Re: Catholics do not approve of child molestation?

Question

What have you done about this? you will donate millions or dollars to covert third world people to your outdated and horrible religion, but just sit back dissaprove child molestation. Why dont you track these priests down and punish them? Why dont you write to the Vatican? Why dont you take steps to bring justice to these thousands of children, who have been violated?

Answer 1

"Re: Catholics do not approve of child molestation?"



No!



"What have you done about this?"



Moor screening of candidates in the seminaries, Background checks of everyone in contact with children. Training on how to spot abusers and how to protect children. Paying restitution to victims to name a few things.



"Why dont you track these priests down and punish them?"



The only thing the Church can do is lacitize them. In most of the cases there was no civil crime because the young homosexual men the priests were with were above the age of consent and there was no civil crime. Most of the priests who are accused are dead or quite elderly as these incidents were occurring 40 to 60 years ago. Accusations are not normally made until the priests are dead so there can be no opposing witness. Less than 10% of the accusations have any validity.



"Why dont you write to the Vatican?"



The Vatican is doing well in handling these accusations and protecting children under Pope Benedict.



"Why dont you take steps to bring justice to these thousands of children, who have been violated?"



The Church is doing all they can.



God bless!



In Christ

Fr. Joseph

Answer 2

well why don't the victims or the parents go to the cops?? thankfully, after a lifetime of very close contact with numerous priests and nuns.... i don't know anyone who was abused or was an abuser so....



see there is over 98% of priests who have done nothing wrong and in those 2% many are already DEAD.



so unless it's about the money.... there isn't much that CAN be done about the PAST. they are, however , taking steps for the future. All involved in the schools have to go through training and that includes the parents.

the Church has made great strides in the way their run their seminary programs - For many years now, the Catholic Church has been doing the following ...

1. Run psychological screening for young men before and during their priesthood formation.

2. Study and examine their own sexuality as a part of their course in formation.

3. All the bishops are now doing criminal background check on everyone (from priests to church janitors) before hiring them.

4. Share any new report of abuse with law enforcement.

5. Any priests who are accused are automatically removed from the post.

Answer 3

What makes you think we don't already do all of the things that you have suggested? If you write thousands upon thousands of letters to the President he still very well might not change his mind (look at Bush).



Your entire question shows your bias against Catholicism, calling is a "horrible religion". I am saddened for you that you could feel any religion horrible.



Bottom Line: You are making judgments on something you know nothing about and are accusing good people of being passive. I am sure some are, but there are many who are active in this area, more so than what you suggest. Try looking into these things before making accusations or ignore the topic all together since you have a most apparent bias.

Answer 4

Every bishop has finally learned that it would have been far better to come down hard on sexual abuse from the first—to exercise the proper canonical discipline—in order to minimize injury to others and to preserve the Church’s credibility as a witness to all that is true and good. It is astonishing that this lesson was forgotten or ignored for more than a generation following the humanist cultural implosion of the 1960’s, and it is exceedingly sad that it has taken the abuse crisis to drive the lesson home once again.



There is no need to reiterate the obvious points that sexual abuse is always a grave moral evil, that it is particularly deplorable in organizations claiming to offer moral leadership, and that it is most deplorable of all in the Catholic Church, which makes unique and unparalleled claims about truth and grace. But I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. The prolonged and unremitting secular attack on the Catholic Church for a sexual abuse problem overwhelmingly in the past, the confiscation of the ecclesiastical wealth of the Catholic people (who, in general, have no guilt in this matter), the changing of statutes of limitations to permit vast financial settlements in cases where the perpetrators are long dead, and the effort to implicate the Pope despite the complete absence of evidence: All of this, even in those cases where justice is served, is a monumental hypocrisy. What we have here, in essence, is people who favor sexual licentiousness, and who hate the Catholic Church because of its very condemnation of sexual licentiousness, exploiting one of the last remaining sexual taboos to discredit and break the Church.



spare me the lectures that we are all just getting what we deserve. And so if you are an advocate of the “just desserts” viewpoint, I might be sympathetic if you could demonstrate any similar effort against other institutions, including public schools, where the rates of abuse are higher than in the Church. Or if guilty priests and bishops were being held personally responsible rather than the Church as a whole. Or if the same people who are attacking the Church were also calling for a return to sexual self-control and sexual restraint in order to address the problem at its root. Or if those of us who point out the large role homosexuality has played in this abuse were not excoriated for daring to suggest there is anything disordered about homosexuality. No, this is a clear case of the pot calling the kettle black, enjoying it, profiting from it, and getting away with it big time.

