By Paris Arrow
Benedict XVI Ratzinger: God's Rottweiler
December 21, 2010
http://pope-ratz.blogspot.com/2010/12/pope-benedict-what-church-need-are-not.html
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Benedict XVI at his Christmas speech before the Vatican Cardinals and Bishops.
Benedict XVI’s series of blames and pathological lies go on and on. At St. Peter’s Square last June, he blamed the Devil at the spectacular closing of the Year for Priests before 15,000 priests. Today at the pompous Sala Regia of the Vatican's apostolic palace before Vatican cardinals and bishops gathered for his traditional Christmas speech., he blames child pornography, sexual tourism and moral relativism of 1970s for “child abuse scandal” (a mild ambiguous terminology) for the Priestly Sodomy of Biblical Proportions committed by the John Paul II Pedophile Priests Army which he and John Paul II personally covered-up for over a quarter of a century. See Eve and Benedict XVI blame the Devil http://pope-ratz.blogspot.com/2010/06/eve-and-benedict-xvi-blame-devil.html
With his new papal tiara and robe (that can feed 10 African villages for a year see video http://pope-ratz.blogspot.com/2010/12/videos-of-benedict-xvis-costly.html) Benedict XVI said: "We must ask ourselves what we can do to repair as much as possible the injustice that has occurred. We must ask ourselves what was wrong in our proclamation, in our whole way of living the Christian life." It is so obvious that Benedict XVI segues the question away from himself and from his own personal responsibility for the injustice and “what was wrong in his proclamation, in his whole way of living the Christian life”. How about he start with himself first – Solo Mio – ‘I must ask myself first, what did I do wrong when I was the second most powerful guy at the Vatican next to John Paul II, I was the Head of the Prefect for the Congregation of the Faith -- why was I obsessed in silencing the Jesuits and Liberation Theology theologians Jon Sobrino and Jacques Dupuis who were good priests helping the poor but I never silence one pedophile priest among the thousands that came to my table (including the research of Tom Doyle who predicted the massive million dollars that the Catholic Church would pay to victims)?
Benedict XVI should ask himself: Why is Cardinal Bernard Law sitting as Archpriest of St. Mary Maggiorre and why don’t I depose him from that position out of respect for the hundreds of victims in Boston he has harmed? Why am I in a hurry to beatify and canonize John Paul II who never did anything to protect children away from pedophile priests especially the worst serial pedophiles Fr. Marcial Maciel and Tony Walsh. For over 26 years, together John Paul II and I aided and abetted and covered-up this very -- "unimaginable" wave of revelations of sexually abusive priests in Europe and the US, who "profoundly wound people in their childhood, damaging them for a whole lifetime".
In his pompous Christmas speech this year, Benedict XVI blames 3 things for the child abuse scandal : child pornography, sexual tourism and the moral relativism of the 1970s but in reality as history has proven there are three main persons or the Vatican Trinity mainly to blame: John Paul II, Benedict XVI cardinal Ratzigner and the Opus Dei.
Until Benedict XVI start paying millions of Euros as compensation to all the hundreds of thousands of victims of the John Paul II Pedophile Priests Army, his words are nothing but empty clashing cymbals of St. Paul.
See our related articles
Vatican asks victims to see church as ally in fighting abuse is as preposterous if the Legion asked Fr. Maciel’s victims to see Legionaries as allies http://jp2m.blogspot.com/2010/11/vatican-asks-victims-to-see-church-as.html
Benedict calls Cardinals for a one-day conference to tackle the 26+ years Clergy Sex Abuse of Biblical Proportions (with Vatican crocodile tears) http://pope-ratz.blogspot.com/2010/11/benedict-calls-cardinals-for-one-day.html
Premier Vaticanista John L. Allen Jr describes his unlimited access into the Vatican and Papal apartments http://jp2m.blogspot.com/2010/11/premier-vaticanista-john-l-allen-jr.html
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Pope calls on Catholic church to 'repair injustice' of sexual abuse
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/20/pope-catholic-church-child-abuse-scandal
Pontiff also blames child abuse scandal on child pornography, sexual tourism and moral relativism of 1970s
Pope Benedict XVI today called on the Roman Catholic church to reflect on how sexual abuse exploded within its ranks in a Christmas speech.
