E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
AFP - Getty Images file
Boston Cardinal Sean O'Malley, shown here at a 2009 press conference, is generating buzz ahead of the papal conclave in Rome.
Boston Cardinal Sean O'Malley is generating buzz in Rome as a possible contender to be the next pope, even though Vatican watchers have long said an American pontiff is a longshot.
John L. Allen, a columnist for the National Catholic Reporter, took note this week of the growing number of Italian newspapers and commentators who have mentioned O'Malley as a candidate or written favorably about his cleanup of the archdiocese's sex-abuse scandal.
"Right now, it's tough for an American journalist to walk into the Vatican Press Office without fielding questions from colleagues about him," Allen wrote.
O'Malley -- a distinctive figure in the monkish brown cassock of the Capuchin religious order -- isn't entertaining questions about his chances of succeeding Pope Benedict XVI when the College of Cardinals convenes.
"As the Cardinal said last week at his press conference, he has a round trip ticket to return home and will rely on the guidance and wisdom of the Holy Spirit as the College of Cardinals enter the conclave in March," spokeswoman Kellyanne Dignan said.
O'Malley, 68, was named archbishop of Boston in 2003, after Cardinal Bernard Law stepped down amid allegations he covered up sex abuse by priests. He was elevated to cardinal three years later.
Thomas Groome, a theology professor at Boston College, said that of all the American bishops who've had to deal with the abuse crisis, O'Malley "has come closest to satisfying the victims." He sold the archdiocese's palatial headquarters and used the money for victim settlements.
A low-key personality who prizes simplicity and "isn't a hardened idealogue," O'Malley would bring a starkly different style to the papacy, Groome said.
"We'd go from Prada booties to sandals and no socks," he said. "He wouldn't be a blustering public personality like John Paul. You'd have to go back to John XXIII to find someone analogous."
Groome said that when O'Malley's name surfaced he initially laughed it off but now thinks he could emerge as the next pope from a brokered conclave where the cardinals from the northern and southern hemispheres square off.
Franco Origlia / Getty Images file
Cardinal Sean Patrick O'Malley, archbishop of Boston, attends a concistory held by Pope Benedict at Saint Peter's Basilica on November 24, 2012, in Vatican City, Vatican.
"There are 117 cardinals and probably 116 of them would love to be pope," he said. "The one who wouldn't is O'Malley and that could be why he gets it."
Rocco Palmo, who writes the popular Whispers in the Loggia blog, noted that O'Malley heads the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' high-profile pro-life committee, giving him exposure outside his Boston archdiocese.
But he said it's way too soon to say he's on a short-list.
"It's a wide open field, and anything is possible," Palmo said. "But there are 117 voting cardinals and in the next 25 days, I expect to hear every one of those cardinals' names mentioned."
O'Malley is no Vatican insider and some will question whether he has the managerial mettle to accomplish a much-needed overhaul of its sprawling bureaucracy. And there's never been a pope from the Capuchin order of friars, who are noted for their service to the poor.
It's been conventional wisdom that American cardinals have little chance of being the pope because of a global phobia of a U.S.-dominated Vatican. Allen says that may have changed because the country's superpower status has dimmed over the decades.
"The Americans have the second-largest voting bloc -- 11 -- after the Italians," Palmo said. "It's only natural an American name is going to appear at some point."
Previously, New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan was mentioned by many as America's top papal possibility. He says those predictions are off-base.
“Those are only from people smoking marijuana,” Dolan said Sunday at St. Patrick's Cathedral.
Javier Barbancho / AFP - Getty Images
Joseph Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI in 2005. Look back at his life from childhood through his papacy.
Leave a Comment:
If Cardinal O'Malley becomes Pope, he could further the recovery of Massachusetts sexual abuse victims by shipping his predecessor Bernard Law back to Boston and into the custody of the Commonweath's Attorney General and the Suffolk Country District Attorney.
I wonder if, as is the case now with most positions of responsibility, candidates for Pope are required to pass "background checks"?
We didn't know that Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger had been a member of the Hitler Youth until weeks after the white smoke had already risen above the secretive conclave gathered in the Vatican, and the new Pope Benedict XVI had received already received his ring, and little red loafers. And we would never have known about his youthful Hitler gang activity were it not for intrepid investigative reporting (the Vatican didn't make it public).
Given the Church's professed desire to correct the errors of past decades and heal the wounds of the many thousands sexually abused by its own chosen cadre of hierarchy, one would think that the upcoming conclave would want to be certain that every name in consideration had a past much purer white and uncontaminated than the smoke which will announce his election.
Just sayin' ...
Saul killed Christians and went on to write many books in the New Testament. Peter denied Jesus and yet was named leader of the infant Church. Every saint has a past and every sinner a future. Thank God for that. Otherwise, what chance would I have? Or you?
You're absolutely right, Cecilia, no question. And very well stated.
I guess my thinking about this is that given the crisis of the Church at this time in its history, wouldn't it make sense for the College of Cardinals to go to extraordinary measures to ensure that their selection to lead the Church does not have a personal history which will only serve to add more scandal, and raise more questions regarding the hierarchy and its real intentions concerning coming clean, purging its past, and paying spiritual and monetary recompense for its mistakes, ... and setting a new course?
"The more I study religions the more I am convinced that man never worshiped anything but himself." - Unknown
AS long as he is a conservative old white guy, the other old conservative white guys will be happy. Has nothing to do with God. Just ego and maintaining power.
How many protected pedophiles does he have under his belt?
This Irish American Cardinal has as much chance of becoming Pope as the Celtics have of winning next year's football Super Bowl.
Nicely said Cecilia.
I would also have little respect for an organization or a church that cared more about what a child did 75 years ago than a man has done since.
It would completely go against the catholic business model of power, wealth and corruption NOT to consider him.
It's a testament to human behavior how over 1 billion people can be so blatantly brainwashed and deceived.
Sean O'Malley refuses to cooperate with authorities, instead continuing to proptect pedophile priests. It would not surprise me at all if these policies of his make him a favorite among the remaining pedophile protecting cardinals in their choice of a new pope.
bishopaccountability.org "survivor's accounts"
Robert I agree that all care should be taken in reviewing a potential pope's past. My understanding of Bendict's involvement in the Hitler Youth is that he was conscripted by law to join as were all 14 year old boys , but refused to go to meetings.
As much as we would all love a guarantee that our church leaders with would be above reproach, that is not possible as humans, including popes are fallible. It is a common misunderstanding that Catholics believe the pope is infallible. It is the office, not the man that is protected from error. Furthermore, a pope with a spotless past still has free will and could do terrible things after being elected, and that is a sad truth in the history of the Church. Interestingly, these "bad" popes wrote nothing of Church teaching.
What exactly do you expect him to do? Seriously. Bankrupt the Catholic church to satisfy all the claims (many I am sure are bogus)?
Debi: Are you talking about Catholics or Obama voters?
YOU, Jatty are a real piece of dirt! Get over the election already, you moron, this has nothing to do with it....jez.
You must be an Obama voter. He's still up to it and your still buying it. How did you like the payroll tax increase? Wait until he taxes your health insurance benefits. Oh, sorry, I forgot, you don't work.
Debi----You are no more perfect than any other imperfect human being and no more intelligent.
chuckzul,
I don't expect them to do anything moral. We've been burned time and time again by the Catholic Church who isn't just a Church, but CLAIMS to be the moral authority for all human beings. Remember, in the past they murdered anyone who got in their way. Just let that detonate in your brain for a moment.
So no, I don't expect anymore. What I would HOPE is that violent priests and their evil co-conspirators consisting of bishops be held to the same standard as anyone else in their position.
And that is JAIL, if only as a means to protect society from their truly pathological dysfunctions. Society needs protecting, most of all children and newborns. Instead, they get asylum in the Vatican and a titular parish.
