Pope sought punish errant priests

[Thomas]

Way back in '88, the then Cardinal Ratzinger pushed for "more rapid and simplified” procedures to punish errant priests. Sadly his request was not met, according to documents released by the Vatican on Wednesday.

The article goes on to state that: "For years, bishops had complained of widespread confusion about how to handle abuse accusations and said they faced a daunting bureaucratic and canonical process with overlapping jurisdictions in Rome."
Another sign, to me, of how bureaucracies move to stifle change from without, and maintain the status quo, regardless of the costs ... the bureaucratic trick, here as elsewhere, is to make sure that the bureaucrats never actually step into the limelight, but arrange things in such a way that it is always someone else who is at fault, and then hang them out to dry, as the saying goes.

To Catholics like myself, who make at least some effort to follow Vatican affairs (but which is by by no means a hobby of mine) it is clear and evident that changes that Pope Benedict would like to see instituted, are blocked at every turn ... bishops in their sees resent being told what to do by Rome, and Rome resents being told what to do by someone who's just been elected pope ... sheesh, they won't even let the guy resign ...

... and so it goes.

Thomas

 

[Quahom1]

Way back in '88, the then Cardinal Ratzinger pushed for "more rapid and simplified” procedures to punish errant priests. Sadly his request was not met, according to documents released by the Vatican on Wednesday.

The article goes on to state that: "For years, bishops had complained of widespread confusion about how to handle abuse accusations and said they faced a daunting bureaucratic and canonical process with overlapping jurisdictions in Rome."
Another sign, to me, of how bureaucracies move to stifle change from without, and maintain the status quo, regardless of the costs ... the bureaucratic trick, here as elsewhere, is to make sure that the bureaucrats never actually step into the limelight, but arrange things in such a way that it is always someone else who is at fault, and then hang them out to dry, as the saying goes.

To Catholics like myself, who make at least some effort to follow Vatican affairs (but which is by by no means a hobby of mine) it is clear and evident that changes that Pope Benedict would like to see instituted, are blocked at every turn ... bishops in their sees resent being told what to do by Rome, and Rome resents being told what to do by someone who's just been elected pope ... sheesh, they won't even let the guy resign ...

... and so it goes.

Thomas

He should tell them all to piss off. What he says goes. He is after all, the Holy See...

Hey pope, roll up your sleeves and start handing out pink slips...

 

[wil]

They need to change something... Wasn't there also documentation when he was on 'the list' that he was involved in the shuffle and cover up of actions of errant priests?

When anyone abuses their position....they need to be removed from their position.

 

[wil]

It appears still when the Vatican steps in, justice is not done and the law of the land has to take over.

December 20, 2010
Pope calls for reflection over abuse scandal


by Jan Harris


The revelation of thousands of cases of sexual abuse of children by priests has caused the Pope to call on the Roman Catholic church to examine its message and reflect on what is happening in Christian life that allowed the scandal to occur.
During his Christmas speech to Vatican cardinals and bishops, Pope Benedict XVI said that the church must accept the humiliation of the revelations as a call for renewal.
The Pope wants to ensure that priests are better trained, so that abusers are not ordained.

Revelations of sexual abuse within the church started in the US in 2002, followed by reports of incidences of abuse across Europe, and of the church turning a blind eye to the activities of paedophile priests.

In Northern Ireland, a further chapter of the Murphy Report has been published revealing that the Vatican tried to protect Irish priest Tony Walsh, who is believed to have abused hundreds of children.

Instead of removing him from the Catholic Church, the Vatican wanted him to serve 10 years in a monastery.

Walsh is now serving a 12-year prison sentence for abusing three boys.

 

[Thomas]

It appears still when the Vatican steps in, justice is not done and the law of the land has to take over.

That's why I differentiate between Pope and Curia — the latter's obfuscations, delays and avoidance in the face of Benedict's direct statements is a matter of public record. Pope Benedict is the only voice, it seems to me, who is protesting about the 'flith' (his word) of abuse within the Church, and he is the first pope to meet and apologise to the victims. Now's the time for the curia to step up, take some responsibility and do something meaningful, rather than, it would appear, the opposite.

