Pope Calls Church Leaders to Vatican:
The old man wants to talk about sex
by Joseph C. Hinson
April 16, 2002 (additions April 25)

So this man goes to confession. He just turned thirty-three and is starting a family, so he wants to get a fresh start. He talks for ten, fifteen minutes before he finishes up. He confesses sex, drinking and something that involved a copying machine and his butt. There's a pause on the other side of the confessional. Finally, the priest says, "Boy, you think that's bad."

Sure, that was a bad joke. It was in poor taste. But at this point, I must say that the Catholic Church is becoming a sick and depraved institution. I'm sorry, but how else can you explain it? Case after case of young boys being molested over the years by Catholic priests. I hate to lump them all in the same wastebasket of humanity, but there is a cancer developing on the soul of the Catholic Church. It's to the point where Pope John Paul II has called American leaders of the church to the Vatican to discuss sex scandals which have rocked the church over the last few years.

Perhaps the most alarming aspect of the recent allegations is that high ranking clergy in the church knew of some of the molestation charges and suppressed the information. Priests were transferred to new parishes and no one was notified that his past was checkered at best. In some parts of the country, police would have had to go door to door to tell parents that a child molester had moved into their neighborhood. In this case, the molester was in a position of authority and influence. Besides, the police didn't know about any of the charges since the church was actively covering this up.

Boston Archbishop Cardinal Bernard Law

Boston Archbishop Cardinal Bernard Law, 70, has been heavily criticized since former priest John Geoghan was convicted of child molesting. He has acknowledged that he transferred Geoghan to another parish despite knowing of sexual misconduct allegations against the now-defrocked Boston priest. Geoghan is believed to have abused more than 130 people over a 20-year period. He was sentenced to nine to ten years by a Massachusetts court following his conviction in January of indecent assault and battery for fondling a young boy in 1991.

Law has gone on record explaining his indifference to the allegations saying he wanted "to avoid scandal to the faithful and to preserve the reputation of the priest." Frankly, that's a bunch of bullshit. At best, it's an attempt to look the other way and hope the mess just disappears. At worst, it's a conspiracy of silence. If he knew the priest was having his way with little boys and did nothing, the man needs to go to jail. It's as simple as that. The reputation of the priest, in this case, was that he molested small boys. Protect the children first, then worry about preserving the reputation of evil men.

Part of the problem is that the Church wants to look holy and pious. The PR factor cannot be denied here. If we look a certain wy, they thing, then we are that way and we can lead others to our way of thinking.

"We now realize both within the church and in society at large that secrecy often inhibits healing and places others at risk," Law wrote to archdiocese priests in a letter released by the church. Law suggested that a lack of psychological instruction at seminaries, the failure to weigh the criminality of child molestation and even shoddy record keeping contributed to the crisis.

In other words, he's trying to place blame on anyone other than himself. In the final analysis, the brunt of the responsibility in this specific case lies with Geoghan. But I don't think Law is guilt free in any of this. But not only has he not been charged with a crime, he also hasn't lost his job. Not only that, but the man is currently in Vatican City trying to come up with ways to end this crisis. Jesus Christ, that's like Richard Nixon circa 1975 sitting on a board trying to clean up the tarnished image of the Presidency. Pope John Paul II last month said, "We are personally and profoundly afflicted by the sins of some of our brothers." Pontiff, if that's the case, you could go far in making us believe your word by getting rid of this man and all like him once and for all.

Across the whole country, three thousand priests face allegations of child abuse.

Closer to home, my home anyway, in Raleigh, North Carolina, the diocese announced that the priest of two small eastern N.C. parishes was placed on administrative leave after officials learned he lied when questioned about past arrests for child abuse. Francis Perry, 57, was arrested and charged 15 years ago with taking indecent liberties with a minor. The charge was dropped when the victim refused to testify. We know that a lot of times these predators of small children get away with it because the victims are ashamed of what happened and do not want to testify. Sometimes the parents push the child to let the matter drop because of shame as well.

In Charleston, S.C., diocese spokesman John Carroll said the diocese is investigating several priests for allegations of sexual abuse against minors. The priests will continue to serve, Carroll said, until the diocese determine whether the allegations are credible.

That's eye popping, frankly. Fifteen years ago this monster preyed on a small child. He then lied about it and got to keep his job. You know, if a janitor at a school was arrested and charged fifteen years ago with this same crime, they would fire him in a heart beat whether or not he came into any day to day contact with children. But this man of God can keep his job while the Church tries to determine whether the allegations are credible. The church has three thousand priests across the country facing these charges. I think it's fair to say the charges are credible. Frankly, what's more important? The safety and welfare of these children? Or the reputation of the Church? Don't ask the Vatican. They obviously don't have a clue.

And then this from Charlotte. The Winstom-Salem Journal reported just this past Sunday that the Diocese of Charlotte used its money and insurance funds to pay Watauga County parents who accused a Roman Catholic priest of sexually abusing their twin sons, the Winston-Salem Journal reported Sunday. This is a lot like the Jim Bakker/Jessica Hahn incident from PTL back in the 80s. Oh, wait a minute. Not it's not. In the Bakker debacle, both parties were consenting adults if not also more than a little creepy.

According to records in Watauga County Superior Court, the diocese in 1996 paid $77,489 to Martin and Melissa Corts, who alleged that their priest at St. Elizabeth's Catholic Church in Boone had fondled their son Gabriel when he was in his early teens. A second payment of an undisclosed amount came three years later after the family filed a lawsuit charging that the priest, the Rev. Damion Lynch, had also abused the boy's twin brother.

After the allegations were made, the priest was first reassigned to a church in Charlotte, then removed from duty after the family sued, the Journal reported Sunday. The twins and their father discussed the case with a reporter, saying they hope to help others abused by priests come forward.

But to be fair to Catholic priests, they don't just sexually abuse little boys. They also sexually abuse nuns. A report, which was leaked to respected American Journal, the National Catholic Reporter, was written seven years ago by a nun and physician, Maura O'Donohue, who was then Aids coordinator for the Catholic Relief Charity, Cafod. It was shown to the Vatican seven years ago and then apparently forgotten.

Among the abuses detailed is the case of a nun being forced to have an abortion by the priest who impregnated her. She later died and he officiated at her requiem mass. Most of the reports come from Africa, where fear of Aids has made celibate women a target of male clergy who see them as "safe" sexual partners.

So it's hard to fathom what is going on inside the Catholic Church. I certainly think a serious problem exists. The problem is two-fold. First, you have the priests who are preying upon the weak and helpless. That's abominable. But then you have the clergy higher up than they who shove it under the rug. I hope there is a special place in hell for these dickweeds. These men are in a position where they can do something about the rats that are doing the molesting. But instead of doing what is right and proper, they look the other way. How many children have had their lives ruined because of this? How many of them ended up taking their own lives because of these bastards?

But do they get it? Do they understand the severity of the situation yet? With Bernie Law other there, I doubt it. Consider this quote from U.S. bishops' head Wilton Gregory. "There is a growing consensus certainly among the faithful, among the bishops, that it is too great a risk to assign a priest who has abused a child to another ministry." A growing consensus? What the fuck is that shit? A child gets molested by a serial rapist and there's a growing consensus that maybe these men should not have been assigned to that parish?

So all I can say until something is done about this, if a Catholic Church moves into your neighborhood, never let your boys out of your sight.

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