Despicable lot. Now, a cardinal from California, a known pedophile protector, is having a chance at a promotion to the top job in his industry! WAKE UP. This is evil.
Why nominal Catholics remain is beyond me. They need to simple walk away. The Church will NEVER change if there is no consequence to evil actions. This isn't rocket science.
A contender, just like John Paul I, quite possible, but politics may still play a bigger role within the Conclave...O'Malley may make a good fit.
Athiest: Got a bit of a chip on your shoulder. There are a lot of us Catholics who don't approve of how the Church handled the situation. However, the Church also does more good in the world than any other organization I know. Thus, we work from within to make it better. PS: By the way, I believe Law and Mahoney both should be in prison. Just to let you know, Rene Descartes said that it was insane to be an athiest, because belief in God had no downside.
Being angry at men in collars who rape and steal the innocence from children, making them VICTIMS, not survivors, is a chip? Are you for real? Sure. I'll wear that chip.
Walk away from it. If you fear your god will burn you a lot for leaving because of all the evil stuff that goes on, CHILD RAPE, then you don't have a god really worth worshipping do you?
Work from the inside to make it better? So by that logic, you would stay in the KKK or the NAZI party to make it better. What ridiculous immorality.
You are afraid (or worse, comfortable) and I am saddened that your integrity has been usurped.
Athiest: It sound to me as if you are more psycho than athiest.
Why is it we never have Virgin Mary or other saintly statues weeping because of the evil done by those in the Catholic sacramental priesthood? Not even the covering up of rape on a GLOBAL scale makes the Virgin weep. Hmmmmmm.
Isn't that rather telling? Of course, it's because the emperor has no clothes. Plain and simple.
Nominal Catholics, be a part of the solution. Simply walk away.
LOL, Debi. We DO worship God. An atheist worships him/herself. Get it right!
GiveandTake, your inane comment shows the direction YOUR mind takes you. Hmm, are you in the closet?
All hail the false prophet. Soon the anti-christ shall be revealed. The end of Rome and the church. True believers prepare for the 2nd coming.
Athiest: As I said: totally psycho.
Who cares Rene said, really? How is anything anyone believes related to Descartes, who simply gave an opinion as well?
But I don't see love and kindness when I see pictures of him any more than I do the others. I see the same expression I have seen before on unpleasant people's faces. I wear sneakers all the time instead of heels, but that doesn't make me better or worse than anyone else. And Jatty, you must not know many organizations if you truly believe they are that amazing and you don't see the downsides.
One can only hope the prophesy comes true...one more and that is it.
Of course the scandal-clad US Cardinal can become Pope. After all, in the US a scandal-clad community organizer can become President!
Ram: Psycho and incoherent. Moreover, Descartes and Aquinas were two of the greatest minds of the last 1,000 years. No worry. I am sure that you and your Google are much smarter than they.
An American Pope? The best thing to happen to the Catholic Church since St Peter.
Dear God, the Vatican is running out of feet to shoot at.
Why are the Arizona Cardinals and St. Louis Cardinals being excluded from the decision making process. Neither has a history of child sex abuse and both have more local supporters than the church.
Love those costumes....especially....cardinal red........Thought they were over the top as a kid in church.....Asked the 2nd command in chief priest why not just wear the black outfit all the time? Said it showed rank.....I answered, I thought all men were equal in god's eyes......So says the kid who had a piece of chalk tossed at him seconds later that broke the window behind me......
This entire story is wishful fallacy anyway.
Trust me, as a practicing Catholic an American Cardinal will never, ever, ever get elected to the papacy. In this life or the next.
#1.33 starsailing: A believable post. One priest in my high school pitched an eraser at a kid, hit him in the eye, which sent him to the hospital. And the parents did not protest. In my own experience, I asked Sister why, if God is all-just and loving, only the Catholics got to go to Heaven and the Jews were destined to Hell. She said I had to accept that on faith. A truly remarkable non-answer. Thus the beginning of my rapid extrication from the Catholic Church.
Atheist, you really have no business being in this discussion as all you have to add it hatred.
Robert in Oregon @ 1.1: "We didn't know that Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger had been a member of the Hitler Youth until weeks after the white smoke had already risen above the secretive conclave gathered in the Vatican, and the new Pope Benedict XVI had received already received his ring, and little red loafers. And we would never have known about his youthful Hitler gang activity were it not for intrepid investigative reporting (the Vatican didn't make it public)."
You write like a journalist for a weekly tabloid. You fail to mention this fact: Following his 14th birthday in 1941, Ratzinger was conscripted into the Hitler Youth—as membership was required by law for all 14-year-old German boys after December 1939—but was an unenthusiastic member who refused to attend meetings.
Remove over half of the facts and "poof", he was a Nazi. NOT
What's your problem, mommy made you go to church?
My desire for the Catholic Church of Rome is perhaps too simplistic. I think it's way past time to sell everything connected to the Vatican, divide the money among actual, honest, charity organizations to pass on to the sick and poor and that way confirm they really believe in the message of Jesus.
While am at least an agnostic, or some might say an atheist, I still believe the message from a guy named Jesus, is the best one this world ever got.
There is nothing Christian about the Vatican and the church hierarchy. They are a fraud. Their only game is to keep establishing more franchises that have a licence to beg and a tax free deal. Their main message is "Keep those babies coming. You do want to save your children from hell. Baptisms do not require a fee, but but the Holy Church of Jesus Our savior will accept donations."
They simply do not walk the walk. They just talk the talk and people, for honest and genuine reasons, are scammed into giving those High Rollers money.
ENOUGH OF THAT BULLSH!T
Attention! I am former child victim of Bernard Law and this sadist Sean O'Malley. Sean O'Malley when he was eighteen years old, he wasn't even an ordained priest but he wore a priest robe anyways when he and Bernard Law hung out together inside the La Salette Shrine in Attleboro, Massachusetts. Sean O'Malley and his scumbag partner Bernard Law were not pedophiles but instead were child abusers who practiced occult on children. The subjects they used were children who were traumatized by priests and were inflicted with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). The occult practice they performed was to manipulate personality alters. Long story about the reason why they done this. I was one of their victims. Some of the things they did, Bernard Law was a homosexual and he would try to manipulate children into performing sexual acts on priests and nuns by showing them how to do it by using his own self as an example. One of the individuals he performed homosexual acts on in order to manipulate children into doing it also, his name is Sean O'Malley, this same prick mentioned here in this MSN editorial. While Bernard played the nice guy Sean on the otherhand played the sadistic role. I for example, Sean would physically beat me and though even while he wasn't a pedophile he would sexually assault me anyways. I'm rambling here as I write this and my PTSD symptoms get me dizzy. Sean O'Malley is an evil bastard! Hey Sean, if you or any of your scumbag associates are reading this, hear this what I have to say. I'm going to complete my testimony I've been writing for some many years now. My writing skills stink and much of my testimony is still a draft (amnestic memory recalls) but I'm going to send it off soon to many people. Hey Sean and you too Bernard, remember me, Jack who once lived in Norton Massachusetts and fell victim to those other sick friends of yours at Saint Marys church in Norton? I did some research over many years and found those former Saint Marys church assailants of mine. You removed their names from the Catholic directory. Father Francis Morrisey "you can call me frank" that evil psychopathic pedophile murderer. He was electrocuted inside the Saint Marys sunday school building in 1967 and you two know how it happened, ha ha! I love you former Norton police chief and you too Norton police deputy, may you both RIP. And then there was that Sister Rose Agnes who joined the nunhood to avoid a prison sentence for a prior child assault. In 1964 I believe it was, I don't have my testimony in my hand right at the moment to find the correct year, she was killed in a hit and run and her body was found floating in the Mansfield reservoir soon after. Again thankyou police chief and deputy and to hell with you state of massachusetts for protecting those scum in behalf of the integrity of the RCC. Couldn't file murder charges could you state of massachusetts because if you did you would have been exposed you slimes. Hey Sean and Bernard, for the past few years I've been searching for another child victim of yours. Susan Martello, who grew up in Franklin Massachusetts when she was a child. Remember what you done to her? And as for my dissociative amnesia, if I ever remember where I hid those trophy film reels and video tapes of yours that I took from that toyroom you referred it as inside the Fall River Archdiocese I'm going to upload it on the internet. That's right, Sean, someday people are going to see you there wearing that black bar, ear rings, panties, etc while you stood there looking down at two homosexual priests going at it at your feet. And you Bernard, remember that priest who had diarrhea while you were having anal intercourse on the couch inside that toyroom of yours, ha ha, puke. And who was that old guy in the robe dancing in short steps while wearing that black bra you all used at times while shaking a dildo in his hand. You know who he was and so do I. And that other little old bastard wearing the nazi cap while screaming out german as he stood and looked down at those homosexuals who were going at it at his feet. You know the guy I'm talking about, the psychopathic screamer who urinated on the crucifix before smashing it, the one who molested that little DID inflicted kid. Bernard you know who he was since you where there with him while you video recorded it.
