Hark - Latest Comments

Re: Eve Tushnet — gay, Catholic and chaste — seeks to discern her vocation within the church

Electa Draper — Wed, 16 May 2012 14:52:44 -0000

James-Daniel Flynn, chancellor of the Archdiocese of Denver, made an excellent point in noting that Eve Tushnet expressed her one-time hope that same-sex activity, not just "same-sex attraction," as my blog stated, could be considered morally neutral. In Catholic theology, he said, "same-sex attraction does not have any moral character at all, because it is not a chosen act so much as a disposition."

Mr. Flynn also said he believes the blog implies that the church, after much work is done (to improve its theological and educational sophistication of thought regarding homosexuality), might one day condone same-sex activity. He said Eve didn't imply at her talk that the church would ever condone homosexual activity.

He also observes that the blog line that, "Until that work is done, she has chosen celibacy," makes it sound that she has an expectation the church one day could change its teaching. "Her statement at the talk was that celibacy would be a lifelong choice for her, in light of Catholic teaching," Flynn wrote to me. But I heard her say it was possible she could one day discern differently what God requires of her.

Re: Scandal creates contempt for Catholic clergy

Hate the sin, Not the sinner — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 22:19:37 -0000

FYI, The John Jay study included verbal harassment. And how many New York Examples are there? Lets see... Each school, Protestant Church, Non-Denominational Church, Temple, After School Organization, Activity Club, Fitness Center, Day care service, etc. That's at least 1,000 examples. Thus, it's practically one of the lowest examples. And the Church never said is THE . Worldwideexample, There are 260 reported abuse case in every other Non-Catholic Non-Orthodoxy Church. That's a total of about 850,000,000. So the ratio is 260:850,000,000 a year, or .00000000031ish% The Catholic Church gets 211 reported abuse cases in a population of rougly 1.2 billion. So the ratio is 212:1,200,000,000, or .00000000017ish%. That means the Protestant, Reform, and Non-Denominational Churches are on average double that of the Catholic Church. What would a follower of Jesus do? They would lower the corruption, set up restrictions and charters to protect the children of their faith. What would a person who doesn't follow Jesus do? Put the blame on a sinner's past wrong doing and hide their own wrong doing in plain site. Every religion has wrong doing, getting past it and following what Jesus would want is vital to all Christian religions. Hate the sin, not the sinner, in all cases, regardless of your affliliation

Re: Scandal creates contempt for Catholic clergy

Tjluzio — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:17:04 -0000

Paterno reported Sandusky to his immediate supervisor, who at the time was also Penn States safety director who is in charge of the police department. Paterno was the football coach not a police officer. Was he supposed to investigate these accusations? He never witnessed any crime and as I stated before not only did he report these accusations to the police but to the head of the police department. As a retired police officer (38 years with Columbus Ohio P.D.) I have spoken to many of my fellow officers and all feel the same. Shame on PSU and the press for treating Coach Paterno the way they did. In hind site I'm sure Coach felt he should have done more but he did what he was required to do and in reality what most people in his situation would have done. Also FYI I worked the sexual abuse squad for 8 years and priests were no more likely to commit sexual abuse than teachers, ministers, police officers or any other person of authority. My personal investigations involved more teachers involved in sexual abuse than any other profession including priests.

Re: Scandal creates contempt for Catholic clergy

Not_important — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 07:38:18 -0000

And your choice is to continue the words of hate, or love those who sin against you. We are sinners, but it never changes the faith. The church was never meant to be a museum for Saints - instead, a hospital for sinners. I challenge you, read what the fathers in the first and second century had to say. Faith be with you.

Re: Scandal creates contempt for Catholic clergy

Carla Kendall — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 16:48:10 -0000

There are a lot of distortions of truth in your description, especially the part that "It's worse everywhere else". This is a Catholic lie based on the Shakeshaft study, which took 225 New York examples and assumed the whole country had the same ratioo. Shakeshaft also mixed in sexual harrassment, like saying "nice cleavage", with actual sex.

It is true that 4,392 Catholic priests were accused. Penn State had ONE accused pedophile.

But Penn State never reassigned their pedophile to another school. You state that "149 priests were serial offenders, responsible for 25,000 alleged incidents", meaning they AVERAGED 169 children each as they were being concealed and reassigned by bishops.

Paterno had two choices - do "What Jesus Would
Do" or "Do what the Catholic Church" would do.

Re: Scandal creates contempt for Catholic clergy

Jeanne — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 09:14:26 -0000

I agree that the problem is throughout all churches/religions. Being a hierarchy and having such unison has helped the problem become more public than in other religions.and some find that unfair.. The good side to this is that the exposure wlll certainly help in the long run. Our clergy will be more watched than any other. The Catholic Church will be stronger for this, as has been shown throughout history.

