Let's not forget what Pope Benidict is...

[gerryhatrick]

As a parent, how would you feel knowing that your religious leaders had been instructed to withold evidence of sexual abuse against children?

I'm not a parent, but I'd be a little pissed. Being said, what actually happened isn't what you stated.

How is it different? Ratzinger signed a letter instructing Bishops to conduct their own investigations into sexual abuse allegations and instructing them that evidence can be kept secret for 10 years past the age of majority of the accuser.

[jbg]

How is it different? Ratzinger signed a letter instructing Bishops to conduct their own investigations into sexual abuse allegations and instructing them that evidence can be kept secret for 10 years past the age of majority of the accuser.

Now answer my question. How would you feel if your kids' identities were revealed publicly as part of a Ratzinger "investigation" if he decided to vigorously investigate?

[Drea]

How is it different? Ratzinger signed a letter instructing Bishops to conduct their own investigations into sexual abuse allegations and instructing them that evidence can be kept secret for 10 years past the age of majority of the accuser.

Now answer my question. How would you feel if your kids' identities were revealed publicly as part of a Ratzinger "investigation" if he decided to vigorously investigate?

Uh... the identities of victims is NEVER made public. Why should it be?

Face it -- the church is covering for perverts. Period.

"Evidence can be kept secret for 10 years...." (until the victim is 28)

I bet a million bucks that after 10 years the evidence will mysteriously disappear.

[gerryhatrick]

How is it different? Ratzinger signed a letter instructing Bishops to conduct their own investigations into sexual abuse allegations and instructing them that evidence can be kept secret for 10 years past the age of majority of the accuser.

Now answer my question. How would you feel if your kids' identities were revealed publicly as part of a Ratzinger "investigation" if he decided to vigorously investigate?

You seriously asked that question before? A Ratzinger "investigation" revealing my kids....hmmm. Have to think about that one. Would I already know myself? There wouldn't be a ratzinger investigation of I knew already. There's either be a cop investigation or a funeral.

I'm not sure I understand your question.

[jbg]

You seriously asked that question before? A Ratzinger "investigation" revealing my kids....hmmm. Have to think about that one. Would I already know myself? There wouldn't be a ratzinger investigation of I knew already. There's either be a cop investigation or a funeral.

I'm not sure I understand your question.

My point is that if your kids were abused would you want them to be questioned as part of an "investigation" of the priest or would you want them just to be left alone to recover? Even if the investigation were done at the Papal rather than Diocese level?

[newbie]

As a parent, how would you feel knowing that your religious leaders had been instructed to withold evidence of sexual abuse against children?

I'm not a parent, but I'd be a little pissed. Being said, what actually happened isn't what you stated.

This HAS happened in the past Geoffrey. Bishops have withheld evidence of Priest sexual abuse and participated in coverups. As far as the other issue, the name of a child cannot be revealed if they are minors. What some of you don't realize is the courage it takes for someone to come forward to reveal this crime. Most don't and are screwed up the rest of their lives because of it.

[geoffrey]

The reason much of it can't be disclosed is that it's discovered in confession with other Priests. This is very important in the Church as part of our religion. Confession to a Priest is protected similarily to lawyer-client privledge. If a criminal admits guilt to a lawyer in confidence, that's not being released. Same with priests.

I don't support removing that protection as it would be highly destructive to the core values of the Catholic Church.

I'm sure the Church, when such accusations are made, take them seriously. The Church and it's leadership would never advocate harm to children, let's be realistic. When a claim has been made by the public or a child, the Church has never attempted to silence them.

It's not about a big coverup (though in some areas where leadership was implicated there is trouble, Boston comes to mind), it's simply protecting a sacred area of Church doctrine. All public claims are left to be dealt with, I don't think Pope Benidict would oppose seeing pedophiles in jail. He does oppose the destruction of a core value of the Church in confession to the clergy.

[gerryhatrick]

You seriously asked that question before? A Ratzinger "investigation" revealing my kids....hmmm. Have to think about that one. Would I already know myself? There wouldn't be a ratzinger investigation of I knew already. There's either be a cop investigation or a funeral.