I'm going to get yupou Sean and Bernard. My amnesia is lifting. My memory flooding began in 2001 and I'm remembering more as the days go by. You scum, you put me in the poor house and I sold many of my assets just to get by. Pretty soon I'll have nothing when I can longer pay my property taxes and the IRS, you bastards. I'm no longer employed, I can't work because of my severe PTSD. I'm feeding off my family at the moment to survive. You did this to me and many other unknown victims out there. Again, I'm going to get you two.
Those who read what I just wrote here, please believe it. It's all true. I wish I could tell the whole story to you all.
Atheist wrote:
I don't expect them to do anything moral. We've been burned time and time again by the Catholic Church who isn't just a Church, but CLAIMS to be the moral authority for all human beings. Remember, in the past they murdered anyone who got in their way. Just let that detonate in your brain for a moment.
Have you forgotten your atheistic comrades of the Soviet Union who killed more people in history than any other institution?
There are good and bad in every group of people, teachers, doctors, lawyers, clergy, parents...you name it.
The RC Church has done alot of good...and some individual priests have done a lot of evil.
PS I am not Catholic
Dandaman:
You see, there's a huge difference here; I've never claimed holiness, nor expected the same from others. The catholic church claims holiness and expects it from others or you can't belong to their cult.
As far as my intelligence, that area of my life improved tremendously once I left the church. I could actually think and make decisions for myself, without the threat of ex-communication or hell and damnation.
Linda M:
Uh, Linda M., how could I get something I never stated, wrong? You've just proven my point. God fearing people just can't seem to think straight.
No, I'm not psycho and incoherent. My point was that what some philosophers said this morning or a long time ago shouldn't be the judgement criteria for what a person believes, and what was your purpose in saying I am psycho and incoherent? Or was it the post you meant? You didn't say, so I'm not sure how coherent your post was..lol. I didn't Google anyone and I know who the people are, but you missed my point as you have missed most others' points on here as well. So you base your beliefs on what others believe and that is fine, but it just doesn't mean that anyone who chooses to think things through for himself is wrong or "psycho and incoherent". Your posts show a chip of your own on your shoulder and an inability to understand that just as you value the ideas of the people you quoted, others may value other ideas or opinions. Really, why be nasty? You do what you wish everyone else will do as they wish.
ram:
Jatty is just an example of what to expect from the "if you don't believe the way I believe, you're psycho" christian following.
Scary, isn't it?
What are the odds of him making pope? I'd like to put twenty on it!
@Cecilia-992157
@GK Thetruth
You're both absolutely right, of course, 'Cecilia and 'GK.' And your points are well taken (and well stated).
And I absolutely agree that an individuals youthful indiscretions (whether voluntary or coerced) are much less important than are that persons activities and choices as an adult.
My fault. I should have cut to the chase. Rather than using the convenient "Hitler Youth" association of Joseph Ratzinger as a young teen, in trying to make my point about "personal histories" of candidates for Pope, I should have just spoken about the 'elephant in the room' (which I was wishing to avoid).
The "crisis of the Church at this time in its history" I referenced is, of course ... the child sexual abuse issue. I personally remain troubled by the unresolved allegations about Cardinal Ratzinger's actions regarding the protection (shrouding, if you will) of Priests and Bishops involved in the child sexual abuse and/or its concealment; putting the interests of fellow members of the Church clergy ahead of and above the interests of defenseless children.
Brian Ross' investigative report on ABC News - almost four years ago in 2008 - remains unanswered with definity, by the Vatican.
Read the story:
Victims: Pope Benedict Protects Accused Pedophile Bishops
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4656143
If they wish to change the course of the Church's response to this crisis, and earn the continued confidence of a billion Catholics around the world, I think it is especially applicable for the membership of the College of Cardinals to ask themselves the popular moral compass question "What would Jesus do?" ... before they close the doors of their conclave to select a new Pope?
Wouldn't you both agree that, all things considered, it would be a very good idea for the College of Cardinals to elect a new Pope who has a solid history of actually reporting child sexual abuse within the clergy to the proper authorities, and making efforts to stop it ....rather than a history of shuffling accused sexual abusers of children from parish to parish where they can continue to abuse, and hiding church record of reported abuse?
Atheist-6939529
The Catholic Church isn't the one committing the crime since the church doesn't stand for those acts. It is each individual who out of their own free will decided they were not going to fully follow the faith. It is just unfortunate that such individuals who are held to be more holy then the average person would commit such acts.
Members of the Catholic Church are not the only ones who are pedophiles, etc. Many other church's priests, doctors, teachers, atheists, etc., are also pedophiles. I myself am Catholic, but I'm not a pedophile, nor do I condone what each individual did. If I ever found that one of the priests, etc, in my area was committing such acts, I would make sure that person went to prison. I would appreciate it if you would bash just the pedophiles instead of the entire church.
"Boston's sandal-wearing cardinal"???
Gee, if he wears sandals, that must mean that he's really devout, huh??
Robert in Oregon:
That has been the catholic church's Achilles heal since it's inception, avoidance.
Do you really believe, after 1700 years of accepted and covered pedophilia, there would be any thought of "What would Jesus do"?
Well, Debi, I don't know how to answer your question. "Believe"? I don't know. Hope, is more accurate. I guess I can only hope, because based on history (as you cite) I really have no rational reason to believe, right? :-)
After-all, all it will take to turn the Church around is one Pope dedicated to the actual teachings of Christ, and dedicated to atonement for the sins of the Church and those who have served it. If not now, when?
I have Christian Catholic and Protestant, and Jewish ancestry, so I have "atonement" in my genes. I hope that the hierarchy of the Catholic church can rediscover its roots and begin the process of atonement in earnest. And as goes the old adage "when you find yourself in a hole, stop digging" the way for the mother Church to stop digging a deeper hole is to stop digging, clean the slate by total transparency, and stop rewarding those in their midst they know have contributed to covering up the deeds of those who are supposed to be the followers of Christ. Just my tuppence, of course....
Well Robert, people have been "hoping" for hundreds of years and all that hope has brought is a more powerful, wealthier and more evil institution.
At this point, only a miracle Armageddon would be powerful enough to free those trapped in its tentacles.
@Debi-1314897
Ah, an excellent play on words, Debi. Well done. :-)
You know, of the many different religious faiths which hold theological interpretations of "Armageddon" (or sometimes the battle at Megiddo) probably the one which might be closest to what you describe would be the Christadelphians, for whom "Armageddon" is symbolic ("A heap of sheaves in a valley for judgement"; a 40 year war ....ending when the Papacy (which they hold to be the Antichrist) is destroyed.
Personally I don't consider the Papacy "the Antichrist" , ...but in my lifetime I certainly have often felt that the actions of the Church could not be more anti Christ-like (if you get my meaning).
