger, you will have good and bad. I have seen both, and thankfully the good do outweigh the bad in the Catholic Church. You just hear about the bad, since they are the ones who go against the Church and its teachings. The ones who practice and live the Faith - well, they don't make many waves, for they are too busy presenting the Gospel of Jesus Christ with their lives. And some of these are actually priests and bishops!
How do you get a priest into Wal-Mart? Tell him the boys' pants are half off.....
Church, mosque or synagogue people with unaccountable power abuse that power. This is why there is no room for religion running the show again. Secular law is where it is at.
Nope...that secular law aint lookin so good nowadays.
Hewillruleasgod, you would prefer to live in a theocracy ?
Like, let's say, Iran ?
The higher ups in the Catholic Church are just as guilty.They knew this was going on,and they tried to hide it.Shame on all of them!
Protect the Fetus
Abuse the Child
Protect the Abusers
Talk about things you don't understand.
These people should be treated like the animals they are and tied to a post and stone to death by the child the abused over the years, and then the church should members that hid this should be stripped and put in jai for what they did and have everything they own handed over to the families they hurt leaving the church penneyless. The church is a scam for taking people s money and living high on the hog. God never used a build to talk to people.
The Catholic Church has been a standing joke for centuries. They lost any pretense to possessing "the moral high ground" during the Spanish Inquisition.
The Catholic Church belongs in a museum... right next to the Holocaust Museum.
Did they also provide cash and a getaway car??
This is EXACTLY why the Catholic church has lost ALL its credibility, and has absolutely no right to make value judgements on others. They purposefully shielded monsters from the consequences of their actions, undertook to protect them and the church from justice, and they did it only to protect their "good" name. In doing so they allowed pedophile priests to continue destroying the lives of countless thousands of innocent children. The church became the enabler of child rapists, with full knowledge of the consequences their actions would have on the innocent, and they DID IT ANYWAY.
What makes this a truly horrific crime is this is not an isolated incident, it was business as usual for decades, perhaps even centuries.
I was raised Catholic but I will never set foot in a church again. My relationship with God has never been better, but my attitude toward organized religion has never been worse. May God forgive the Catholic church for their crimes against humanity, because I won't.