I'm not sure I understand your question.

My point is that if your kids were abused would you want them to be questioned as part of an "investigation" of the priest or would you want them just to be left alone to recover? Even if the investigation were done at the Papal rather than Diocese level?

The bloody investigation should be done at the POLICE level, and my kids would have probably told what happened to them because I would have explained to them that by doing so they would be brave and save other kids from suffering as they did.

It's pretty simple....if you're telling people in your organization to withold knowledge of abuse allegations and any evidence regarding them that comes your way you are obstructing justice.

[geoffrey]

No one is withholding anything other than confessions, which are protected by law. Why won't you address this gerry, do you think we should throw out lawyer-client privledge too?

[gerryhatrick]

No one is withholding anything other than confessions, which are protected by law. Why won't you address this gerry, do you think we should throw out lawyer-client privledge too?

You're obviously not familiar with the details. Perhaps read the news link in the original topic post.

You seem to be playing some games with me lately and getting a little laugh out of it. yuck yuck.

[geoffrey]

If your willing to exclude anything mentioned in confessional, I will agree that if another Priest stumbles upon such an activity, or is suspicious of it, it should be reported to the police ASAP.

[gerryhatrick]

If your willing to exclude anything mentioned in confessional, I will agree that if another Priest stumbles upon such an activity, or is suspicious of it, it should be reported to the police ASAP.

Where did you get your idea that Ratzingers letter was targetted towards the confessional?

Why have you invented this side detail?

[newbie]

No one is withholding anything other than confessions, which are protected by law. Why won't you address this gerry, do you think we should throw out lawyer-client privledge too?

In the case I was privy to the Church deliberately withheld information (non-confessional) that was vital for rendering a judicial decision. Unless you've gone through this process you have no idea what goes on "behind the scenes."

[gerryhatrick]

No one is withholding anything other than confessions, which are protected by law. Why won't you address this gerry, do you think we should throw out lawyer-client privledge too?

In the case I was privy to the Church deliberately withheld information (non-confessional) that was vital for rendering a judicial decision. Unless you've gone through this process you have no idea what goes on "behind the scenes."

And the Ratzinger letter instructing to keep details of sexual abuse of children secret was not directed specifically at the confessional.

[gerryhatrick]

This Pope has for the first time mentioned sex abuse in the clergy. Nothing about his own transgression in the matter, of course, and yet he shamelessly says the truth must be sought:

"The wounds caused by such acts run deep, and it is an urgent task to rebuild confidence and trust where these have been damaged. In your continuing efforts to deal effectively with this problem, it is important to establish the truth of what happened in the past, to take whatever steps are necessary to prevent it from occurring again, to ensure the principles of justice are fully respected, and above all, to bring healing to the victims and to all those affected by these egregious crimes."

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story...72-2703,00.html

Hey Ratzinger, how about starting with establishing the truth about your letter seeking to hide evidence of sex abuse?

[gerryhatrick]

How is it different? Ratzinger signed a letter instructing Bishops to conduct their own investigations into sexual abuse allegations and instructing them that evidence can be kept secret for 10 years past the age of majority of the accuser.

Now answer my question. How would you feel if your kids' identities were revealed publicly as part of a Ratzinger "investigation" if he decided to vigorously investigate?

You seriously asked that question before? A Ratzinger "investigation" revealing my kids....hmmm. Have to think about that one. Would I already know myself? There wouldn't be a ratzinger investigation if I knew already. There's either be a cop investigation or a funeral.

I'm not sure I understand your question.

No feedback on this yet jbg....?

[jbg]

How is it different? Ratzinger signed a letter instructing Bishops to conduct their own investigations into sexual abuse allegations and instructing them that evidence can be kept secret for 10 years past the age of majority of the accuser.

Now answer my question. How would you feel if your kids' identities were revealed publicly as part of a Ratzinger "investigation" if he decided to vigorously investigate?

You seriously asked that question before? A Ratzinger "investigation" revealing my kids....hmmm. Have to think about that one. Would I already know myself? There wouldn't be a ratzinger investigation of I knew already. There's either be a cop investigation or a funeral.