As for me, I have a much more benign, but also symbolic interpretation:
Armageddon = A bad Bruce Willis film in a long string of bad Bruce Willis films; and as such by extension is metaphor for bad movie (and a waste of my $12 for admission).
A priori, "Bad movie" = "Armageddon!" (Another play on words).
Cheers!
;-)
Debi and Ram: First, you can believe whatever you want; no one on this side really cares. Second, if you go back and read Ram's post, it is incoherent. Third, I find it laughable that you want to pound the Church and its members with really ugly criticism, but, at the same time, you claim that the Church members have no right of free speech. I guess that means that only athiests have free speech rights; a classic left wing position. Fourth, your opinions may not agree with those of the most intelligent and thoughtful people from history. I, for one, am not so arrogant as to believe my opinions are so wonderfully superior to those who went before me, especially those with IQs of 185 who were leaders in their fields. I know, you believe your opinion carries as much weight as does theirs. I think you kid yourselves. Fifth, it is patently obvious that both of you have serious chips on your shoulders. I don't think you understand the Church, and you clearly do not have a replacement if it were to be dismantled. The Catholic Church runs thousands of hospitals, orphanages, schools, charities, etc., all over the world. You want to substitute in its place? The young generation wants to tear everything apart, but they have no clue on how to replace it.
Jatty,
Why so easliy offended? Why collasped comments? Why so mean spirited? Why the dick attitude?
Jatty:
Obviously you do, or you wouldn't have bothered commenting.
Just because his post appears incoherent to you, does not make it incoherent to everyone else. Again, I go back to my statement "if you don't believe the way I believe, you're psycho", or in this case, incoherent, christian following.
I have never claimed church members have no right of free speech, no matter how "out there" or fairy tale like they may choose it to be.
I am wingless.
An opinion is like derriere holes, everybody has one.
That's the problem Jatty, I do. Both of my great grandfathers were Greek Catholic priests. Through documents and letters left by them, I have a very clear understanding.
Aside from what the church wants everyone to believe, life will go on and flourish without them, as proven by the continuation of life after the end of Egypt's gods and Rome's deities.
If that was meant for me, you'd be wrong again, as unfortunately, I am no longer part of the young generation.
Red sandals? Better O'Malley than Dolan...
It really doesn't matter who becomes Pope, they will still protect the molesters, and still try and control women's reproductive rights. Screw them all. Start taxing them as they like to poke their nose into our politic's. Just on their real estate alone, the deficit would be payed off from those real estate taxes.
Hello folks, I can’t believe anybody believes in a high and almighty man that sits in the clouds and watches everything you do 24/7. The Roman Catholics ask you to be thankful that there is a god that has given you the choice to either adhere to 10 laws or to burn and choke and suffer and scream and cry and be tortured for all eternity!
But he loves you! And he needs money, he always needs more money. He is all powerful but just can't handle money.
Look at his resume, war, disease, death, destruction, hunger, filth, poverty, torture, crime, and corruption. If this is the best he can do, I'm not impressed. This is not the work you would expect from an almighty being. This is the work you would expect from a temporary with a really bad attitude. With these results, he should be thrown to the curb on his almighty powerful a$$!
Don't get me wrong, anybody has the right to believe in the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, Oompa Loompas, Peter Pan or any other fictional character they want to. But you don't have the right to push your beliefs on others as fact or reality!
trust, that isnt god, thats his "fan club" that has gotten out of control.
How about about putting down the dickiebottle and change your name to "Iamtoosimpletothinkformyself" instead. If the next pope is going to be an American then he must able to fix the problem here in the state in order to save the church by at least putting the molesters in trial and have him surrender to the states for his crime.
you don't have a right to kill. Abortion isn't a reproductive right. It's murder.
it's not murder either.
"I regard the human brain as a computer which will stop working when it's components fail. There is no heaven or after life for broken down computers; that is a fairy tale for people afraid of the dark." - Steven Hawkins
"One can imagine that God created the universe at literally any time in the past. On the other hand, if the universe is expanding, there may be physical reasons why there had to be a beginning. One could imagine that God created the universe at the instant of the big bang, or even afterwards in just such a way as to make it look as though there had been a big bang, but it would be meaningless to suppose that it was created before the big bang. An expanding universe does not preclude a creator, but it does place limits on when he might have carried out his job!" -Shepten Hawking not steven.
Trust: Explain to me then how the universe was created. Also, don't give me the standard "big bang" answer unless you can explain who caused the "big bang" to happen.
Jatty
Where did God come from?
He didn't come from anywhere. Always was and always will be. However, you can't dispute that even basic physics tells us that matter does not create itself. There must have been a creator, or, as Aquinas labels it, a Prime Mover.
How was the prime mover created?
If you actually studied physics and other sciences, you would understand the big bang theory and see that it is entirely plausible. I have yet to get an answer from a religious person regarding where God came from, how he was created.
I believe the big bang theory was plausible. Explain to me how it occurred on its own.
How about we just all believe what we believe and leave it at that. Why does this always have to be a debate to see who is right? These are beliefs and can't be proven, so it is a waste of time.
This is about who will be the next leader of a church and bank and all kinds of secrets.
Ram: I would like an answer. How did the big bang occur on its own? If all you athiests are so smart, then give me an answer. I studied science, and I have a postgraduate degree from a major US university. I will understand a complex answer from you know it all high schoolers.
Jatty
I am not an atheist, but at least science has an actual explainable theory as to the origin of the universe. Believers in God never offer a plausible explanation for how God came into existence. If you can believe that God just "always was", then why can't atheists believe in the big bang theory? It has more merit than the explanation of God's origin.
I am not a high schooler and I have two degrees, both BS in science.
I am not suggesting you are wrong and that God does not exist. I just don't fault atheists for their beliefs. I can see their point completely. And I think it is condescending to accuse them of being immoral just because they don't believe in God. (Not that you accused them, but plenty of Christians do)
bishpaccountability.org "survivor's accounts"
Sally Ann, do you seriously believe that all other religions are blameless? The only reason you hear about the Catholic Church is that it is hate Catholics everyday in America. Why do we not hear about the Baptists, or Methodists? Because they don;t sell newspapers.
Hello Jatty, I think I can safely say that nobody knows how the Universe was created. All the hypothesis regarding the creation is just that a hypothesis. I can also safely say that nobody can prove that there is a God. There is no empirical evidence to support an all mighty supreme being. If I told you that an intelligent being created our galaxy and that many other Intelligent beings created the billions of other galaxies you would probably reply that they must answer to the almighty being. It’s a circular argument that cannot be proven one way or the other. So if a person wants to believe in the great and powerful Oz that is there right and prerogative, but they don’t have the right to push it on other people as fact or reality.
Whether it's the Big Bang, Expansion, Intelligent Being, etc.., it is all unknown. What I do know is that religion has caused the most suffering and psychological trauma to humanity.
According to David Barrett and editors of the "World Christian Encyclopedia: A comparative survey of churches and religions - AD 30 to 2200," there are 19 major world religions which are subdivided into a total of 270 large religious groups, and many smaller ones. 34,000 separate Christian groups have been identified in the world. "Over half of them are independent churches that are not interested in linking with the big denominations." And all of them think they are the definitive reason for our purpose and existence.
I was brought up in the Roman Catholic church and once I reached the age where I could reason for myself I gladly disengaged from this man made religion.
Religion is just another method of controlling the masses all the while they steal your money and your children’s innocence. 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 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!
It's time for a Hispanic!
