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Subscribe to RSSPHILADELPHIA -- A Franciscan friar accused of sexually abusing students at Catholic high schools in Ohio and Pennsylvania killed himself at a western Pennsylvania monastery, police said Saturday.
Brother Stephen Baker, 62, was found dead of self-inflicted wounds at the St. Bernardine Monastery in Hollidaysburg on Saturday morning, Blair Township Police Chief Roger White told The Associated Press. He declined to specify the type of wounds or say whether a note was found.
Baker was named in legal settlements last week involving 11 men who alleged that he sexually abused them at a Catholic high school in northeast Ohio three decades ago. The undisclosed financial settlements announced Jan. 16 involved his contact with students at John F. Kennedy High School in Warren, Ohio from 1986 to 1990.
The Youngstown diocese previously said it was unaware of the allegations until nearly 20 years after the alleged abuse.
"Let us continue to pray for all victims of abuse, for Brother Baker's family and the repose of his soul," Youngstown Bishop George Murray said in a statement Saturday.
After the settlements were announced, the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese in central Pennsylvania said it received complaints in 2011 of possible abuse by Baker at Bishop McCort High School in Johnstown, about 60 miles east of Pittsburgh.
Bishop McCort High School hired an attorney to investigate after several former students alleged they were molested by Baker in the 1990s. Attorney Susan Williams said three former students had talked to her in detail about the alleged abuse.
Baker taught and coached at John F. Kennedy High School in the late 1980's and early 1990's and was at Bishop McCort from 1992-2000.
Bishop Mark Bartchak of the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese said in a statement that he was saddened by the news of Baker's death, but declined further comment citing pending legal action involving the diocese.
A message left for Father Patrick Quinn, the head of Baker's order, the Third Order Regular Franciscans, was not immediately returned.
Judy Jones, assistant Midwest director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said the organization still hopes people who know about other abuse allegations against Baker will continue to come forward.
"We feel sad for Br. Baker's family but even sadder for the dozens of boys who Baker assaulted," she said in a statement.
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WElcome to the church of the endless hidden molestation of children by its sex starved, power hungry priests. The utter crime is how the church hid these vile people for God only knows how long, often moving them from place to place on orders from the german pope.
much of the reason for the vile comments re gays marrying, eg in England its a "commie conspiracy" are inteded to distract from what the church has done.
Which includes the german pope committing the crime of the last two centuries - UNexcommunciating a holocaust denying Bishop Williamson
http://articles.cnn.com/2009-01-26/world/pope.holocaust.denial_1_bishop-richard-williamson-bishop-bernard-fellay-holocaust-denier?_s=PM:WORLD
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23369148-pope-led-cover-up-of-child-abuse-by-priests.do
Unexcommunicating is not a word. You show your intellect.
I grew up in a big Catholic family. Twelve years of Catholic school and my brothers and sister on to CAtholic colleges. My oldest brother was molested for years by a priest and then one of his sons was also molested. Now I find that so many of my friends were molested in the city where we lived it makes me sick. The church continues to move these priests around and protect them. How evil is that??? I detest the Catholic church and they cured me of wanting to even step foot into any church period.
I know it is traumatic...But, there should be a comma between the last two words...Spelling Nazi is a hobby.
who gives a crap NAZI.. people molested by a roman catholic priest or bishop, can say what ever they want and disregard puncuation etc.. the catholioc church has put itself on a big tower claiming innocence and more with every charge from every abused man.. so to Hairfarmer I suggest you stuff your comma where the sun don't shine.. maybe you should have been a victim...
there are thousands of priests that are in hiding that belong in jail...
I would venture to say he was probably guilty. I have never heard of an innocent person taking their own life when accusations have been made.
It also shows the depth of his catholic faith that the brother committed suicide.
Ma giver -- that's a lot of hatred spewing forth from your furiously typing fingertips. Hairfarmer simply points out a punctuation error and you deem that worthy of sexual molestation as a punishment? Now that's true perverted evil thinking coming from you! And I'd like to examine your evidence on the "thousands" of priests that belong in jail. For what? What is your specific accusation, and what is your evidence? Sexual molestation is an evil thing, from anybody, so do you group all the public school teachers in the same category because of the countless cases of teachers sexually abusing minors?
Okeeboy and IMHO, I submit that it's best not to judge the man's intentions by committing suicide, or whether he's guilty or not. We live in a country where evidence must be presented to determine guilt, not simply accusation or innuendo. At least we do for now....
