The Archdiocese of Philadelphia has suspended 21 priests for involvement in the sexual abuse of minors. The suspensions come after a grand jury found that 37 priests in the diocese were implicated in such abuse.
Cardinal Justin Rigali, previously insisted that there were no priests “who have an admitted or established allegation of sexual abuse of a minor against them.”
Critics are saying that the Church fought to retain the priests and denied allegations of current priests with abuse histories. While on suspension, the priests cannot celebrate Mass publicly, wear collars or hear confessions.
This could open the door for significant civil liability for the Church in Philadelphia. Moreover, the delay in suspending the priests could become a major issue in court. These priests may also now have more of an incentive to implicate the Church in such civil actions.
Source: NY Times
Well, Blouise that is why Buddha and I are switching roles…He can be the AG and I’ll be the roving ambassador… I am sure I would come to get more out of that role than worrying about people be harassed here in the states….. or is that harass her…Ted got it right before he died I think….
Buddha,
The Book of Marley? I think the Nuns must have skipped that one in Catechism!
Anonymously Yours
1, March 9, 2011 at 10:55 am
Blouise,
Maybe he was just too old for em…..
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It thought it was a nicely disguised, filthy, sarcastic remark … I figured you’d get it due to the fact that we seem to think a lot alike, which is not necessarily a compliment to either one of us. Don’t you find it amazing that they let us hang out on this blog … maybe we’re just tokens … gotta think about that one.
AY,
I think you have your books confused. We’re talking the Bad Testament. The Book of the Divinity of SniffnHash is from the Really Good Testament, right between the Book of Marley and The Revelations of St. Chong the Lit.
HenMan…Buddha…
Is that chapter before or hereafter the chapter to Divinity of SniffnHash…
Buddha-
“Isn’t that a quote from Despicable Acts 3:12?”
I think that’s found in the Bad Testament right after the Books of Oblivious, Pedophilius, and Pederasticus.
Hurrah! Finally more than just a few isolated individual pedophile priests are indicted. It’s a start.
That it took criminal indictments to get the Church to act [almost] appropriately and the proportionate number of indictments clearly demonstrates the depth and scope of criminality of the pedophile Church.
Yet, not one bishop or cardinal has lost so much as the stone out of the ring that the faithful must kneel before and kiss.
One might argue that the pedophiles are sick individuals without excusing their crimes. But the cardinals and bishops are presumably [mostly] sane men. Their reshuffling of molesters’ assignments and stonewalling of criminal investigations is nothing less than cold calculated criminal evil.
And people, some in my family, still give money, material support to this criminal pedophile organization.
We call individuals who contribute money and other forms of material support to over-seas, international terrorists, terrorists too.
What shall we call the Catholics?
“Catholic Church Suspends 21 Priests For Allegations of Child Abuse.”
Why is Fox news not reporting on this issue?
Perhaps to many at Fox are Catholic? Hummmm????
Yeah right! Fox has also shut my emails down for reminding them of the real facts!!! They actually hate the real truth!! Bud Crawford
AY said, “a Boy in hand is better than a two in the pulpit”.
Isn’t that a quote from Despicable Acts 3:12?
If so, those po’ ol’ child molesters are just doin’ tha “Lord’s work”.
However, when it comes to pedophiles, I think Hanover Fiste got it right when said, “He’s nothing but a low-down, double-dealing, backstabbing, larcenous perverted worm! Hanging’s too good for him! Burning’s too good for him! He should be torn into little bitsy pieces and buried alive!”
And the same applies to those in RCC hierarchy who have aided and abetted and continue to aid and abet this horrific crime. The RCC should be rendered effectively penniless by judgments against them. That is if any semblance of justice is to be had.
Stamford,
I agree that investigations are needed in order to prosecute the abusers and the higher ups who allowed it to go on and hid the evidence and the culprits.
There is a persistent and utterly unsupported belief that religious authority figures are morally better than the norm. As far as I can see the only justification for this conviction is the equally unsupported (in fact, I would argue demonstrably false) supposition that religiosity is positively correlated with morality.
rafflaw,
I think the RC should be thoroughly investigated, starting with the Pope, on down the line. How many apologizies by the Pope and other members of the church hierarchy must be issued before this is seen for what it is? A criminal enterprise!
It is patently obvious that, for as much as the RC would like to have us believe, this is not just the actions of a few – child sexual abuse is spread throughout the church, far and wide. This has been going on far too long. Those who committed such despicable acts, and those who shielded the perpetrators must be held accountable. Now.
Stamford,
I agreee with you on the celibacy being part of the reason the Church has these pedophiles in their ranks. This latest disclosure shows that the Catholic Church is still hiding these felons and some Bishops need to go to jail for aiding and abetting these horrific crimes. The only thing that will make them change will be large civil judgments against them. In Rome, money talks.
Blouise,
Maybe he was just too old for em…..
I question if they can actually use the dismissal in trial or should a pretrial motion be filed…. Could it be claimed that this was a remedial repair….the termination itself of the priests is not an admission against interest….Oh my, what discovery will be had….. but then again…a Boy in hand is better than a two in the pulpit…
The St. Louis Cardinals announced today that they have changed the team’s name to the “St. Louis Rabbis”.
frank,
“I think one reason there are so many pedophiles in the priesthood has to do with domination and control. The position is one with a lot of control and one of the attractions to children is the ability to dominate.”
I think it another part that comes into play has to do with priests taking a vow of celibacy. And what is the best way to take care of sexual impulses … It’s easier for a priest to prey on a child as opposed to an adult.
Adults are seen as more reliable in terms of telling the truth; children are known to have vivid imaginations. So, who will people have a tendancy to believe, an adult or a child? Consider this – who has more credibility on the stand, the police officer or a private citizen? Logic has it that people tend to believe the police because they aren’t supposed to lie, being LEO’s. I believe that’s why people are shocked when a cop is charged with planting evidence at a crime scene, or committing perjury on the witness stand. I think the same logic applies to priests.
Talk about a cult! Thank the Flying Spaghetti Monster I’m an athiest …
21 priests in one diocese, with suspicions falling on 37. For those apologists who cling to the belief that this is merely “a distraction,” the numbers do not lie. When we add the centuries it’s been going on, this organization needs to be sued out of its wretched existence. To think that just because we know more about child abuse means it won’t happen in the future is demonstrably dangerous to children.
Arrest this cardinal today.
Cardinal Justin Rigali, sucks to be you.
Its funny how many preachers have to be hoping there is no God because if there is they are in for a warm apre’ vie. Particularly the super-wealthy ones you see on TV all the time.
But the RC does seem to have created a culture were this behavior is supported and defended – almost to the point of encouraged.
I think one reason there are so many pedophiles in the priesthood has to do with domination and control. The position is one with a lot of control and one of the attractions to children is the ability to dominate.
Speaking as an atheist: What is it that attracts pedophiles to the profession of Priest?
I assume the primary attraction is that religious parents trust priests without reason; their faith disengages their critical faculties. Also the priest gets to be alone with the children, and the children are inculcated to believe the priest is an important authority that must be obeyed. All those attributes are catnip for con men and other manipulators, of children or adults.
I would also assume that pedophiles have very little belief in God or punishment, which would be pretty ironic, if the church is largely staffed by people that, in private, just shrug off the faith to pursue their own selfish interests and hedonistic activities using up the lives and fortunes of the poor dumb peasants.
So there you go, a plot twist the religious never expected:
It turns out the Church is the Anti-Christ.