Brain, there is no brain washing here. You are right that no one can explain the Creator's "creation." However, given that you have two science degrees, you are also aware that nothing cannot come to exist from nothing. Even theoretical physicists acknowledge that nothingness cannot create something. Since lightning is in fact matter and a force, it can't exist unless created. Dirt cannot exist unless created. The Sun has been burning for whatever time you want to believe that it has been burning with some source of fuel, but what source? and how is it perpetual? The complexity of the human cell, DNA, and the interaction of the human body components, are they accidental? The Problem is to admit that there is some powerful Creator is to admit that there is something bigger than one's self. Many humans don't want to admit that because then it limits how they fulfill their desires and fantasies. I AM NOT saying that the Church has the answers, but I am saying that a life lived according the moral code presented through the instruction presented by the Bible is far better than living to any other moral code produced by non-god believers.
Jatty, I have no reason to engage with you about the big Bang or anything else, really. You can't prove what you believe and I wasn't there when the Big Bang happened or didn't, so why would I argue with you over it? You seem to think people owe you answers, and that is just not true. I didn't say I am an atheist or not and it is none of your business really, but just live the best you can according to your beliefs and I will do the same...no need to compete or argue. To each his own.
No, someone told you about the lies of religion in history and your teacher were secular enough to tell you to asks the wrong question. First off, pedophiles does not start with church it started with the pagen greeks when In the strictly hierarchical society of classical Greece, sexual relations between an adult man and a boy were seen as contributing to the boy's education. In late antiquity this view was questioned by, among others, the poet Ovid and the philosopher Plutarch. They argued that such a relationship was not fulfilling for the adult, since the boy, due to his inferior social status, was not allowed to express his own desire. This devaluated the joy of his adult partner and so men were better served by having sexual relations with women.
With the rise of Christianity, approved sexuality came to be located within heterosexual marriage, with procreation as its sole purpose. This was reflected in medieval legislation that established minimum marriage ages and prohibitions against INCEST and homosexual relations. With the ENLIGHTENMENT and the French Revolution in the eighteenth century, morality was no longer the responsibility solely of the Church. The gatekeeper of public and private morals was to be the state, and nineteenth-century penal legislation built upon this base, adding sections on sexual offenses.
The penal code did not prevent adults from having sexual relations with children. The most severe sexual abuse can be detected in legal sources, from rape to sexually related child murder. Between 1830 and 1890, two-thirds of all documented sexual offenses in London had children as victims. Nineteenth-century institutional and educational sources show a less dramatic picture, with some ambiguity about the line between physical and sexual abuse of children by teachers or priests.
Discourse on the sexual abuse of children was renewed in France and England around 1850 as a result of the rise of the middle-class family, with its romantic concept of the child, as well as the establishment of the new scientific professions of psychiatry and forensic medicine. Two French physicians, Adolphe Toulmouche and Ambrose Tardieu, undertook the first forensic medical studies of child victims of sexual abuse.
Next time, do your research correctly.
@allen stevenson
And when a woman died on child birth because you want them to risk their life for your moral compass. I would like to drag you to court and tell you to take responsibility for that woman's death. You are partly responsible, since you view the life on a fetus greater than the life of a woman.
TrustVerify
Are you saying that Catholic priests committed 54% of all sexual abuse cases in the US? That is a ridiculous claim. Priests commit no more abuse than other demographics. In case you haven't been paying attention, the whole scandal centered around the coverup. I'll stick to verifying, not trusting when it comes to your post.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2010/04/07/mean-men.html
Big bang theory is at least some sort of attempt at an answer.
God always was and always will be is not any kind of answer, or even an attempt.
The universe is infinite in time not 6000 years old...So the big bang came about in the year 0. So you tell me when that was then you'll have your answer.
maze1992
It's said by them that the (earth) is 6000 or whatever years old. The universe is much older.
Hello JPC and Zupercam, my my, if I knew I was going to ruffle your fragile sensibilities when it comes to speaking out against your Roman Catholic church I would have, hell who am I kidding, I would have done it a lot earlier. You guys feel like you have to strike at the people who don't agree with your ideology. Basically you are fundamentalists and fundamental anything never turns out well. Look at the fundamental Islamists, same thing.
I really don't care if you want to believe in god, the Great Gazoo or the Roman Catholic Church of Flagellation (it really is a church, but you probably knew that), but your fanatical belief doesn't give you the right or moral authority to force it on other people as fact or reality.
Dropping this line of text:
into Google leads to this page:
Doing a "ctrl f" search of that page returns a 1:1 match of any/all portions of of your post that follow the initial line I referenced above.
So, I have a few questions (and answers): 1) Is stealing wrong? (yes) 2) Is outright plagiarism research? (no)
This is why I stay out of the comments section; you fools are easier to catch than my students.
(Pro tip: The person that composed this sentence "... your teacher were secular enough to tell you to asks the wrong question" is 100% not the person that composed this one "In late antiquity this view was questioned by, among others, the poet Ovid and the philosopher Plutarch.")
This non practicing roman catholic thinks Jatty needs to STFU and smoke some weed and chill out.
Hey diddle diddle and the kid in the middle. I'm pretty sure that my brother become a victim back in the 70's, just by his screwed up values and the way he freaks out easily over sexual content in movies.
Myself, I married a protestant 32 years ago. That sealed my fate with the church.
Wait one minute ! I live in Boston, WHAT CLEAN UP ?
Me, too. Sean O'Malley is in posession of hundreds of names of child rapists that he refuses to turn over to the authorities. He's another pedophile protector and children world-wide will remain at risk if he becomes pope.
bishopaccountability.org "survivor's accounts"
Brainwashed fits you. Can you prove any of this or are you just a hater?
He admitted it and believes he has legal grounds for not turning them over.
Yes, you are right. brainwashed fits me. I have been brainwashed by the rcc. If you are roman catholic it fits you, too.
bishopaccountability.org "survivor's accounts"
@mary p
So, there is no actual event happen? This is just a world wide conspiracy?
I think you moved beyond brainwashed, maybe a little white room would fit you.
I should let my screwed up - diddled brother go out on a date with Mary P.
My brother is the way he is because he's never left the church.
What are his stats like? Has he anally raped enough children to even be eligible for the papacy?
Not himself, but he protects those who do.
bishopaccountability.org "survivor's accounts"
Maybe not he himself, but he does get credit for protecting those that have...
Catholicism and religion is just soooo ridiculous. Sigh....
I think Catholicism and religion viewed through the eyes of the media is indeed rediculous. What goes on in the conclave is much more than pomp and politics. Putting faith in humans always disappoints. Faith in the movement of the Holy Spirit exceeds expectations! Try it!
Cecilia,
Have you tried simply being satisfied in knowing that you don't have all of the answers? Certainly it is much harder at first coming to realize that the questions surrounding our existence aren't known but you'll come to view and appreciate that life is a mystery...and grow comfortable in life even though you don't know the purpose.
If you were truly being honest with yourself you'd admit that religion isn't a sure thing. In fact, considering all that we know to be true religion is based solely on faith in things that defy reality. No?
We are the only Church that dates back to the Apostles. We are the only Church founded by Jesus himself.
Allen,
Yes...but that doesn't make your religion correct. Ultimately you have put your full faith into a book that was written in a time when people couldnt tell you that the earth was round.
or yours vipp
JPC,
Exactly....although I'm not religious. I'm realistic. I don't claim to have the answers because none of us have the answers to our existence. This is where I find religion ridiculous. It's based on magic, invisible Gods none of us have seen or spoken to, and good but unbelievable stories that just simply couldn't happen. All great lessons and great stories but nothing based in reality.
Religion exists, in my opinion, because it comforts people. Not because it's true. Religion makes dying easier, grieving easier, and living easier....every religion claims there's an after life so it all makes us feel better at the end of the day.
allen stevenson
You're number 1! You're number 1! Don't forget, you are the church behind the Tnquisition, torture, child molester cover up, etc. There is no government as corrupt and evil as the catholic church. My goodness, the things people believe in...