But the pontiff also blamed the scandal on child pornography, sexual tourism and the moral relativism of the 1970s.
In his eagerly awaited speech to bishops and cardinals, Benedict rounded up the highlights of his year, briefly mentioning his visits to Malta, Spain and Portugal before dwelling at length on his "unforgettable" visit to England and Scotland.
He started his roundup, in the Sala Regia of the Vatican's apostolic palace, by tackling the "unimaginable" wave of revelations of sexually abusive priests in Europe and the US, who "profoundly wound people in their childhood, damaging them for a whole lifetime".
"We must ask ourselves what we can do to repair as much as possible the injustice that has occurred," he said. "We must ask ourselves what was wrong in our proclamation, in our whole way of living the Christian life."
Benedict has been challenged on his record of tackling abuse while he was the Archbishop of Munich and the head of the Vatican office dealing with abuse cases.
The Pope likened today's church to the beautiful woman covered in dust and wearing a torn dress who was seen in a vision by the 12th century German saint Hildegard.
But in his festive speech – which he traditionally uses to impart key messages to senior Vatican figures – he insisted the abuse scandal should be placed in a wider social context.
"We cannot remain silent about the context of these times in which these events have come to light," he said, citing child pornography, "that seems in some way to be considered more and more normal by society."
Sexual tourism in the third world was "threatening an entire generation", he added.
Returning to a theme he had discussed in the past, Benedict said the modern world's moral relativism was at fault.
"In the 1970s, paedophilia was seen as a natural thing for men and children," he said, arguing that the Catholic church had the task of taking on and defeating relativism.
Roberto Mirabile, the head of Italian anti-paedophilia campaign group La Caramella Buona, said: "When Benedict puts priestly abuse in this context, it sounds like he is trying to justify it.
"I appreciate the pope's willingness to crack down, but I still don't see this great commitment within the Vatican to shed light on a problem which is ongoing."
Mirabile said he was currently awaiting responses from the Vatican overly newly-emerging cases of abuse in Italy.
Benedict said the church's insistence on irrefutable religious truths over relativism had driven the conversion to Catholicism of the 19th century theologian John Henry Newman, who was beatified by the pontiff during his visit to England in September.
Skirting over his other foreign trips this year, the Pope singled out his speech at Westminster Hall, in London, given in front of four former prime ministers, parliamentarians and religious leaders, and claimed that the church had a role in reinforcing the moral values – currently "at risk" – that underpin modern democracy.
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For immediate release: SNAP statement, Monday, December 20, 2010
Pope calls on Catholic church to 'repair injustice' of sexual abuse; SNAP responds
Statement by Lucy Duckworth, SNAP England, SNAPEngland@gmail.com +44 780 505 7270
Others can “reflect” on the causes of the church’s widespread clergy sex abuse and cover up scandal. But the Pope must act.
Every day that passes without decisive papal action, children somewhere are being molested by priests. Every papal statement that is issued without corresponding action is an opportunity squandered.
There’s a reason clergy sex crimes are being uncovered “to a degree” Benedict says “we could not have imagined.” It’s a simple reason. It’s because he won’t insist that his bishops investigate the cover ups within their dioceses. And it’s because too few governments have the courage to do what the Irish government did: launch its own investigation.
It was encouraging last week to learn that Northern Ireland will soon start such a probe. We call on every European nation to undertake a similar project, so that child molesting clerics and their corrupt colleagues and supervisors will be publicly exposed and children will be safer.
