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Papal letter fails to quell scandals engulfing Irish Catholic church | World news | guardian.co.uk

Pope Benedict XVI's pastoral letter to Ireland's Catholics has failed to arrest the scandal engulfing the church, with pressure growing for the resignation of bishops who were in positions of authority during the paedophile priest cover-up.

Calls for bishops to step down came amid revelations of more abuse cases, including some in Germany.



The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman
by dvx (dvx.clt ät gmail dotcom) on Sun Mar 21st, 2010 at 01:44:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]
the question - how valid are the allegations of abuse? What the victims have been doing (in some cases for many decades) all the time? Why they did not contact the police and kept silence? That's why unless there is a proof (as in some clear cases where priests where indicted and put in jail) this latest scandal seem to be media creation.

Because it is media creation I am tired of all these stories of sexual abuse which some newschannels like CNN strangely put at the top of headlines. When they again and again repeat these allegations I just switch channel. And it is not about my religious beliefs, I despair these media machinations and manipulations when they try to give the story undue importance. There are so many more important things going on in this world, take just continuing blockade of Gaza by Israel for example. Yet the Western media simply is not relenting.  

I am not a catholic and not a christian but I am dismayed by seemingly determined destruction of Western church by media. What, the Westerners would be much better without church which clings to outdated superstitions? Would Westerners stop their wars and occupations of other countries, abjure targeted assasinations, abductions and torture of suspects and give up support for apartheid style regimes like Israel? It's not the Roman pope who asked the Westerners to do all these things.

by FarEasterner on Mon Mar 22nd, 2010 at 07:15:56 AM EST
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The allegations seem to be mainly valid.

What the victims have been doing (in some cases for many decades) all the time? Why they did not contact the police and kept silence?

Because they were kids? In the more-or-less total power of the representatives of the sort of god who sent you to hell for calling the cops? Because of all the normal factors that keep victims of sexual abuse quiet: abuse of power, social pressure, shame, blame-the-victim bullshit,  people asking why they didn't do something at the time and casting doubt on their stories without even doing any checking.
by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Mon Mar 22nd, 2010 at 07:23:59 AM EST
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That's like asking why people don't report instances of abuse within the family. There are power and emotional dependence relationships involved, not to speak of the feelings of shame, guilt and the fear that victims will be blamed bo outsiders.

The brainless should not be in banking -- Willem Buiter
by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Mon Mar 22nd, 2010 at 07:29:44 AM EST
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Also check Frank's diary: It's ok not to report crimes if you're a priest.

Even if, in other countries, the Catholic Church didn't hold such a strong grip on moral and secular power, it is still very, very  difficult for young victims to turn against such an authority figure and powerful institution.

What the victims have been doing (in some cases for many decades) all the time? Why they did not contact the police and kept silence?

Victims and their families were repeatedly pressured, if not outright threatened with excommunication, if they dared move forward with pressing charges.
by Bernard (bernard) on Mon Mar 22nd, 2010 at 08:46:02 AM EST
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FarEasterner:
Would Westerners stop their wars and occupations of other countries, abjure targeted assasinations, abductions and torture of suspects and give up support for apartheid style regimes like Israel?

With an entirely secular government? I'd be surprised if at least some of these things didn't happen.

Tony Blair used his Catholic religion - the one he lied about and kept secret from the electorate - as an explicit excuse for the Iraq invasion.

Of course there's no guarantee an atheist would have thought differently, but 'god' does seem to have an odd habit of getting involved in wars everywhere.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Mon Mar 22nd, 2010 at 07:31:48 AM EST
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I am dismayed by seemingly determined destruction of Western church by media

Wow.

We're not talking about harmless Buddhist monks being broken by the Myanmar military junta here...

The brainless should not be in banking -- Willem Buiter

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Mon Mar 22nd, 2010 at 07:33:19 AM EST
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And in many places the "Harmless Buddhist monk" idea is a construct of that same western media.

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.
by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Mon Mar 22nd, 2010 at 07:57:49 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Orientalism?

The brainless should not be in banking -- Willem Buiter
by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Mon Mar 22nd, 2010 at 08:15:17 AM EST
[ Parent ]

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