I'm not sure I understand your question.

No feedback on this yet jbg....?

"There wouldn't be a ratzinger investigation of I knew already."

Is that in English, Canadian or French?

[gerryhatrick]

How is it different? Ratzinger signed a letter instructing Bishops to conduct their own investigations into sexual abuse allegations and instructing them that evidence can be kept secret for 10 years past the age of majority of the accuser.

Now answer my question. How would you feel if your kids' identities were revealed publicly as part of a Ratzinger "investigation" if he decided to vigorously investigate?

You seriously asked that question before? A Ratzinger "investigation" revealing my kids....hmmm. Have to think about that one. Would I already know myself? There wouldn't be a ratzinger investigation if I knew already. There's either be a cop investigation or a funeral.

I'm not sure I understand your question.

No feedback on this yet jbg....?

"There wouldn't be a ratzinger investigation if I knew already."

Is that in English, Canadian or French?

Fixed for you.

[gerryhatrick]

I can say that to compare the amount of deviant priests, bishops and cardinals to other professions is laughable. Unfortuntately, they all cover for each other.

Because priesthood is THE BEST profession there is for perverts!

It's possible that the priesthood and the celibate asexual life they lead turns them into pedophiles, seeking out contact other asexual beings as children are.

You should see the movie "Deliver Us From Evil". I just posted a topic on it in this section.

[Frankie]

Seems like corruption worked it's way into the Catholic Church, just like most other Organizations. Surprise to anyone? Of course that's what it's become, an organization. Exist only for it's own profit...for the most part at least. You can have the faith, but you can do with out the organization. What does the Catholic church do as a whole for the faith of it's people, other than tend to the most tedious of situations?

[betsy]

It's possible that the priesthood and the celibate asexual life they lead turns them into pedophiles, seeking out contact other asexual beings as children are.

Phooey-kablooey and double baloney!

As far as I know, the priesthood does not forbid priests from leaving the grounds of the church. They are free to mingle with everyone. They may be expected to be celibate...but don't tell me lack of opportunity is not there...if one is desperate enough!

If some priests could manage to have sexual contacts and affairs with adult women...I don't see why some priests could just sodomize a boy or molest a child, just because they lead a celibate life. They are perverts! Plain and simple. Their sexual taste are into that direction.

They would still go for the boy or the child, even if there is the choice of an adult woman somewhere in the room! Naked. Willing and waiting!

You should see the movie "Deliver Us From Evil". I just posted a topic on it in this section.

It doesn't matter. The answer still remains the same...and it had already been addressed on this thread!

All you seek is to re-hash the same old same old.

That comment above is an example. We already talked about this very same thing you've brought out (again). Right here on this very same thread!

I have no wish to go on this boring merry-go-round dance with you. I've had it with unreasonable childish petulance. Bring out something new if you want to breathe new life to this discussion. Otherwise, stop bugging me.

Better yet, I'd be a good example to some adults on how to deal with irritants.

I'll ignore you....until you've got something sensible to say. So, bye.

[gerryhatrick]

It's possible that the priesthood and the celibate asexual life they lead turns them into pedophiles, seeking out contact other asexual beings as children are.

Phooey-kablooey and double baloney!

As far as I know, the priesthood does not forbid priests from leaving the grounds of the church. They are free to mingle with everyone. They may be expected to be celibate...but don't tell me lack of opportunity is not there...if one is desperate enough!

If some priests could manage to have sexual contacts and affairs with adult women...I don't see why some priests could just sodomize a boy or molest a child, just because they lead a celibate life. They are perverts! Plain and simple. Their sexual taste are into that direction.

Obviously they're perverts. They are sexually aroused by children. The possibility raised was that the lifestyle and expectations of the priesthood may be a factor in making them perverts.

It doesn't matter. The answer still remains the same...and it had already been addressed on this thread!

I have no idea what answer you're talking about betsy. You're did a very poor job here of comprehending the post you responded to and now you're doing a very poor job of explaining yourself.

If you're going to berate me over something then try to be specific.