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Irish church still owes hundreds of millions of euros, SNAP responds
IRELAND
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, SNAPclohessy@aol.com)
Yesterday, the Irish Independent ran a story about a notorious predator priest who was only defrocked after 16 year delay by Vatican officials. The article also included this revelation:
Still further damage to the church's moral authority was revealed last night, with confirmation from the Labour Party that religious orders still owe the State hundreds of millions of euro in contributions that were promised after the abuse scandals in industrial schools and reformatories.
The figures, obtained by education spokesman Ruairi Quinn, show that out of ˆ348m pledged last year in cash and property after the Ryan Report, just 6pc has been handed over, and no property has been transferred.
Belgian SNAP leader responds to latest papal abuse remarks
Statement by Lieve Halsberghe, SNAP Belgium Leader, +32 475 910 918 SNAPBelgium@gmaiol.com
The Pope’s latest remarks on abuse represent a step backward. In earlier comments, he at least vaguely alluded to the complicity of top church officials. Now, he’s back to claiming the crisis is about “sins of priests.” It’s not. It’s about corrupt bishops, who have enabled, and still enable, predator priests to sexually violate kids.
One commentator called the papal comments “Benedict's longest reflection to date by voice on clergy sex-abuse.” So what? We don’t need more words from the Pope. We need effective action from the Pope.
Some of the Pope’s defenders claim he’s made defrocking pedophile priests somewhat easier. But just days ago, other news accounts documented that it took the Vatican:
--16 years to permanently oust a serial Irish predator priest who church and secular authorities believe molested hundreds of kids, and
-- eight years to permanently oust a prominent US predator priest (who was finally defrocked last week).
So much for the alleged ‘progress’ made under Pope Benedict.
Benedict claims “We are well aware of the particular gravity of this sin committed by priests and of our corresponding responsibility.” We’re not so sure that he is. How could he understand the “gravity” and his “responsibility,” yet remain so passive and refuse to take even the most simple steps to stop future abuse?
Monday, December 20, 2010
A new culprit-Pope blames 70s for widespread abuse; SNAP responds
Statement by Barbara Blaine, SNAP President, 312 399 4747 SNAPblaine@gmail.com
While some church officials have blamed the 1960s for the church’s sex abuse and cover up catastrophe, the Pope is now blaming the 1970s.
Catholics should be embarrassed to see their Pope talk again and again about abuse while doing little or nothing to stop it and to mischaracterize this heinous crisis.
It is fundamentally disturbing to watch a brilliant man so conveniently misdiagnose a horrific scandal. It’s unseemly to see a powerful religious figure childishly blaming nameless forces and time periods for a church-created crisis.
The Pope insists on talking about a vague “broader context” he can’t control, while ignoring the clear “broader context” he can influence – the long-standing and unhealthy culture of a rigid, secretive, all-male church hierarchy fixated on self-preservation at all costs. This is the “context” that matters.
This ‘context,’ in which hundreds of thousands of child sex crimes are committed, ignored and concealed in the church, involves ordained men who often
-- think they’re better than everyone else,
-- are blindly loyal to their superiors,
-- are more concerned with career advancement than living the Gospel,
-- realize that those who protect predators are virtually never disciplined, and
-- understand that protecting the hierarchy’s reputation, secrets and assets are a high priority.
It also often involves
-- archaic, predator-friendly laws,
-- timid, under-funded law enforcement, and
-- secular officials who give church figures excessive deference.
And the church’s on-going abuse and cover up crisis involves a “context” in which lay people are often
-- too trusting of the church hierarchy, and
-- too reluctant to call police when they see, suspect and suffer clergy sex crimes.
Finally, the Pope’s priorities are backwards. “repair” is less critical than “prevention.” Wounded adults can heal themselves. Vulnerable kids, however, cannot protect themselves.
The cooperation of the church hierarchy is helpful to suffering victims, but it’s crucial to at-risk kids. Whenever the Pope tires of talking about abuse and starts acting on abuse, he should focus on taking immediate, practical steps to oust those who commit, ignore and conceal clergy sex crimes first.
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