@Stanley - "sex starved?" That is a myth - most molestation is done by hetero males who are in active sexual relationships with at least one other adult. Again, these are MEN looking to get paid for something they did as teenagers. No high school age is molested by another man - they are physically strong enough to resist and they certainly know by high school age not to be screwing around with an adult man. It is never WOMEN who were by abused who get the big bucks, is it? It's always men - because it's not the molestation that is the issue, it's the homosexual aspect of this that upsets people. It raises homophobia and Catholic bashing, both of which are long-time activities here in the USA. This world is filled with females who were molested repeatedly by men in their lives, many from infancy of toddlerhood, by members of their own family, not even being safe in their own beds, as well as by doctors, dentists, lawyers, businessmen, teachers, PROTESTANT MINISTERS, JEWISH RABBIS, etc. - where is their news coverage?
Somewhere I remember reading in a book that warns of people who forbid marriage. Sexual repression is very bad, and I suspect the very reason why they have had so many problems with sexual abuse.
Many, many priests and popes throughout the Church's history have been married, including St. Peter, the first pope. Many priests and popes have fathered children, including illegitimate ones. So, the Catholic Church just makes up new rules as they go along, apparently at whim.
http://www.futurechurch.org/fpm/history.htm
The whole issue of celebacy is this....as St Paul pointed out...it is easier to tend to a flock if you aren't preoccupied with a family... But...if "you burn"...it is better to marry. Because of the large numbers of children running thru the halls of the Vatican, and the claims of inheritance when popes died, the Church made celebacy a mandate and not a choice.... Being "set apart" from the rest of humanity has some negative effects on the psyche...
I was raised as a catholic but never reared.
Ennagram - Where does it say Peter was married? Sorry I find it nowhere in any texts - what I found was there was a rivalry between Peter and Mary Magdelan
We also find Paul was a mysoginist who said - "women in their menses were unclean - therefore had to cover their heads"
Most of the Apostles were unmarried men - cite you reference on who married
The church still doesn't even come close to the molestations that the public school system inflicts upon kids. Just this week they arrested a teacher from Wilmington unified school district in L.A. who molested up to 20 students and he was outed 9 years ago and the school system did nothing about it.
How about Welcome to just one of many organizations, or just society even works, of hidden child molestation. The Church is no different from any other place on earth, it is filled with sinful , fallen people. Child molestation can and does happen EVERY WHERE. So please just dont single out the Church.
Is it just me, or is molestation "institutionalized" by the Catholic Church?
It is certainly denied by it.
Or, is this just a "the Lord works in mysterious ways" issue?
I don't think the victums would agree.
I'll be expecting a torching but here goes....
Perhaps a little compassion for a guy that committed suicide, just a smidgen? You all seem so eager to vent anger and contempt for the Catholic Church. I'm agnostic and I'm not nearly as invested in screaming at them at the top of my lungs. Yes, bad things happened and it's not acceptable. It would be nice if people got as upset about children that don't have food to eat or medical care but hey, it's about sex so it's a scandal. Now that he's spilled his BLOOD.MONEY to follow.
Kids are like elastic, not that breakable...unless we teach them how to be broken. Think about it.
Hiding these priests within the diocese is a crime in itself and is what has most people furious they should be in prison themselves. Still to blame a religion, building, congregation on a small percentage is ignorant..I feel no shame for my religion and won't I am disgusted as well..
1 %that is the numbers related to Catholic priests within the diocese that were accused of molesting..It is a fact that a pedophile will try to gain employment thru Teaching, coaching,scout leaders,priests anywhere they can come close to children ,"anywhere", we are in a sick world.
maxgiver -- Hair farmer is right;commas are important. Without them, one abuses their own sentences and in the end commits grammatical suicide.
Some of the parents of these children need to be held responsible... I grew up in an Irish catholic household and my parents thought that the priest were godly... Little did they know how many pedophile priest were in our church and often in our home...
I can't imagine, at age seven, how I could have told my parent that father so and so tried to touch me...
Most organized religions are a cover for evil doers... The pope himself is responsible for cover-ups dating back decades...
Just another case of the church moving these creeps around and trying to keep things quiet. Well his dirty little secret was going to be all over the news for a very long time and he chose not to deal with the consequences and the shame...Brother Baker died as a result of a self inflicted stab wound to his heart as reported in the local newspaper.
I would think you would have to be a the very bottom to plunge a knife into your heart. Prayers go out to all he abused in his time. However, you can be a victim or a survivor...the only person controlling your life is you!
I wonder if there could be a settlement in my future??? You tell me?
I was sent to a Catholic school until the 5th grade. During a class about the bible, I was asked if I believed that God created everything. I said No! I also said that I didn't believe the whole "hell" and "heaven" thing either. I asked the teacher penguin... What God would let bad people like murderers and pedophiles to claim they have taken god in their hearts and be completely forgiven and off to heaven they go.
