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	The Church Versus the Law . . It's Been Going on since Becket Bromley Times March 31, 2010 http://www.bromleytimes.co.uk/content/kent/columnists/story.aspx?brand=GVSROnline&category=colmelodyryall&tBrand=gvsronline&tCategory=columnists&itemid=WeED31%20Mar%202010%2015%3A50%3A57%3A043 ALL the scandals about paedophile priest cover-ups are nothing new and further endorse the extraordinary philosophy the church can uphold the myth its staff are somehow beyond the laws of the land. This incredibly arrogant situation began, arguably, back in the 12th century in the reign of Henry II. This monarch famously disagreed with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, over this issue and quite rightly refused to accept why any priest committing a criminal act albeit child abuse (if such an act was deemed a crime in those days) stealing, or fornication, would only be tried by other fellows of the cassock. Oh? So no real punishment there then 'cos we're all mates together and it's just slapped wrists all around. Becket really believed God was supreme ruler and anyone who lived to serve him was beyond the regulations commanded by a mere mortal such as the king. Becket believed there was a huge difference between the chosen few and the common men and women of the land. What gave Becket the energy and even licence to insist on such a feudal and superior way of going about things was probably his knowledge of Henry the man. For both men had once been the best of friends in the kind of medieval wine, women and song kind of way. Quite a raunchy companionship, I suggest. Trouble began shortly after Henry encouraged his friend, Becket, to take up the archbishop's throne in 1161. Everyone believed the new archbishop to be a 'yes man' to the king. How wrong they were. Becket's over zealous need to trumpet the Church as a higher power that threatened the monarchy resulted in a stand-off between the two friends and the distance grew between them as Henry tried to keep the clergy and all it stood for ultimately under his control. The famous line Henry was recorded to have groaned: "Who will rid me of this turbulent priest?" was heard by six of his faithful knights who then crossed the Channel in 1170 to slaughter Becket as he knelt in prayer near the crypt of Canterbury Cathedral. Becket was martyred for his ultimate service to the Almighty and the rights of the Church. But his death overshadowed the rest of Henry's reign - the king often visiting the Canterbury tomb of his former friend to receive flagellation by local clergy loyal to the former archbishop. (Something that would incense Henry VIII four centuries later who believed his ancestor's claim the king is the all powerful was right all along and he showed this by desecrating many Catholic churches and indeed Becket's tomb). But even after such an act of violence against the Church there was never any real solution to the idea one power was higher than another. Centuries later we are now reading and hearing about members of the senior Catholic clergy in Ireland allegedly dealing with priests accused of child abuse 'in their own way' and behind closed doors. It's a sure disgrace and those involved in allowing such odious crimes to continue under their roofs must be brought before a judge and jury like any other person living in the reality of common boundaries. In 2010 surely it doesn't need a royal personage to make a song and dance about the morality in this sentiment. Isn't the big guy in the sky meant to treat us all the same anyway and trusts the common judgement of what's right and wrong? We've all heard of closed shops but why are some of those who aim to represent an Almighty power and who claim to give over their lives to such a career have carte blanche to get away with what is psychologically deemed as murder. The damage done to the many, many children who trusted such people now in question is severe and lasts a whole life time. The scandal of paedophile priest cover-ups is now closing in on the Pope. The Holy See in Italy is under fire following allegations of abuse at a school for deaf children in Verona. There's little use in the Pope's lieutenants blaming and accusing the media of 'whipping up a frenzy' over any abuse cover-ups. The lives of real people have been hideously affected by all of this. Surely the victims of such horrors deserve to see the kind of justice we can all understand. May I suggest our courts of law? l To get Hollywood's version of how religious communities deal with those suspected of child abuse I recommend the film, Doubt, starring Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Based on John Patrick Shanley's play of the same name the film exposes how Father Flynn, a popular and eloquent priest based in the Bronx, tries to upend a school's strict customs - fiercely guarded by Sister Aloysius Beauvier who believes in the power of fear and discipline. When she suspects the priest of molesting a coloured boy we watch the story gather pace as her own integrity turns into the kind of punishing crusade she never bargained for. Going against the system or any entrenched convention takes courage with no guarantee of justice at the end of it. Contact: melody.foreman@archant.co.uk
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