News The Pope Said Something Very Powerful About The Sexual Abuse Of Children

[Chincho]

I don't know that system well enough to know what he CAN do.

There was a Pope (John Paul I) who actually died 33 days after he was elected Pope.

I am from Argentina and I have known Francis' public life from before he was Pope. As with any great man, you will find people who love him and those who hate his guts. I'm in the middle. He has always been a brave man, and spoke and acted against what he felt was not right. I believe him when he says that he wants to "clean house".

I am also a Catholic and have worked at a parish. You wouldn't believe the stupid little fights for power among the people who were supposed to be helping! And I'm not even talking about the priests... As @scout86 and @shimmerz said, he has his work cut out for him. I hope they let him continue to do the job he has already started.

As @BlackbirdSinging, I too feel validated by what the Pope said. I am sure he feels every word he says.

 

[scout86]

I am sure he feels every word he says.

He sounded that way to me. It's nice to hear someone who knows his background and his history say that.

 

[ms spock]

The sexual abuse from Clergy is still happening. There is information coming out of some private Catholic schools in Canberra, in Australia - until it actually stops happening in this now, all words are meaningless.

 

[void]

The sexual abuse from Clergy is still happening. There is information coming out of some private Catholi...

...and it never ever ever will STOP....

someone call me "Pessimist!", I dare you.
I am a REALIST!

"The best predictor of future behavior is relevant past behavior" You know this is true.
~P. McGraw

711 000 days have elapsed since the "Apostle Peter" reportedly died and every bit of evidence says these men have been sexually abusing children ever since. Millions of boys and girls, every race, every age....MILLIONS!

To be the Pope you ARE an INSIDER(hand-picked).
All of the INSIDERs are 100% guilty themselves and they all know the truth. If we all know, obviously they all know.

As a Head of State he is immune from all prosecution worldwide...he is UNTOUCHABLE.

If the lawsuits, heavy financial losses, and public pressure have had NO effect, why would anyone believe that a man hand-picked by the Guilty would go AGAINST the guilty?!?!?!?!

The ONLY people that believe that true change will occur are SELF-DECEIVED.

Go look hard into your own eyes in the mirror and tell me I'm wrong.

Void

 

[Jobriel]

I studied the abuse claims within the church for part of a thesis I wrote for grad school.(I had no idea I had a trauma background at the time.) I feel like I need to point out that the catholic church has exactly the same amount of abuse as every other group that has children in it. Every children's sports team, musical club, and group of any kind has the same likelihood of a child being abused. The one place where the numbers are much higher is the educational system. I absolutely agree that actions speak louder than words and that the catholic church should do everything it can to prevent children from being abused, but I thought it was important to point out that children are no more likely to be abused there than anywhere else. I like the quotes posted by Pope Francis.

 

[scout86]

Personally, my biggest issue with the Catholic church has been the way abusers were handled. Or weren't handled. The way the whole thing was covered up and the perps just moved on to new hunting grounds. The level of cowardice and hypocrisy involved in that is mind blowing. They can excommunicate someone for saying the Earth moves around the sun, but a child molester gets a cushy retirement?

 

[Ocean5]

My mom was sexually abused (raped & molested) as a child by family (and who knows who else.) I was raised in isolated rural probably 95% Catholic small town. If not a Catholic there - meant you were an "outsider." We even had "Catholic Religion Classes" in public schools before official school hours. In a public school?!?

When I was very young, like 5 or 6, my mom removed me from Summer Bible Catholic school to another Christian church. But we still went to Catholic Church every Sunday. Until I told her I wanted to be an Altar Boy. First time I ever remember trying to do something positive, and told "No."

But it wasn't a normal no. It was more like a parent trying protect young kid.

 

[sun seeker]

I am also a Catholic and have worked at a parish. You wouldn't believe the stupid little fights for power among the people who were supposed to be helping!

Just about any religion can be used for good purposes or as an excuse for evil, depending on the choices people make. It's what's in people's hearts that makes the difference, not what the religion is called.

 

[ms spock]

I feel like I need to point out that the catholic church has exactly the same amount of abuse as every other group that has children in it.

What research have you got to base this rather extraordinary claim on?

Every children's sports team, musical club, and group of any kind has the same likelihood of a child being abused.

No, it is what a lot of Catholics like to tell themselves in order to not feel so bad about the rampant, intergenerational sexual abuse that so many of them have been complicit within.