As you can imagine she was pissed! No heaven, no hell, no devil and worst of all no god. So she drags me by the hair out of my seat and off to the principles office. The head penguin was a mean tall and nasty woman. I'll assume it was the many years of forced celibacy. She asked me all the same questions, and I answered them the same way. She had me put my hands flat on the desk. She reached into her desk and took out a large wooden ruler. She proceeded to beat my knuckles bloody. When I would pull my hands away, she would grab my wrists so she could continue to beat away. She struck me with the flat and the edge so many times it was like she was deranged.
As you can imagine, that was my last day at a Catholic school. Thank God...Whoops!!!
Matthew Chapter 8 verse 14. Peter had a mother in law. He was married.
At the end of my post #1.11 is a website on the history of the church. See:
http://www.futurechurch.org/fpm/history.htm
As a matter of fact, commas save lives. Case in point: Let's eat grandma, versus Let's eat, Grandma.
ha haaaaaa!!
Another fu_khead gone. No loss. Clean up the rest of those sick church bastards.
your comment should be deleted too shipwrecked. No sense in that kind of name calling
Humans are awesome!
To all those who defended me from the ferocious attack by Max...Thank you...
To those who felt the need to collapse...I feel really bad about offending everyone...I feel bad that they love free speech so much they stopped to take the time to silence my comment.
America! F*&K Yeah!
I think I will go out and consume quality goods from China now...MMMMMMM...This tastes like freedom!
Good.
if only they ALL took the same way out ! instead of being transferred by the Vatican from church to church to continue there deviate acts !
Unknown
You stole my post. Being from PA, not only do we have one less sexual predator, but we won't have to pay his room and board in prison. It's a win/ win if you ask me.
Survivors Network for those Abused by Priests? Really.
If you have legitimate support groups designated for sexually abused parishioners, your church is f&@ked!
No pun intended cory1980 I hope.
No, just disgusted by the acts, makes me very angry. Grew up in the Catholic Church, not far from where this friar killed himself. Continuous. Upsetting. In a time obsessed with "background checks," don't you think the morality of popular religion be of upmost importance? But limit magazines....
If Jesus were alive today, he wouldnt recognize this pit of vipers as the church that was supposedly founded in his name. He would be sickened.
Jesus is alive today, and his church does not have walls.
Nor does his church have rules against raping children, apparently...
Junior of the mythical trio of "Big Daddy, Junior and The Spook" might have been a nice person, but those who denigrate the name are lower than a snakes belly. In any event, 2000 year old dogma is relevant to TODAY, HOW? just keep "believing" jeeze, I'll just keep LAUGHING at your lack of rationality.
Cory, if that is how your sense of reason works, I feel sorry for you.
Fork, Jesus is alive today in many of His followers. Actually, faith and reason ARE connected in a way that many without reason could not begin to grasp. Laugh all you want but unfortunately, you may not have the last laugh.
I hear the catholic church and those catholic politicans scream about abortion as they have plans to change the laws so abortions are illegal.. yet they are so afraid of the POPE they won't address the molestation issues.. but now I get the message.. they will make these women have their babies so when they grow up they can be victims of the sexual predator priests
Jesus would be ashamed of all religions. They are all hateful judgemental people. They think they speak for God and Jesus...Do you think these deities are for one religion over the other. God is in all of us and no religion has a special ticket to heaven. I am amazed how religous people think they are heavens police force, do it our way or go to hell. BS! Don't try to smear your limited beliefs on others.
sorry, linda - that's merely your OPINION and like an anus, everybody has an opinion...
Yes, but the REAL issue is "did he use a gun to kill himself". Because aren't guns the cause of all evil? And taking guns away from people who abide by the law (you know, the only people who actually WOULD turn their guns in) that will make everything perfect for all won't it?
He died for his sins.
As the Catholic Pedophiles (crap, I messed up, where was spell check on that one?) I mean, Priests, are concerned, they are one step closer to "god" than a typical parishoner. I suggest they stop taking steps, turn around, and start running the other direction...
Justice is served at minimal cost to the taxpayer.
What do you expect from MEN IN LACE DRESSES ?
Every catholic, to a man, to a woman, is equally complicit - SILENCE IS CONSENT !
Yes.......or even putting money in a Catholic offering plate.
LouAz -- um....that would be, "qui tacet consentire videtur".
Well, at least they stopped disemboweling and setting people on fire.