I'm with Quahom — we were assured a 'rotweiller' had ascended the throne of St Peter, well I'd like to see a little of that directed at those who cover up the scandal and perpetuate the crime ... but I fear, like some before him, he's faced with an institution that's made an art of bureaucracy, secrecy and avoidance of criticism within as well as without.

God bless,

Thomas

 

[wil]

but I fear, like some before him, he's faced with an institution that's made an art of bureaucracy, secrecy and avoidance of criticism within as well as without.

God bless,

Thomas

Like our new tea party congressman or Obama thinking they were just going to waltz in and make things happen.... the machine is bigger...and those that are there to defend the machine that they've lived their lives off of are many legions...

 

[Thomas]

Like our new tea party congressman or Obama thinking they were just going to waltz in and make things happen.... the machine is bigger...and those that are there to defend the machine that they've lived their lives off of are many legions...

Tell me about it!

For the Catholic in the street, 'like what I am', you're split — to speak out seems like attacking the church, and all the more so when anti-church elements will then make a big deal out of one's speaking (I would be a lot more candid here, and I am more candid than I have ever been, but then I don't want to see my words played back to me by people who have an anti-Catholic agenda)

Not to speak out means the situation will never be resolved. I am determining to speak out, although not here, but in my parish, and to those in authority.

At the height of the scandal, there was no Vatican press briefing, nor was Benedict given a briefing by the press office. As someone who works in media comms., I think this is outrageous — in my company, people would be clearing their desks ...

I found out recently that the top echelons of the Curia have about three Blackberries between them. Now they might be on iPhones, but I rather bet they just ignore 'new media' as troublesome flash in the pan.

What we have is an administrative body who live in the past, constituted almost entirely of Italian clerics who live in the closeted world of the Papal State, who speak Italian as a matter of principle (journos inform me that all global corporates conduct their PR in English) ... and who treat any scandal with the 'lets wait a hundred years and see what settles' kind of attitude ...

And who, for the love of ... will tell these geriatric cardinals not to make stupid statements like all homosexuals are paedophiles. Someone ought to pass the word that no-one says anything without clearing it first, like the American cardinal who, as one of the team on the Papal visit to the UK, described Heathrow as a 'third-world' facility, a wonderful piece of pre-visit PR ... anyone would think he was trying to scupper the visit ...

God bless,

Thomas

 

[wil]

Namaste Thomas,

I know you regularly lambast me, as do my 'patriotic' countrymen, for shining light on issues that Christianity and the USA...(you for the former, my countrymen for the latter) seemingly uncaring and leaving nothing behind.

But that is only because I am one of very few voices in the wilderness. I think there are tons of wonderful things about Christianity and the USA, but for both to not admit their faults, for both to simply think sweeping the crap under the carpet is better than saying...'yeah we didn't do that right, or yeah, we got that wrong...or yeah that is part of our collective historic mythology....as we currently know it, didn't happen that way...

If we don't do these things, we will continue to be ridiculed, continue to be looked down upon.

If the USA, Christianity, the Catholic church (not indicating anywhere any of these are intrinsicly connected) don't wake up.... they will continue to slip in the future world view.

You and I must stand up and speak out....so others will gain the nerve as well.

And yes...we'll take a beating along the way.

 

[Snoopy]

like the American cardinal who, as one of the team on the Papal visit to the UK, described Heathrow as a 'third-world' facility, a wonderful piece of pre-visit PR

It may have been PR own-goal but it looks like he might just have been ahead of the game

"...had been due to fly with Singapore Airlines to Australia with her husband and their 17-month-old toddler on Sunday. She described Terminal 3 at Heathrow as "a bit like a refugee camp"."

BBC News - Snow chaos: Cameron frustrated by delays at Heathrow

s.