The one place where the numbers are much higher is the educational system.

In the Catholic schools yes - the rate is very high indeed, and it is literally continuing at this time in a number of them, that I am hearing about.

I absolutely agree that actions speak louder than words and that the catholic church should do everything it can to prevent children from being abused,

The Catholic church hasn't done everything it can do to prevent children from being raped by priests and it continues to not do everything to stop priests from sexually abusing children. The literal policy called "Broken Rites" in Australia, makes for very interesting reading., and it is for the Church and not for the victims. So they would have to disown self serving policies before anyone could take it seriously that the Church is doing something substantive to stop sexual abuse.

but I thought it was important to point out that children are no more likely to be abused there than anywhere else.

Once again I would like to know what evidence based research that you base your claim that this is so, outside the Catholic church there is not the punitive, harassing, vindictive and guilt tripping practices that enact control over whole groups of parishes. I think you cannot see the forest for the trees on this one.

And even if it was true - minimising the deliberate and calculated cover up of child sexual abuse throughout the Catholic Church, on a world wide basis, is pretty poor form.

You can justify to yourself all you want but, other people don't have to read it/listen to it.

This type of denial about how bad it was and denial about how bad the sexual abuse really still is, really makes me feel very angry. It is like "Well it happens elsewhere, just as much, so what happened in the Catholic Church was/is not so bad." In my opinion this is total rubbish.

The Catholic Church has been truly evil in its handling of child sexual abuse - to the point where nuns have been excommunicated for complaining about the sexual abuse of the priests - Mary McKillop being a case in point.

If you choose to support and be complicit within an organisation that continues these practices and has totally tried to destroy the people that tried to stand up and tell the truth, about their sexual abuse at the hands of the Catholic Church, then that is your choice but don't expect me to go "Oh okay so it happens elsewhere, apparently just as much as in the Catholic Church so the Church isn't really that bad". Whereas in fact, in my mind from what I have read and from the poor unfortunate souls I have talked to, it is in fact it is really that bad.

No amount of minimization will cover up, what the Catholic Church has actually done. Unspeakable, appalling acts and crimes - and in Australia - doing a legal tap dance so it avoids paying compensation, which is truly evil beyond any description. It is moral bankruptcy in totality.

 

[Tinyflame]

I know that when a relative was getting criminology degree, I recall 3 things: the statistics did support equal amounts of abuse across the board for all religious affiliations & groups children belong to, schools, sports, scouts etc. Second I recall recidivism rates were huge. Lastly I recall psychological studies showed most offenders themselves were stuck at a child level in emotionally relating, & were turned on as it were in inappropriate circumstances (adult to adult offenders were as well). Oh yes, & 4), the biggest factor was, they went where children were. (And violated requirements/ orders to avoid children).

I think all abuse is appalling. I know in a child porn sweep out here recently there were (arrested) people from different religions, police, teachers, coaches & Boy Scout leaders. And politicians. I think the danger in thinking one group is the sole cause, is that logically it's very frightening if other areas where just as much abuse & exploitation are overlooked. It's all horrific.

I think you wouldn't find them where they don't have access to children.

I think for all that is wrong in the Church or by individuals, I do not feel the pope in his own good conscience would turn the other way (JMHO). I do know growing up Roman Catholic I was never abused in a church, nor were any family members, but I was assaulted by adults with access to children elsewhere.

I remember learning that my grandfather (he died when I was 3) told my mom he knew of & was horrified by, terrible abuses of children amongst his peers (this had nothing to do with church though).

 

[void]

I studied the abuse claims within the church for part of a thesis I wrote for grad school.(I had no idea...

A thesis?
Well then, no doubt you have comprehensive references and source materials which fully support all of your statements.
May I ask what type of graduate program?
May I ask for a link to said thesis?
Are you or were you raised Catholic?

 

[sun seeker]

I think the danger in thinking one group is the sole cause, is that logically it's very frightening if other areas where just as much abuse & exploitation are overlooked. It's all horrific.

Yes. And isolates the victims because of the myth that "it can't happen here." It can happen anywhere. I grew up in a very much minority religion that espouses to promote peace, charity, and equality. My experience of it, though - not that there are any statistics to back this up - is that that nice veneer covers up an awful lot of ugliness underneath. It's a big step for me to say even this much, so I won't get into any more detail at the moment.