Not to say he didn't do anything because only he and those claiming know for sure. Still many find making a claim is a fast way to make money off the Church.
sorry, had you only been a victim.. you would understand how these victims deal with life on an emotional level..
a preist befriends you and you feel very close to him.. this continues for a short while then one day he is touching you and he has placed your hand on his crotch.. the next thing you know is he is explaining to you that it is ok for you to put his penis in his mouth.. now you are afraid so what else, you comply.. again and again..
MIKEP please explain that situation to me..
Did you swallow Max?
@MikeP--do you actually know anyone who's "faking it" and trying to extort money by lying about being molested? I'm not saying it's impossible, but probably rare that someone is really cashing in on it.
Kind of like the myth that 47% of the population, that don't pay taxes, are ripping off the "system", when the number of people fraudulently on government assistance programs is quite low.
Yes, United...the ones most likely to defraud the medicare/medicaid system are doctors and hospitals...
Hey max, wouldn't it require a broken spine to be able to put his penis in "his" mouth?
The Church has become a little shop of horrors.
The church of today is Baskin Robbins on your kid's 6th birthday compared to the sexual torture and mutilations in it's history.
You reall mean the Roman Catholic Church...................not Christ's Church!
jesus probably never existed. The church, like all churches, was formed to control the weak minded. It has always allowed its leaders, the clergy, to take liberties with the common man. This includes allowing and covering up sexual abuse. The poop is a criminal who condones child molestation by sweeping it under the rug. He has known about the priestly perverts for many years and it seems to be ok with him.
Every time a catlick puts money into the collection plate they are helping to pay to defend and cover up for these pervs. Churches and belief in deity are anachronisms that need to go away. It is simply a license to steal, cheat, and molest, all in the name of the imaginary sky fairy. We would all be better off in a religion free world.
Yet atheistism which is also a belief/religion has to put down all others, and those that belive in them. Something along the lines of many extremist terrorist. Thankfully we live in a Country where each person can believe as they wish.
As long as the catholic church and its members continue to allow and pay for child sexual abusers, I will continue to put them down. I don't put down all others, just a select few. I am no terrorist, I am simply spouting my beliefs, as you are. However, feel free to think you are persecuted, another hallmark of christianity.
By the way, it is atheism, not atheistism. It is not a religion, it a happy freedom from religion. I watch people like the priest/perverts and the swine from westboro baptist and I am very content to be a non-believer.
There are people like those from westboro baptist, perverted priests from the roman catholic church who claim to be Christians but aren't, they only drag the name of Christ through the mud. Try not to judge all Christians by the example these people set. I assume from your comments and your avatar name that you don't believe in God. I am a Christian and would just like to ask you to investigate the Bible and the claims made in it. There is a good book by Lee Strobl called the Case For Christ, he was an atheist but changed his mind after he investigated the claims asserted in the Bible.
happyatheist55
I will send you a copy of this book if you are interested.
@happyatheist55
"But I tell you that every careless word that people speak,
they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. For by your words
you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." (Matthew
12:36-37).
Thanks Willis, I am going to check the book out.
You know, I believe in God, and quite frankly, I am not a weak-minded person. I'm getting really tired of being categorized as such.
@jeannine: You may not be weak-minded, but you certainly do not use rational thought.
Willis, I have read the bible at least three times, I studied it carefully and stand by my disbelief. In fact I stand by everything I have said about religion. Many, many christians have tried to get me back into the fold, they say "...if you would just study the bible you would be convinced". Been there done that. The bible is a book of fairy tales. If the bible had said that Jack and the Beanstalk was real and the talking snake was the fantasy then you would be worshipping Jack.
Jeannine, if you need to believe in the invisible sky fairy, to me, you are weak minded. I don't thank your guy in the sky for the good in my life and I don't blame him, or the devil, for the not so good. This is not to say that all christers are bad, just deluded. If it was a harmless thing then I would have no problem, but many, many christers want to control far too much of my life. They find it impossible to live and let live. I never go door to door preaching atheism, but christers are often found on my doorstep trying to feed me their delusions. The belief in some absolute breeds crazy behaviour and I am sick of it. Since there is no god, the voices these folks hear is just their own weird thoughts, and they are liable to do anything. So again I say, go away religion, come in, rational thought.
unhappy -
You may not go door to door, but you are on these threads every chance you get insulting those who believe.
You hardly sound like a "happy" individual.
mpa, you again? Why is it so hard for you to get the fact that I am free to be on these threads and say what I want to say? You only want to hear from those who are in lockstep with you. Too bad, so sad. This is a forum that allows me to speak my opinions in the manner I choose. If that insults you, quit reading my posts or you can put on your big boy, or big girl, panties and deal with it.