Answer 5

"What have you done about this?" --- What have you done about child molestation in general?



"you will donate millions or dollars to covert third world people to your outdated and horrible religion" -- This is your opinion regarding the Church being outdated and 'horrible'. And yes, I will continue to support my Church in her efforts to bring others to Christ.



"but just sit back dissaprove child molestation." -- Yes, child molestation should be disapproved while I am sitting or standing.



"Why dont you track these priests down and punish them?" -- Because GOD said that it is not my place to judge others, nor even render the judgment. I believe in GOD's teachings, and HE will take care of all the judgment, not me. "Let he among you without sin, cast the first stone"... Surely, I will not be casting a stone.



"Why dont you write to the Vatican?" -- How many letters have you written to your senator to discuss the child molestation that takes place at schools, day care centers, and within the homes (which we know is the most likely place for child molestation to occur)



"Why dont you take steps to bring justice to these thousands of children, who have been violated?" -- Civil justice is the responsibility of the police and government agencies. Final justice is for GOD to render, not you, nor I, nor anyone else.



Have you learned nothing?



GOD BLESS...

Answer 6

Steps have been taken and the following is what the Church is doing about it.







12-April-2010 -- Vatican Information Service Share |





CDF Guidelines On Sexual Abuse Allegations

VATICAN CITY, 12 APR 2010 (VIS) - Today the Vatican website, under the section called "Focus", published a guide to understanding the procedures of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on sexual abuse allegations towards minors.



Guide to Understanding Basic CDF Procedures concerning Sexual Abuse Allegations



The applicable law is the Motu Proprio "Sacramentorum sanctitatis tutela" (MP SST) of 30 April 2001 together with the 1983 Code of Canon Law. This is an introductory guide which may be helpful to lay persons and non-canonists.



A: Preliminary Procedures



The local diocese investigates every allegation of sexual abuse of a minor by a cleric. If the allegation has a semblance of truth the case is referred to the CDF. The local bishop transmits all the necessary information to the CDF and expresses his opinion on the procedures to be followed and the measures to be adopted in the short and long term.



Civil law concerning reporting of crimes to the appropriate authorities should always be followed.



During the preliminary stage and until the case is concluded, the bishop may impose precautionary measures to safeguard the community, including the victims. Indeed, the local bishop always retains power to protect children by restricting the activities of any priest in his diocese. This is part of his ordinary authority, which he is encouraged to exercise to whatever extent is necessary to assure that children do not come to harm, and this power can be exercised at the bishop's discretion before, during and after any canonical proceeding.



B: Procedures authorized by the CDF



The CDF studies the case presented by the local bishop and also asks for supplementary information where necessary. The CDF has a number of options:



B1 Penal Processes



The CDF may authorize the local bishop to conduct a judicial penal trial before a local Church tribunal. Any appeal in such cases would eventually be lodged to a tribunal of the CDF.



The CDF may authorize the local bishop to conduct an administrative penal process before a delegate of the local bishop assisted by two assessors. The accused priest is called to respond to the accusations and to review the evidence. The accused has a right to present recourse to the CDF against a decree condemning him to a canonical penalty. The decision of the Cardinals members of the CDF is final.



Should the cleric be judged guilty, both judicial and administrative penal processes can condemn a cleric to a number of canonical penalties, the most serious of which is dismissal from the clerical state. The question of damages can also be treated directly during these procedures.



