the same old mistakes
By Diogenes (articles ) | April 13, 2010 6:01 PM
In an op-ed column appearing in USA Today (along with a contrasting view from our own Phil Lawler), Stephen Prothero of Boston University writes that Pope Benedict should confess his crimes-- whatever they might be. Frustrated by what he sees as mismanagement in Rome, Prothero asks:
Why is the Vatican repeating many of the same mistakes Cardinal Bernard Law made after this scandal broke in Boston in the 1990s?
The scandal didn't break in Boston; it first appeared in Louisiana, then in Dallas and in Fall River. When it did hit Boston, it wasn't the "1990s;" the full impact hit in 2002. But never mind those details; let's address Prothero's question. To repeat:
Why is the Vatican repeating many of the same mistakes Cardinal Bernard Law made after this scandal broke in Boston in the 1990s?
Which mistakes, exactly, is the Vatican repeating?
- Is the Vatican assigning known pedophiles as pastors?
- Is the Vatican sending letters to multiple-offense predators, congratulating them on their long years of productive ministry?
- Is the Vatican refusing to accept phone calls from parishioners who complain about a priest who is a serial molester?
- Is the Vatican telling victims of abuse that they must keep things quiet, because they are bound by the confessional seal?
- Is the Vatican signing reference letters for priests who spoke at the foundational meeting of the North American Man-Boy Love Association?
It's a funny thing, but in the gazillion recent stories about the alleged misdeeds of Pope Benedict, none of those "same mistakes" has even been mentioned.
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Posted by: Gil125 -
Apr. 14, 2010 3:11 PM ET USA
I thinkfredsfo2 is too generous. They didn't admit homosexuals because they couldn't find anybody else. They admitted them because they wanted them. And there are many, many stories of genuine men being refused admission because they weren't sufficiently friendly to the poofter element.
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Posted by: Frodo1945 -
Apr. 14, 2010 8:41 AM ET USA
The medis just slobers trying to get leaders like Pope Benedict to publicly confess their errors. They did the same to President Bush, although they don't see the need for any of their guys to do the same (President Clinton, Barney Frank,Charles Rangel, etc) fredsf02, the sex abuse scandal was on the rise before Vatican II, just hidden from sight.
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Posted by: -
Apr. 13, 2010 9:19 PM ET USA
As dreadful as the recent attacks on Pope Benedict XVI have been, the problem isn't with him. The problem is laxity within the Church, specifically with post-Vatican II Vocation Directors, who couldn't find prospective candidates for their Orders. So they opened up the doors and let everyone in ... All the testing in the world isn't going to keep homosexuals out of seminaries who are determined to join. And we have seen that happen over and over again.