As for my happiness, I am sooooooo glad you are concerned. I am happy, and fulfilled, and content with my life. However, I see bad things, like priests banging children, and I speak out against it. I truly believe religion to be a scourge on society worldwide. Much, if not most of the problems in the U.S. can be attributed to some right wing religious tea bag nut case.
Belief in the imaginary friend allows people to do all sorts of fanatical, insane things and in the name of "god". Since there is no god, they are only listening to whatever drives them in their own minds. They then do that crazy crap and say it is "god's will". I call BS on the whole institution.
Again, if you are so upset about my opinions, by all means stop reading them. You seem to be the unhappy one. Maybe you should mumble into your hands some more.
happyatheist55,
I'm confused at your denial of the existence of the person of Jesus. This is a minority opinion even among secular scholars. Do you have evidence to back up your opinion? And how does that evidence compare to the evidence for the existence of the person of Jesus?
Additionally I'm a bit dumbstruck at your accusations of mental defect in all religious believers. Especially when you say something like,
This strikes me as a paranoid delusion. You are arguing that all churches are, and have always been, involved in conspiracy against their believers? Sounds pretty 'out there' to me.
Willis33 said, "Try not to judge all Christians by the example these people set."
That is called the "Any True Irishman" arguement. It is crap.
Willis33 also said, "There is a good book by Lee Strobl called the Case For Christ, he was an atheist but changed his mind after he investigated the claims asserted in the Bible."
This too has been debunked several times and is crap.
Capt. Jack,
It's the "No True Scotsman" fallacy, and it's not applicable to the statement you quoted. "Try not to judge all Christians by the example these people set." is a statement that is cautioning you not to make a different type of fallacy called "Hasty Generalization" in which you judge a large group of people based on the actions of a few.
You might have been referring to the claim that these Priests who commit these acts are not "true Christians." If this is what you meant you have a better case because even Christians admit we can't judge who a "true" Christian is. Only God can do that.
hchris, you would be a great judge of what is "out there". The entire basis of christianity is a book, the bible. Now in this book you start with a talking snake, making women from a rib bone, creating the universe in 6 days, the parting of the Red Sea, feeding the multitudes, raising the dead, healing the sick, fitting two of every critter in a little boat, walking on water, water to wine, turning Lot's wife into a pillar of salt, oh and the biggie, virgin birth, and that is just a few of the greatest hits. Now that is some rational stuff.
christianity is not even original, it is almost an identical copy of earlier religions, see Horus. It was a lot easier to plagiarize than to come up with a whole new fantasy story.
No, I have no evidence that jesus did not exist. You have no evidence that he did exist. I believe him to be a patchwork figure based on many so called "holy men" of that and earlier times.
As for my assertion that religion was conceived to "control the common man", that has been proven since the first priest, prophet, holy man, shaman, witch doctor, seer, etc. started taking money/possessions from the common person. Religion is the greatest scam ever thought up by humans. Preying on the belief in some sort of invisible sky fairy has raised more cash than the all other cons perpetrated upon society, combined. It is called fleecing the flock and it is a proven money maker, always has been.
I am neither paranoid nor delusional, I will leave that to the religious. One of the favorite pastimes of christers is to play the poor, oppressed believer card. When in reality, the church has done far more oppressing than any other entity.
There are non-biblical accounts of the existence of Jesus. His actions and admirers was big news in contemporary Roman and Judaic circles.
Flavius Josephus, a Jewish historian, mentions him. Also, contemporary Roman writers Tacitus, Thallus, and Pliny the Younger wrote about him. Greek writer Lucian wrote about him too.
Happy, Captain
There is plenty of evidence to support the existence of Jesus as maggie has pointed out. I think what you need to ask yourselves is would you be willing to die for something you knew was a lie? Those who witnessed Jesus after His ressurection died cruel deaths because they refused to deny what they knew to be the truth. They were crucified, thrown to the lions,and set on fire because they refused to call Nero lord. I don't know of anyone who would die for something that they knew was a lie. The Bible says there were more than 500 people who seen Jesus after He was raised from the dead. There is also more manuscript evidence of the Bible then any other ancient book, proof that God has preserved His word. Jesus died for the sin of all mankind so that we might be reconciled to God.
Willis, the bible says a lot of things, but that does not make them true. I have a book that tells of elves, flying dragons, magic and wizards. Just because it is written down does not make it true. As for the other sources cited by maggie, these are accounts from thousands of years ago, so their veracity is suspect at best, and should be viewed with a skeptical eye.
Using the bible, a work of fiction, to prove the truth of the bible is using circular arguments at best. People often try to prove to me that the bible is true by quoting bible passages, that is NOT proof. There are many ancient fairy tales and the bible is simply one of them, and not all that well written either.