Cecilia
Typical roman catholic BS. Jesus didn't found the rcc. He had apostles who preached what he said. End of story. Any Christian religion that follows his tenets is more credible than the rcc. The rcc follows its own made up set of rules and discourages its members to read, study and digest the bible. Instead, they are fed a diet of what rcc priests TELL them the bible MEANS.
In the meantime, the rcc is guilty of child rape, molestation, and other forms of child abuse practiced and condoned by its priests and nuns.
Wake up. Leave the roman catholic church Protect our children.
bishopaccountability.org "survivor's accounts"
Dearest Vipp,
....did I say I had all the answers? You speak in pretty absolute terms for someone who has little patience for those with "all the answers".
Vipp: We don't have all the answers. However, folks a lot smarter than us have considered these issues for over 1,000 years and have reached the conclusion, as have I, that the universe could not exist without, as St. Thomas Aquinas puts it: a "Prime Mover," or God.
Brainwashedfrombirth are you saying that the RCC has a higher rate of child molesters than other denominations? ....scout leaders? ....teachers?
As a CatholicFromBirth, I have never been discouraged from reading the bible, in fact the entire bible is read at Mass every three years. The liturgy of the hours also contains daily scripture reading and is highly encouraged. In all sincerity, I am sorry you have this experience in the Church.
Cecelia: The argument that Catholic priests have a no greater rate of child abuse than other professions is a dead dog loser. I am embarrassed that the Church even makes this argument, although I have heard it from the pulpit on several occasions. We expect and deserve better from our religious, and a no tolerance policy is the only correct one.
Not true about the flat earth thing, Vipp. The Sumerians were advanced astronomers. I'm more skeptical about the people who did write the bible. The scriptures are a second hand interpretation recorded by men who were still so steeped in human emotion they fought over who Jesus loved more and who got to sit next to him.
LOTS of wars started in the name of religion,,, if you don't believe that, just read the posts above.
Cecelia
The entire bible is not read every three years, just the parts the rcc has chosen to read to you at mass. Pick up the bible and read it, cover to cover. You will find all the parts that they keep from you.
NONE of the silly rcc rules are in the bible. None of the gradations of sins, only one of the silly prayers that you all rattle off without even thinking about, esp the rosary.
You have the same experience as I had regarding the way the rcc heirarchy puts up a wall between its members and the true teachings in the bible. The true teachings in the bible aren't even what Jesus actually said because it has been translated tyhrough so many languages. It is tue that it is IMPOSSIBLE to translate everything EXACTLY from one labguage to the next. Having studied several languages, I found this out the hard way myself.
Save your pity. If you are truly sorry about what I experienced at the hands of the rcc then STOP SUPPORTING THE PIGS WHO ARE IN AUTHORITY in the church. Leave the rcc. Take away its power. Protect children.
bishopaccountability.org "survivor's accounts"
Brainwashedfrombirth-- "NONE of the silly rcc rules are in the bible."
That's b/c the Catholic Church didn't come from & isn't based on the Bible. The Bible came from & was based on the Catholic Church.
"The entire bible is not read every three years, just the parts the rcc has chosen to read to you at mass."
She should have said "the entire New Testament", b/c the entire New Testament is read every 3 years. No parts are suppressed.
"...the way the rcc heirarchy puts up a wall between its members and the true teachings in the bible."
It doesn't. That's a lie. Every Catholic is encouraged to read the Bible.
"The true teachings in the bible aren't even what Jesus actually said because it has been translated tyhrough so many languages."
...another lie. Jesus spoke in Aramaic, but in order to reach a wider audience the Bible was originally written in Greek. This has been translated into modern languages. 1 translation, not "many", unless you count the original translation from Aramaic, which makes 2. Still not "many".
"Leave the rcc."
That would entail abandoning the truth. It isn't the actions of men that are guaranteed to be the truth, but the official teachings of the Church.
Are you saying you do not accept the teaching authority of RCC, except for the decisions of the Catholic bishops who met in the 4th and 5th centuries who determined which books actually went into the bible you read today? I have read the bible cover to cover as well as the Catechism of the Catholic Church which beautifully supports sacred scripture. It is a big Church, big enough for you an me. Is brainwashedfrombirth what you really consider yourself?
Oh seriously...do as you wish and go where you want. Others will do the same. No one gets converted to anything in the comments section of an article, so why try to convince people of things?
graehame
The bible did not come from the rcc. It is many of hundreds of accounts of what happened thousands of years ago that were chosen to put into one book.
The rcc bombards children with so many rules that it made up, that it keeps them from actually learning what it is in the bible. They learn not to eat meat on Fridays during lent, not to eat after MN before receiving communion, that communion "doesn't count" if received in achurch of another denomination, that non-roman catholics can't receive communion in a roman catholic church, they memorize prayers not in the bible (except the Lord's prayer), there are different gradations of sin. etc, etc, etc. This is the wall that the rcc creates to separate them from the teachings in the bible and from other BONAFIDE Christians.
The bible has been translated into many languages. If you read it in other languages you will see that it does not say the same thing in each language.
The teachings and doctrine of the rcc are NOT "the truth". They are lies.
bishopaccountability.org "survivor's accounts"
It's big Church and God is a big God. Room for all. Are any of us in a position to determine who is a bondafide Christian?
I was taught from birth that if I were not roman catholic I would burn in hell for etrnity. When my neighbor's 2 month old baby was in the NICU and was not christened before he passed away, the priest told his parents that he is in "limbo" and can not get to heaven because they didn't baptize him. We were all read the bible in Latin when I was a child, then expected to follow it's teachings and punished when we could not answer a question about some silly roman catholic rule or could not rattle off some silly made up prayer to a saint or Mary as though we should be worshipping them as well. Not learning their silly rules was met with corporal punishment and alienation, ridicule and isolation with which my brainwashed parents and all the other brainwashed adults around me agreed. This is systematic brainwashing of children from birth and the rcc is a cult.
This is how the priests knew they could get away with rape, molestation, and abuse of children. This is how the nuns got away with it as well. You are rattling off all of the brainwashing you have experienced from birth.
Continue to support the rcc and you are supporting abuse of children.
And, yes, the rcc has FAR MORE WIDESPREAD pedophilia than ANY OTHER ORGINIZATION and it has been going on for hundreds of years.
bishopaccountability.org "survivor's accounts" Roman catholics, do you want your children to go through this?
When I say "bonafide" I mean as opposed to the way the rcc teaches us to regard Christians of other denominations, i.e. they are not "true" Christians because they don't belong to "the one true church" as has been determined by the Pedophile Protection Program.
bishopaccountability.org "survivor's accounts"
Ram
I don't care about anyone's actual religious beliefs. My goal is to point out to the cafeteria catholics, in gory detail, what these people actually did and the devastation to the lives of the victims, their families and their subsequent generations, in the hopes that they will leave the church and it will dissolve. It is possible and I will not stop, ever.
jatty
At least you are not in denial about the publicized abuse and are willing to try to end it. Believe me, there are tens of thousands more victims. The older we are, the FAR less likely we were to expose our abusers, many of whom are now dead. We females were even more inclined to keep quiet because of our treatment as much less than second class members of the church. Please be part of the end of child rape by the rcc.
bishopaccountability.org "survivor's accounts"
Brainwashedfrombirth, you need to change your moniker to Fullofbull@!$%#frombirth. The vast majority of your comments about the Roman Catholic Church are completely and utterly false.
Brainwashed, I was raised Catholic. Believe me, my eyes are open and I know what goes on in private in the church. I understand what you are referring to, believe me. I would say your agenda here isn't the same as those who think they will convert anyone to become a believer or lose a belief by reading some comments after an article. Between the trolls, people who need to be the winner of every discussion, those who need to make others believe as they do, and the few who just post honest thoughts without being rude, it's a circus for sure.
Ram
I am not trying to convert anyone to any belief. I belong to an organized religion. I don't care if others join it or not. I do not believe it is the "one true church" and it does not profess to be. It welcomes everyone. It is Christian in doctrine, AND respects others' beliefs.
