I have never held back from my criticism of the Catholic church and their protection of wayward priests; and I shan't here!
Revelations continue, and a court in Pennsylvania (USA) has recently condemned 300 Catholic priests over the sexual abuse of 'possibly' thousands of children, both male and female.
This abuse, as elsewhere, has been systematically covered-up by the church's hierarchy, and one can but wonder if details of the appalling world-wide abuse have not been officially hushed-up by the Pope himself (the buck always stops in the Vatican). Chilean authorities have been trying for years to get information from the Vatican about nine Catholic priests who allegedly abused 38 children; it's like trying to get blood from a stone!
It's hard to believe that this despicable sexual abuse of children continues to be practised by men who act in the name of some ridiculous non-existent deity.
So, who is to blame? Well, the Catholic church's job description for priests includes being male and a 'confirmed bachelor'; not a good idea.
Also to blame are all those who regularly give money to the church; without money to move people around, and pay bribes, the abuses would have been far less extensive.
With such behaviour so entrenched in the lives of Catholic priests, it would be difficult to find a disciplinary committee who would have insisted on expulsions.
Plying children with alcohol, raping them, making porn' films, and forcing them into oral sex, is just the tip of the iceberg. Dig a little deeper, and I'm certain one might find even more serious crimes.
Dressing up in black frocks should no longer be a sign of authority and piety; it should be seen as part of an evil and corrupt institution.
There is still so little done to bring these horrible people to justice, in years to come this will be seen as one of the age's most disgraceful omissions.
Far too many people from inside and outside the church were either blind or turned a blind eye.
ReplyDeleteA true scandal.
DeleteUnfortunately it doesn't stop with the church. Oxfam, et al are as bad. These institutions along with the teaching profession attract more than their fair share of deviant perverts.
ReplyDeleteIt's everywhere where adults have total control over children.
DeleteAbsolutely agree with you. Apparently there is some very old prophecy (13thC?) that this pope is the last pope. It's a prophecy the Vatican, so I've read, takes quite seriously. So perhaps they are about to be brought to account and the whole evil structure will be dissolved (maybe we'll even get to see what's in that closely guarded library.)
ReplyDeleteI remember that prophecy about this being the last pope. I think an Irish monk made a list which was actually published a few hundreds years ago. And this as you say is the last one on the list.
DeleteAdolf Hitlers book Mein Kampf was never placed on the Vaticans banned book list.
DeleteInteresting; I hope it comes true!
DeleteIt's horrible.
ReplyDeletePlain old perverts you can almost understand (not really); but to do it behind the guise of religion is dreadful.
DeleteReligion...the world's worst evil.
ReplyDeleteI'll go along with that.
DeleteIt's a disgrace, I'm glad I'm part of a disorganised religion.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I'm a militant atheist.
DeleteI am a Humanist . I agree with what you say Cro - so many sins, so much wickedness, so many peoples lives ruined for ever. Mans inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn does not just apply to wars and in most of the cases we are thinking of here the people receiving the 'treatment' are left with almost a fate worse than death many of them would tell you.
ReplyDeleteSo many lives have been ruined by these people, and yet it continues.
DeleteAh... The Pope is visiting Ireland this weekend !
ReplyDeleteAfter all the Catholic church has been up to here, there are still an awful lot of followers.
An audience of six hundred thousand are expected to attend the charade. The mind boggles.
I'm afraid the Irish have been some of the worst offenders; not only the Priests, but also the Nuns.
DeleteI agree too. I have no time for Catholicism. I did some teacher training in a Catholic school once. Totally corrupt I’m sorry to say. Also the foulest mouthed Children I have ever taught. It seemed like the school had its own agenda and felt it was above the other state schools. Very sad.
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who was 'educated' by the Jesuits; he had a very rough time.
DeleteI'm thinking of 'joining' the Pastafarians. It's a friendly kind of Monty Python 'religion' whose deity is the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Followers can wear a colander on the head, but it's not compulsory. The only dogma is there is no dogma.
ReplyDeleteMy dog has a Ma somewhere; we're looking in the vestry.
DeleteBe fair. You can't blame God for what his priests get up to.
ReplyDeleteIf there was one; I would.
DeleteYou protest too much.
DeleteTo be believed as an unbeliever, I mean.
DeleteI live in Pennsylvania and this report only covers six dioceses. The report for my area came out in 2005 and, although, not as graphic, was just as bad. That is when I left the church. The crimes were bad enough, but what the church did to protect these monsters and themselves was more than criminal.
ReplyDeleteOne priest, who was in my parish, was suspected of raping and killing a seven year old girl in the choir loft. The church and police covered it up and he was transferred elsewhere. Years later, a reporter picked up the story and through investigation, found credible evidence that he was a serial rapist and murderer. Unfortunately, nothing could be done because, by then, the priest had died.
As I said in my piece, if you dig deep enough, you'd find much more serious crimes. Your story is appalling.
DeleteI am outside the Catholic Cathedral in Lisbon. It is a fortified building.
ReplyDeleteKeep your hands in your pockets, and praise the lord.
DeleteI believe in a higher power, ever since the birth of my children. organized religion is a scam!
ReplyDelete