Even if I stipulate that jesus lived as an actual person and not a patchwork of other figures, there is still one glaring problem. There is not a single, solitary shred, not an iota, not a dab of evidence that he is the only begotten son of god. There exists no proof at all that any of the supernatural hocus pocus spoken of in the bible were real. There exists no proof whatsoever of the existence of your flying spaghetti monster, or god.
I base my beliefs on the provable, the logical, and the rational. I refuse to base them on superstitious nonsense. Using your reasoning, then Thor, Isis, the Great Spirit, Zeus, and Vishnu are all real as well, because people believe, or used to believe in them. What makes your jehovah mythology any different or superior than that of the ancient Greeks? Simple, it is true to you because YOU believe in it, which is not much of a litmus test.
I will take rational thought over fairy tales any day. If you wish to believe in the sky fairy, I can't stop you and would not if I could. However, strong belief does not make it true.
happyatheist,
If your argument is that the age of the document calls into question the truthfulness of its contents then Historians everywhere had better quit their jobs.
Do you believe Plato was a real person? Socrates? Aristotle? But they're ancient, and the original books written about them are over 2000 years old. By your logic they don't exist.
However, you are right when you say there is no scientific proof that Jesus was who he claimed to be (the only begotten son of God). I have no problem with science at all. If you need things in scientific terms think about it this way: I believe in the hypothesis of God. It hasn't been proven - yet. Science is always discovering new and exciting things. Perhaps one day science will "discover" God, perhaps not, but I'm gonna stick with the hypothesis anyway.
May the as-hole rot in hell with the rest of the clergy for 0their years of this type of Love. It show his true color rape a child but never stand up to an adult.
Please don't bundle these beasts and my faith. What they do has nothing to do with my Faith in what you describe as a 'fairy tale'... No way do I condone these so called servants of my faith. If they could do something like this, then they were really never part of my religion. They use the church as a mechanism to do and cover their evil deeds and I hope they rot in hell just as most of you... same way a criminal uses a gun to kill children, the gun is not the problem.. and yes, I'm including higher ups that cover this scum.. they did just as much if not more harm than these perverted souls.
these beasts are your faith.. simply , your church does absolutely nothing to put these molestors in the hands of the law, but hide them all over. and deny any and all charges.. I truly believe the POPE is a child molestor
Excommunicate the catholic church from your life and we won't bundle your faith along with these child molesters. Keep paying tithes, going to catholic church, and supporting catholic dogma and you too will be a part of this sick conspiracy.
JuanPerez
With all due respect to you having the right to believe what you choose to, what the real point here that some are making is that if you believe that the Roman Catholic is the one true faith, then you must also believe that the pope, who is given supreme authority over his followers, has the responsibility to protect his flock by those who are evildoers. It is one thing to forgive the truly repentent, but covering up the crimes committed against the most innocent of his flock, and allowing them to continue in their position as a parish priest, educator, etc...they are also complicit in the continued crimes committed by that clergyman. No one can say that all priests are molesters of children, but they can say that the pope has allowed the possibility of abuse to continue, and sets the example for the bishops, who also cover up for the priests.
This is not to say that only Catholic priests commit these abuses against children, but the vow of celibacy is a good thing for a pedophile to hide behind. This is why many of the congregation turn a blind eye, as they believe that these men are special and called by God to serve, and in so doing, have also forsaken the desires of the flesh.
JuanPerez said, "If they could do something like this, then they were really never part of my religion."
Again, the "No True Irishman" arguement.
Own your religion and all its horrors or get out.
He proved he was guilty.
He proved he lacked faith too.
There are bad people in every religion. There are wonderful people not affiliated with any religion. The world is full of good and bad people, and religion, or lack thereof, doesn't change that. Don't trust anyone.
You may broaden that to there is good and bad people in any hierarchical authoritarian system. It's just that the hierarchical authoritarian system makes it so easy for the bad ones to prosper and propagate.
The friar's ultimate boss has been doing a bang up job of keeping his agents here on earth in check. It really demonstrates the level of self delusion necessary for believers to continue to perpetuate the clap trap they call religious faith.
Never understood the justification of celibacy for Catholic priests... Let them be married...
Never understood the justification for the Catholic Church.
Its a church of the ages... middle ages...
