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DUBLIN — A newly revealed 1997 letter from the Vatican warned Ireland's Catholic bishops not to report all suspected child-abuse cases to police — a disclosure that victims groups described as "the smoking gun" needed to show that the Vatican enforced a worldwide culture of cover-up.
The letter, obtained by Irish broadcasters RTE and provided to The Associated Press, documents the Vatican's rejection of a 1996 Irish church initiative to begin helping police identify pedophile priests following Ireland's first wave of publicly disclosed lawsuits.
The letter undermines persistent Vatican claims, particularly when seeking to defend itself in U.S. lawsuits, that the church in Rome never instructed local bishops to withhold evidence or suspicion of crimes from police. It instead emphasizes the church's right to handle all child-abuse allegations, and determine punishments, in house rather than hand that power to civil authorities.
Signed by the late Archbishop Luciano Storero, Pope John Paul II's diplomat to Ireland, the letter instructs Irish bishops that their new policy of making the reporting of suspected crimes mandatory "gives rise to serious reservations of both a moral and canonical nature."
Storero wrote that canon law — which required abuse allegations and punishments to be handled within the church — "must be meticulously followed." He warned that any bishops who tried to impose punishments outside the confines of canon law would face the "highly embarrassing" position of having their actions overturned on appeal in Rome...
"And thus I clothe my naked villany With odd old ends stol’n forth of holy writ..."
Originally posted by blupblup
Why do we need reliable sources when discussing Catholicism?
Don't we just need the facts? The news articles? The confessions and admissions..... the Pope covering up Paedophilia...? and untold more stories?
Originally posted by blupblupThey don't just "pick on" Catholicism, but as most of the stories that come out about Kiddy-Fiddling holy men seem to revolve around the Catholic church, including this latest one, well I think that it's fair that they bear the brunt of it.
South Park stopped being all fart gags and toilet humour a long time ago.
Originally posted by newcovenant
It is an issue of intimacy power and secrecy.
Girls are not as attractive as a strong young boy to men who look at nothing but men, and they are all that's available.
I don't think they would be pedophiles as much as they are "any port in a storm" type fellows who would not choose children were sexual partners allowed.
But then I am not 100% certain they are not a child trafficking cult masquerading as a theological institution.
edit on 27-5-2011 by newcovenant because: (no reason given)
Originally posted by Vicky32
I'll tell you a story... a few years ago here in New Zealand, a 30-something gay man ended up in prison for fraud. He'd got a whacking great payout from the Catholic church here to compensate fror abuse that was eventually proven not to have happened! (The judge explained that Church policy here is to pay out to any accuser without requiring that they prove their allegations, because they don't want to cause the poor 'victim' any further distress. Made me wonder how many other false accuser there are out there with their "untold stories"?
If you were in the slightest bit interested in facts, you'd look a bit further than those that happen to suit your prejudices!
I don't watch South Park for 3 reasons: It's bollocks, it's American and I last saw it when it was all fart jokes etc. Their Right Wing politics make me vomit.
Originally posted by Vicky32
Yeah, South Park is a really reliable source of information about Catholicism! The writers/producers are Libertarian Jews.
They have had (to use an Americanism) a 'hard-on' against Catholics forever
Originally posted by Vitchilo
Edit 2 :
"I do not want 16-year-old boys but younger. Fourteen-year-olds are O.K. Look for needy boys who have family issues," he allegedly said. Genoa Archbishop Angelo Bagnasco, who is the head of the Italian Bishops Conference
Truly a sick individual. Shooting him in the head would be too kind.
End or at least reduce pedophilia in priesthood... LET THEM GET MARRIED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah I know it's crazy to ask an organization based on a fantasy to do something sane in the real world...
Originally posted by Uncle Gravity
It's a big pedophile gang. Ive said it before on ATS and i will say it again, Pedophile Mafia. Here's how it works...Once upon a time a pedophile joined the Priesthood and found out he had his pick of children. Poor children from Orphanages etc. He got away with his abuse and told all of his sick friend's. So! they all join and before you know it they are rife within the religion. Now and again they get caught but it get's covered up because decent priest's don't want this getting out and giving them and their religion a bad name. But of course over the years this Mafia have made their way up the ladder to very powerful position's, in fact so powerful that they now run the joint (Vatican). The lunatic's have taken over the Asylum, out of control. Non pedophile priest's are kept in lowly positions, probably fearing for their lives while the fellowship of the pedo's rise to the top. As a scam it's up there with the Fed and the Bank of England. Now it's right next to the Pope, the very Pope that covered up pedophilia not so long ago! Come to think of it how did the Pope rise so high in such an organization? Answers on a postcard......
Originally posted by LexiconV
reply to post by Vicky32
Well that's your second post where you're bagging out gay men. Woman... you have issues. I do voluntary work in my spare time at a theatre which is frequented by a group of approx 80 gay guys rehearsing and performing free shows for charity organisations. Every one of them is polite and displays consistent respect for everyone regardless of who they are.
They do this because of who they are and not because they cling to a label of expectation like the words 'being Christian' has. I lost count many years ago, how many Christians were complete hypocrites regardless of how many times they attended Church. Being a humanitarian doesn't require a religion or a Christian tag, Its about helping without expecting anything in return and accepting without judgement. From your bigoted attitude it tells me you hide behind your tag. I believe you're forgetting Luke 6:37 and Matthew 7:1. if I recall. The lines most Christians, ever too often, most conveniently forget.
If a gay guy doesn't like you...well if you come across as you do in this thread...I don't blame him. They get more than their share of non acceptance in this world in a week than you'll see in your lifetime. Change your attitude towards others and you'll get a different response in return.
End or at least reduce pedophilia in priesthood... LET THEM GET MARRIED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Originally posted by StaceyWilson
No other holy book would condone these actions apart from the Talmud , and why do catholics wear lil hats on their heads like the Jews ?