I want to stop the abuse and rape that is CURRENTLY going on by roman catholic priests. I do not want one more child to go through the pain and devastation that destroys everything around them just because roman catholic priests are given an inordinate amount of power and immunity from the law by its brainwashed millions. I believe the best way to do this is to help the brainwashed see what they are supporting. And the cafeteria catholics are able to be reasoned with because they question authority, so they are able to see. I have witnessed it work.
3thirty3
Everything I say about the rcc is true. Usually, the more upset a poster gets about my points, the more brainwashed they are.
bishopaccountability.org "survivor's accounts" Should we continue to allow this to happen?
Brainwashedfrombirth
I'm not saying that didn't happen. What I will say is that if it did, whoever told you that was not in keeping with the teaching of the Church:
http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html
I keep having to post the same stuff!
Zupercram
All well and good, but that excerpt applies to those "who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them". That rules out most non-roman catholic Christians, most of whom know about the gospel and the rcc. The church condemns them to hell. You know of the existence of the rcc, you don't take communion in the roman catholic church, you are not saved, you are condemned. It's as simple as that.
Nice try, though.
bishopaccountability.org "survivor's accounts"
@Vipp First off, you're not realistic if you continue to name-calling religion and God. Secondly when I say your religion I'm including atheism and agnostic as well and the definition of religious is often misunderstood.
Here's is the definition of being religious: other then to express a belief in God(s), religious also mean very thorough or conscientious in a personal manner or belief.
Example: My religious thinking allows me to express the scientific understandings of the world in my personal ideal.
Besides, without religion, there will be no math, science, or even a history and education is dead
Brainwashed, you come across as a disgruntled former Catholic who still considers himself an "expert" on all things Catholic. Quit pontificating and actually learn what Catholicism teaches before you type any further.
anneigh
I am not male. I am not an expert on all things catholic. I am an expert on what has been taught to millions of children over the years by the roman catholic church. I dutifully learned it and practiced it for decades, all the while suffering abuse at the hands of priests and nuns because no one spoke up for us. We did not report the abuse, although we secretly discussed it among ourselves, because we knew that the adults in our lives would not only disbelieve us, but they would punish us corporally for "even suggesting such things" about priest and nuns. To be honest, my female friends and I had a damn hard time believing the stories of our male friends who were altar boys. It was but the widespread abuse that permeated our whole catholic children world that convinced us. THERE ARE MANY MORE VICTIMS THAN THOSE WHO HAVE REPORTED THE ABUSE. Girls as well as boys.
I'll wager I have memorized far more roman catholic propaganda than you have. If I hadn't, I'd be bearing far more scars than I do now. The priests and nuns were free to beat every word of their malarky into us to their hearts contents.
Disgruntled? Try almost destroyed.
Now I am relentless.
bishopaccountability.org "survivor's accounts"
If walking around in sandals makes one 'more holy' then I shall certainly buy some!!
Religion REALLY insults the intelligence!!!
You insult intelligence because your secular religion is an insult to morality.
Non religious people are not immoral.
Popes, cardinals , bishops, priests and nuns who abuse children and then protect and relocate the rapists to new victims are immoral.
Members of the roman catholic church are guilty by supporting them.
bishopaccountability.org "survivor's accounts"
If you don't like our religion, simply leave us alone. As they used to say in Viet Nam: God will sort them all out.
I will not stop advocating to rid the world of an organization that continues to abuse children and continues to get away with it. You should not be left alone in your support of pedophiles. If you didn't literally financially support these people, they would be subject to the law just like the rest of us.
bishopaccountanility.org "survivor's accounts"
"If you don't like our religion, simply leave us alone." But see, it's a two way street. The Catholic Church doesn't simply leave people alone. They actively work against equal rights, women's rights, personal choice, world safety by discouraging condom use in countries ravaged by AIDS.
Do I need to even touch on the history of child rape that ALL Catholics are okay with? Yes, ALL. If you support your church, you support child rape. What sane person would stay in an organization led by child rapists and those who protect them?
So no, we don't like your intrusive religion affecting our lives and we will not simply leave you alone until your messed up church leaves us alone.
Well said in your first paragraph, jd. If churches are actively trying to interfere in the lives of those who aren't sitting in their own churches, then they are opening themselves up to public scrutiny. Anyone who seriously believes that churches (especially this one by far) don't try to insert their laws into our legal system and to get those who don't believe as they do to follow their beliefs, then the person must have lived in a cave for a very long time.
I don't believe that all Catholics support child rape by any means per se since many stay because they aren't thinking about the higher-ups and what their money goes for, and some do live the best they can within a belief system that works for them...not to support child rape...but I do see your point in the big picture. I think judging all Catholics by that is a bit unfair, but yes, I do see it has that effect.
And yes, when churches begin to keep their own lows within their own churches and only ask their own congregations to follows what they tell them is right, then I would say that there will be no reason for anyone to not leave them alone.
Members of the rcc are financially supporting rapists and allowing it to continue. O'Malley is a case in point- he refuses to release the names of the criminals.
Why doesn't he care about their victims enough to put these monsters in jail and do EVERYTHING he can to provide victims with WHATEVER THEY NEED to get some semblance of a normal life back? They will always be tortured and can never have the happy life that they see others free to enjoy just because those others weren't targeted by roman catholic priest pedophiles.
Roman catholics literally support rape and abuse of children as long as they support the rcc.
bishopaccountability.org "survivor's accounts" Read it. Decide if you want to finance these crimes.
JPC45:
When you used the term "secular religion", you revealed just how entrapped your mind has become.
When you used the term "non-religious", you just reveal how redundant your answer is. Non religious is an oxy-moron but there is a secular religion yet you forgotten about them? How sad
Brainwashedfrombirth You might want to change your name to "Iamstillbrainwashed" because obviously you're advocating hate against someone that you knew very little and if anything, it's the lies of the media that brainwash you from the truth. Advocating the truth.... give me a break. What don't advocate for good like ending abortion, pornography, and same-sex marriage.
And in the Christian corner, they're up each others asses over the occult slipping into the teachings. Islam is killing each other over some crap about Mohammad's successor. I think there's a brother-in-law thrown in there somewhere. Tibetan monks set themselves on fire. All's stable on the Jewish front. They're just setting the stage for end times, along with their buddies, Iran. Anything else new on the religious front?
Don't ask John Allen, ask most people who live in the Boston archdiocese. Cardinal Sean appears to be a prayerful man and a pleasant enough priest, but he has no charisma and few obvious management or leadership skills. He is a non-factor in the lives of most Catholics here. Archdiocese morale is still at a low ebb. Some say he would wring his hands and dither for days if faced with the weighty question, "Paper or plastic?" Really, does it matter that he wears a monk's cassock and sandals? We need a LEADER, not some Madison Avenue papal image.
And he continues to protect pedophile priests by refusing to turn over a list of those accused in our region.
bishopaccountability.org "survivor's accounts"
From the outside looking in, I find it entertaining at best, to see how millions will clamor, ooh, and ahh, as the church picks another human being to adore and treat as the ultimate of holy.
Whoever he is, he's just a dude.
Calm down I say.
In equally important news, I've heard that Ralph Kramden has been mentioned as a strong candidate for Grand High Exalted Mystic Ruler of the Raccoon Lodge. I wonder if the major cable channels will be covering the conclave?
Well said, occupy.
Occupy: Your use of the word "adore" tells me you do not understand squat about the Catholic Church.
What about "the adoration"? It sickened me to see those thousands of youths adoring that criminal.
bishopaccountability.org "survivor's accounts"
Is it just me, or does every picture of Pope Richelieu, I mean Ratzinger, look straight out of a horror movie? Throw in his name and the allegations of Nazi-coziness, and you've got yourself a screenplay!