L G et al <<~~~~~~~~~>>>>> The Catholic Church settled on celibacy for very complex reasos. Too complex to go into here, and I'm not sure I would be up to an adequate explanation, anyway. However, while it is true that some priests have sinned dreadfully and the Church has too often closed its eyes, it is also true that MANY STUDIES MADE BY INDEPENDANT AGENCIES, SOME OF WHICH ARE HOSTILE TO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH SHOW THAT CATHOLIC PRIESTS ABUSE CHILDREN NO MORE THAN, AND SOME SAY LESS THAN, THE CLERGY OF OTHER FAITHS and secular institutions. Of course, even one case is three too many cases, but it was never as bad as all these irresponsible fanatics make it out to be, without evidence, and, in recent years, the CC hiarchy has taken a great many steps to try to end the abuse entirely. Yet, you and others pretend the CC has done NOTHING.
They only took steps to end the abuse after they were caught. It should now be pretty obvious why the church constantly rotated priests around.
Oh, and it's good to know that priests rape children no less than other religions (btw - source?). That makes it all better.
True, but that's not really the issue, is it?
The real issue is that the Catholic hierarchy criminally conspired over many decades (if not many hundreds of years) to cover up the rape of children and move pedophile priests to new unsuspecting communities where they'd rape even more kids. Even the current Pope is complicit.
It was a political move because the church amassed such tremendous wealth, and the married or unmarried clergy could leave what ever fortune they wanted to their offspring, or illegimate children. Just look at the Borgias. The pope made his son a cardinal, and the church was nothing but a tyrannical government that incorporated lands and wealth from what it's armies conquered and political agreements it made with it's allies of other countries.
It also has to do with the belief that Christ was not married, and had no ties to a particular family; he was free to love all equally. However; I do believe that he had a special relationship with Mary Magdalene; even the apostles voiced jealousy over his relationship with her. Remember that the church is hierarchical, and woman held no positions of authority. If Mary Magdelene was given the same status as the apostles, then that would create an opening for women to be equal. There are many writings about who Mary Magdalene was that were rejected as heresy. Do your own research and open your minds a bit beyond what you are taught is the absolute truth by today's Christianity.
I will just give you this from Wikipedia...The footnotes refer to further readings listed on the Wikipedia site, for those interested. Just note that the New Testament never once identified her as a prostitute This was what Pope Gregory in the 6th century claimed she was. Many writings rejected by the Catholic church were those that concerned Mary Magdalene, and her deep understanding of the nature of Christ and God, revealed to her by Jesus himself or by her deeper understanding of the divine.
Mary Magdalene (original Greek Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνή),[2] or Mary of Magdala and sometimes The Magdalene, was one of Jesus' most celebrated disciples, and the most important female disciple in the movement of Jesus.[3] Jesus cleansed her of "seven demons",[Lu 8:2] [Mk 16:9] sometimes interpreted as referring to complex illnesses.[4] She became Jesus' close friend. She was most prominent during his last days. When Jesus was crucified by the Romans, Mary Magdalene was there supporting him in his final terrifying moments and mourning his death.[5] She stayed with him at the cross after the male disciples (excepting John the Beloved) had fled. She was at his burial. In all four New Testament Gospels, Mary Magdalene is the first (either alone or with a group of women) to arrive at Jesus' tomb, where she encounters an angel (or a pair of angels) who instructs her to go tell the disciples that Jesus has risen.[6] [7]She was the first person to see Jesusafter his Resurrection,[3] according to both John 20 and Mark 16:9. She was there at the "beginning of a movement that was going to transform the West".[5] Because of her pivotal role in the Resurrection, she became known as "the apostle to the apostles".[6]
Few characters in the New Testament have been so sorely miscast as Mary Magdalene. From the sixth century until fairly late in the twentieth century, she has been portrayed as a prostitute. No where in the New Testament is she described in any but the most positive terms. Her reputation as a fallen woman originated not in the Bible but in a sixth-century sermon by Pope Gregory the Great.[6]
Believe what you choose to, but do so after you open your minds.
Jersey Shore - Many churches in France and Italy are named St Mary Magdelan
She was the one who Christ wanted to spread his word and possibly his wife - as he followed the Jewish doctrines by being married prior to 30 years of age
The battle was between Peter and Mary - and obviously Peter won- supported by all of the other Apostles who were anti woman - sad since look how the world might have turned out
This is awesome, way to save the taxpayers money. I love it, you know you are guilty so kill yourself. I just wish our justice system could do it for you without costing taxpayers a lot of money, when you lie and try and get out of being a criminal. Oh ans by the way you want me to follow this religion based on these perverts that are supposed to be guiding me in the footsteps of the Lord? I don't think so, I'll just try and be a good person and not go to church where all this craziness is happening. And for you Christian fanatics out there, the devil didn't make him do it, he did this on his own!
It must be time again for the Pope to speakout against same sex marriage.