B2 Cases referred directly to the Holy Father



In very grave cases where a civil criminal trial has found the cleric guilty of sexual abuse of minors or where the evidence is overwhelming, the CDF may choose to take the case directly to the Holy Father with the request that the Pope issue a decree of "ex officio" dismissal from the clerical state. There is no canonical remedy against such a papal decree.



The CDF also brings to the Holy Father requests by accused priests who, cognizant of their crimes, ask to be dispensed from the obligation of the priesthood and want to return to the lay state. The Holy Father grants these requests for the good of the Church ("pro bono Ecclesiae").



B3 Disciplinary Measures



In cases where the accused priest has admitted to his crimes and has accepted to live a life of prayer and penance, the CDF authorizes the local bishop to issue a decree prohibiting or restricting the public ministry of such a priest. Such decrees are imposed through a penal precept which would entail a canonical penalty for a violation of the conditions of the decree, not excluding dismissal from the clerical state. Administrative recourse to the CDF is possible against such decrees. The decision of the CDF is final.



C. Revision of MP SST



For some time the CDF has undertaken a revision of some of the articles of "Motu Proprio Sacramentorum Sanctitatis tutela", in order to update the said Motu Proprio of 2001 in the light of special faculties granted to the CDF by Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI. The proposed modifications under discussion will not change the above-mentioned procedures (A, B1-B3).

Answer 7

In 2001, concerned about the slowness with which cases of clerical sexual abuse were being handled by the Roman Rota, Cardinal Ratzinger successfully lobbied Pope John Paul II to have responsibility for such cases transferred to the CDF. Since that time, the CDF has authorized over 3,000 cases against priests accused of sexual abuse; 85 percent of the cases have resulted in a conviction.

Answer 8

And what, exactly, do you suggest we do? Tracking down and punishing the priests ourselves is vigilantism - itself illegal. Most of them have been caught by now, and defrocked/forcibly retired. The statute of limitations is up on most of them, and so they cannot go to prison even if they themselves wanted to.



And writing to the Vatican? They obviously already know about it and are trying to fix it. I couldn't tell them anything they didn't already know.



p.s. - I haven't donated a penny to convert anyone in the third world. Catholic missionary tactics tend to be far less aggressive than other denominations.

Answer 9

*sigh* Please stop. Your feigned concern for abused children is nothing but a front to vent your bigotry.



What have you done about public schools that transfer predator teachers or put them up on paid vacation indefinitely?

What have you done about the hypocrisy of the New York Times over supporting a bill that puts stricter rules regarding child abusers on private schools only instead of the bill putting stricter rules on both private and public schools?

What have you done about the BIG BUSINESS media's disinformation and manufacturing consent tactics, where their reporting is based on who pays the highest? (advertisers; cooperation with interest groups and government to maintain access to information)



Take your hypocrisy, ignorance, and bigotry elsewhere.

Answer 10

You are insanely naive to believe that they do! Like Islam now in Muslim countries and the UK. The holy men of that particular religion have power over state, over culture, over life, over law and over military. That is the tradition in Europe, and still remains a great power in many countries even today, Ireland you only know of because the spot light is on them for now. The Church needs to get with the 21st century, allow priests to marry and start whooping pedos. Its the whole power culture thing, Holy Roman Empire ring any bells?

Answer 11

Tell that to the pope. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2010/apr/13/pope-prosecution-dawkins

Answer 12

Dear Lord Baby Jesus, lying there in your...your little ghost manger, lookin' at your Baby Einstein developmental...videos, learnin' 'bout shapes and colors... For centuries the Catholic Church has been doing nothing but crushing society. Greed will get people far in this world.

Answer 13

money makes all the pains go away. didnt you learn anything in school? why bother to do something right when you can just pay people off.

Answer 14

Because they refuse to accept that their obsolete organisation and its repressive and paranoid structure is to blame.



So far they've blamed Satan, gays, the sexual revolution of the 70s, the media, persecution, secularisation, atheists, and everyone in fact, except themselves.