It isn't just you. And it isn't just Ratzinger. I am not being nasty or joking when I say the expression on the face of the Boston man that this article is about looks exactly like the expression on my ex's face right before he would be abusive. Gave me a start when I saw the picture...wow. I have seen that expression before on others as well and it has never been good. Ratzinger's expressions are indeed scary...ugh. I don't get why they can't find someone who smiles from his heart and is really good all the way through...warmth and caring energy? These guys give off hardness and cruelty when the need would arise to protect what they have. Sandals or not...not a pleasant expression to be on the head of a church. Ugh.
Ratzinger is a sneaky-looking bloke, I'll say that!
It would be interesting to have a pope from a country where 75 percent of catholics don't follow the church's teachings.
You mean publicly, or privately?
"Boston's sandal-wearing cardinal
attracts buzz as long shot for pope"
Shouldn't that be "scandal" instead of "sandal"?
Why doesn't God just show up and announce who will be the next "queen" of the Catholics?
I hope O'Malley gets it. I really didn't like our last Nazi pope.
Omalley's just as bad when it comes to being an accessory to rape of children. He is as much a pedophile protector as ratzinger.
bishopaccountability.org "survivor's accounts"
A black pope is needed
For far too long it's been an 'ol white geezer.
Get that dude from Africa, Peter - something or other.
So then you can blame all the church's transgressions on the Black man!? :o) I'm sorry. I couldn't resist.
We'd have to see his long form!
Right on Rob99. He's the most conservative of the bunch. They behead gays down in that part of the world. They have a thing against HIV and it makes the Muslims happy when they both agree.
Jesus was a Jew, so why not elect a Jewish pope?
I think these types of articles will continue to pop up just to keep the papacy in the media. Bring on the trolls and the naysayers. Whatever. Crude and rude always seems to be the order.
Just so hard to have a cult base on guilt and lunacy isn't it?
I know, right? People are so willing to let a few centuries of institutionalized pedophilia taint a whole organization!
Are you kidding me...you couldn't make this shhitt up for a movie....HOLY Shhitt is right!
Rob99,I have said repeatedly that I hope the black cardinal from Ghana becomes our next Pope. I think he could be the Catholic Church's salvation.
He doesn't have enough boys to his credit. I believe it is 7500 boys serviced or serviced by, any number under that and the candidate stays at the cardinal ranks. This despicable cult has amassed a fortune well over $100BILLION, tax free, so they have no reason to lower the majic number for some American. I also heard that RATZ is too weak to slap himself with a belt everyday like the previous vatiqueen, john paul, was doing! Maybe he'll do us all a favor and just die in his sleep. They will have to bury him face down so all the altar boys recognize him at the wake!
May God have mercy on your soul.
They RCC is still WORLDLY. Money and Power is not allowed in God kingdom. They dont need money or power is that what they want people outside the RCC to believe that God has blessed them with this greatness. The movies I have watch about the Kings and the Catholic Church I say Have Mercy Lord.
Wow. Dementia!
right......what god? What soul? ....but hang in there, Jatty!
I will. Tell me whether you change your mind on your death bed.
I hope O'Malley gets chosen as Pope. It will be the first Irish-American Pope.
And pedophile priests will continue to be protected.
I'm Irish. I would be embarrassed to have an Irish-American pope. I hope the Irish catholics in Ireland continue to leave the rcc in droves and the church folds.
bishopaccountability.org "survivors accounts"
obama was our first Black president look were that got us! Firsts are not so good
You are judging our President by the tone of his skin, and O'Malley by his blood. Everybody bleed RED. Still cant let go of the world. You people think God is not real. Yall still about money and Power. George Washington.
here's one for ya, if obama has anything to do with picking the pope, i will leave the Catholic Church, they are all corrupt anyways, but so far as obama picking of his cabinet, i wouldn't rust anyone of them, Hagel, his company sold almost all voting machines for the election mmmmm, is this pay back for him to run the pentagon, mmm, how about kerry, the traitor, him and jane fonda another commie, mmm, so on and so on. bullsghit, get some damn Americans in there with some back bone and get this country fixed, the golf playing flying circus is what you people put in office. how about obama's private army DHS, buying all ar-15 that you can't have and hollow point bullets for killing, what do you think they are for???? yep, killing. who??? Americans most likely since they are homeland security. some of you people better start reading more good things instead of just the lies spewing from the mans mouth. the one that really gets me is all the coffins they ardered, for what? we have no war? YET? 100.000's are being made, if you need one for your family you usually order it, these are pine boards. it's coming folks believe it or not. thats why the big gun ban push, easier to kill someone without a gun you know. i say the vatican, our government, and the oil men, run the world, not the country.
If all it takes for you to leave the rcc is Obama having something to do with picking the pope, I'm going to email the Whitehouse.
Leave the rcc. Protect our children.
bishopaccountability.org "survivor's accounts"
Because he's black or did you study his policies?
Hey NBC - Your comment section sucks. Get with the times and pay attention to what others are doing. Your approach pretty much blows.
Fox is the only one i watch. more truth in what they say, all the others believe obama. or getting paid very well by our gas buying.
You let Americans get involved in anything today you may as well see it go to hell. Next thing you know the perverts are thriving, murder is a normal day and everyone just conforms to bad things, forget anything good and clean as good old gay America takes over and Sodom will have seen better days. If it's greedy selfish and corrupt, Americans will take over and after that, sickness and perversions thrive as they destroy it..
To me you and white Americans have something in common, take a look at your skin and your thoughts. The pot cant talk about the kettle. You already judging.
There will never be an American Pope because anyone who ever questions the Church will never be considered to become Pope. Lock step and solute the cross, never question the Church.
God loves us all through his son Jesus. Why cant people understand this on the planet. Who ever get Papacy will surely answer to God and be judge. The RCC church teaches people that they will burn in a hell. The is not in Hell and wasnt sent to a hell. And the bible said he was roaming back and forth to heaven.This is where all th lies came from from the RCC. These are the men that stood around as they burn innocent people. And you people care about who is Pope. God is the head of all the churches or he is suppose to be. Dont question the Pope decision. I would have too, he is a man not a GOD. This man is not coming from heaven nor do he or yall know if he will enter the kingdom of God.
since the majority of the Catholic faithful are women...how about a female Pope?
Pulsar are you inhaling Maui Wowie incense at Mass?
HAHAHAHA!!! You can't possibly be roman catholic. Women are second class in the rcc. Priest abuse of women is also covered up.
Now all the roman catholic women will pipe up that they are "respected" "included" blah, blah, blah
They aren't allowed any positions of authority and the policies of the rcc are designed to keep women subservient and child-producing.
bishopaccountability.org "survivor's accounts
And women can't rape little girls? Whatcha gonna do then? Careful whatcha wish for......
Johnny, another ignorant, moronic stereotypical post. You probably laugh at signs that say "Keep of the grass" as sort of an inside joke.
Mark
Now that you mention it, I most certainly wouldn't put it past some of those nuns in the Irish laundries. Nuns are brutal, too. Dissolving the entire rcc would rid us of them as well.
bishopaccountability.org "survivor's accounts"
The Church is not a political party. Sorry press. I loved the line America's Super Power status is dimming. HAHAHAH
I wonder why??? Has nothing to with the current POTUS, think again. It will most likely be a Cardinal from Latin America or Africa.
Such negativity.
I think both of these Cardinals would be great guys to have a beer with. You have to love the comment of Cardinal Dolan when asked about people talking about him being the next Pope. “Those are only from people smoking marijuana,” Dolan said Sunday at St. Patrick's Cathedral
You know Cardinal Dolan, a lot of potential Catholic's and former Catholics are pot smokers. And a lot of them are kept away from the church because one thing the church is REALLY GOOD AT is inflicting GUILT AND SHAME.
You'll catch more flies with weed than you will with stereotypes, Cardinal Dolan.