What a flexible god these folks have. Molest some kids then suicide. Film at 11.
The God that I believe in will perfectly judge each person according to their heart. This man is no exception.
Happyathiest55 - HE DOES exist. It is you who meander though life, without direction. And when you die and are buried in your fine wear, you'll be all dressed up and no place to go. I will pray for you and your sorry soul.
No you won't Greek. You won't know when he/she dies, or even when that day might come. As positive as your thoughts (prayers) might be for an individual, it has no bearing whatsoever what happens after death.
I know what will happen to me after I die. The matter I consist of will break down and become the sustenance for new life on this planet, since matter can be neither created nor destroyed. Through my death, new life will be created. It's actually quite beautiful, much more so than living on a cloud.
Greek
Who are you referring to when you say buried and dressed in their fine wear? The pope? Although I admit that the Vatican is a wealth of treasures and art (have you ever been inside the Sistine Chapel?), the vestments worn by the pope are not exactly what Francis of Asisi wore. What happened to the vow of poverty? That's right; that is only for the lowly nuns.
krazymop - What if a soul lives on and you must do it over and over again not as a woman but sometimes a man until you get it right
Interesting that so many minds believe in reincarnation not because we are arrrogant to live forever but we must get it right
The Catholic church is a racket. Why do they pray to Jesus' mother instead of directly to Jesus -- or even God?
Good point, backtobasics. I often wonder if it was a Catholic child molester that came up with that invention....or one of those Catholic "Fathers" who protected Catholic child molesters from law-enforcement investigation and presecution?
That's the question of the centuries considering what the "holy" perverts wrote about (and did to) women.
From www.catholicdoors.com
And therein lies one of - if not the BIGGEST - oxymorons of all time... "Virgin Mary." Give me a break.
"Raped by a deity" is still a good excuse for a teen pregnancy.
Good riddence to bad rubbish. May he rot in hell.
Good riddance indeed! Now I hope the other pedo-priests all follow his example.
these freaks do this after 30 years what kind of crap is that. now he is dead i wouldn't even want to listen what these people have to say after 30 years. and some of theses readers pull the blame the priest right away and nobody as heard anything. isn't that always the way. first thing i think of is the Salem witch hunts. the guy isn't here to even hear his side of the story. they should just go back in their hole I'm tired of listening to this crap on the news. the British just got done doing the same thing and they didn't get anywhere. if these people need some counseling the should go and get some privet counseling maybe they were counting on some money from the Church. but don't spend any tax payer money on getting it.
Huh?
Tony, that doesn't even make sense.
I guess he was his own judge, jury and executor.
I left the catholic church decades ago because of their cruelty, hypocrisy, wealth, patriarchy, and false teachings. I feel bad sometimes because my parents sacrificed a great deal to put all 6 of us through private Catholic school. Great education, but we all have lasting emotional wounds and scars that we will bring to our graves. One of the largest most evil cults on the planet. The nuns were as bad as the priests, but no one talks about that. Sick, perverted way of life.
Thank God the Roman Catholic Church and the True Christian Church are quite distinct entities!!!
one is just as fuc ked up as the other. 2 peas in the same pod...
It's all made up crap.
Julia - I had twelve years of Catholic Education - best in the world - Latin - three years - Math - English - Science - Religion - no regrets
Then University of Chicago - during the turmoils of Viet Nam - and a fine Economics view of stupidity of trickle down BS by Friedman
Never stopped learning - have taken courses my entire life - Baroque Architecture - Figure Drawing - Fencing - Course in Logical Thinking - Interior Design
I look at life as a journey of learning - and my original education taught me that - forget the crazies - but take care of yourself
ps....I keep waiting for someone with more courage than I to sue THE VATICAN for the harboring of criminals, obstruction of justice and contributing to the destruction of minors.
Nice thought, Julia.... but The Vatican is an independent country... the government would have to sue them in a world court...and that isn't going to happen...
It's been tried. The pope is a head of state and can't be sued.
nwnative -
The idea of his behavior and other violators like him was to encourage you and many believers to leave in disgust of not only the church but to abandon your Christian faith. A good source for an analysis of this corruption can be found in "Good-bye, Good Men" by Michael Rose.
Yes it's called "Thinking".
Really, freedom1st? I think the "idea of his behavior" (and others like him) is selfishness and sexual perversion which violates rather than loves. I don't think it is so well and deliberately "planned" to disgust people and cause them to abandon their "Christian faith". He's a pedophile, and the joke-of-a-catholic-church is a good place to hide out, as one is being exposed to little altar boys and uses fear and religion to defile and abuse them. His suicide is simply "thinning of the herd" - a little late, however...