Re: Scandal creates contempt for Catholic clergy

Bigd — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 08:31:06 -0000

One flew over the Cuccoo's Nest...

Re: Pope, press make most of scandal since 2002

Jonorev21 — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 07:37:23 -0000

The Roman Catholic Church is evil!
Read God's word the Bible and learn truth!

Re: Scandal creates contempt for Catholic clergy

Vicariopusdei — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 18:16:56 -0000

COLEGIO RETAMAR: CARRY ON YOUR CROSS AND EVANGELIZE WORLDWIDE THAT OPUS DEI DEVOURS THE POOR BREAD TO MAKE WHEELS OF MILLS FOR THE ALTARS OF WHO WHO WERE THE MARQUIS DE PERALTA.
COLEGIO RETAMAR: CARGA TU CRUZ Y EVANGELIZA POR TODO EL MUNDO QUE EL OPUS DEI DEVORA EL PAN DE LOS POBRES PARA FABRICAR RUEDAS DE MOLINOS PARA LOS ALTARS DEL QUE FUÉ MARQUÉS DE PERALTA.

A SHAME ON OPUS DEI SPIRITUAL TERRORISM, COMPUTING PROSTITUTION, INVASION OF PRIVACY, THE PERSONAL KIDNAPPING AND THE ATTEMPT OF HOMICIDE AGAINST MY CONSACRED LIFE. CARRY ON YOUR HOLY CROSS AND EVANGELIZE WHEREVER AND WHENEVER THE OPUS DEI ASSAULTS ON REASON, AS A TREASON FOR CHRIST AND HUMANITY.
The CATHOLIC CHURCH SEX ABUSE has become usual and invisible cassocks are kept for OPUS DEI to carry on whatever is related to ASSAULTS on REASON, ASSAULTS on PUBLIC TREASURY, DEAL with LORD BLACK MONEY and found ILLEGAL FOUNDATIONS.
I am here WHEREVER and WHENEVER you WISH to make DOCUMENTS prove what I WRITE and what I have written for SEVEN YEARS. It has been clear, concrete and precise that the WALLS of OPUS DEI are too THICK and their PILLARS rest on the MEANS of COMMUNICATIONS, the SPANISH POLICE and the SPANISH JUDGES, as I have experienced into my proper SKIN. I have been kidnapped and an attempt of homicide was planned against me by the the EX MARQUIS´S de PERALTA NEPHEW and EX STUDENT of MINE, SANTIAGO ESCRIVÁ DE BALAGUER.
I have denounced the FATHER of OPUS DEI, MONSEÑOR ECHEVARRIA three TIMES at the POLICE STATION and at the PERMANRENT JUDGE, because he must be responsible of his SONS´ ASSAULTS on REASON, the ADULTERY of HUMAN RIGHTS, the PROSTITUTION with TECHNOLOGY and the SPIRITUAL TERRORISM in INVISIBLE BURKAS.
CHURCH SLAVERY, OPUS DEI POWER and OPRESSION have been REASONS that gave WAY of 999 WAYS to SEX ABUSE SCANDALS. LIBERALISM is a reaction of OPRESSION and RADICALISM. The MIDDLE AGED POLISH PAPACY has given the VATICAN PLANET CONTROL to OPUS DEI without paying attentions to those congregations that have made glorious history at CATHOLIC CHURCH. The POLISH POPE who had no PEDIGREE has legalized the MARRIAGE between CHURCH and OPUS DEI and then FUHRER RATZINGER BIN BUSHITLER has continued the SECRET MATRIMONY that made CHRISTIANITY sounds SATANITY and NEDIEVALITY.
FUHRER RATZINGER has given DISGRACE and INFAMY to CHURCH. He offers EMPTY WORDS and USLESS ARGUMENTS. It is good for REAL CHRIST DOCTRINE to leave CHURCH in HANDS of REFORMERS, RESTRUCTERS and REORGANIZERS. ACTIONS speak much better than WORKS. DEFENDING celibracy despite preastly abuse scandals is like stray dogs barkings. CHRIST has been cloned on the BUSHITLER PENTAGON and FUHRER RATZINGER had to go there and validate the PRESENCE of a CLONED TERRORIST CHRIST on the PENTAGON. ATROCITIES, GENOCIDES, DESTRUCTIONS, and CLEANSINGS have given WAY to the ACTUAL SEXIST CHURCH.
VICARIO/VICARIOPUSDAY/VICARIOPUSEXDEI/VICARIOPUSEXISTDEI; VICARIOPUSECTDEI/VICARIOPUSUCKDEI/VICARIOPUSICKDEI/VICARIOPUSADDEI/DON MOISÉS/MOISÉS IBRAHIM: EX OPUS DEI SUPERNUMERARY and EX EDUCATOR at COLEGIO RETAMAR in MAFRID for THIRTY THREE YEARS that are translated into TWO TRINITIES that HONOUR and DIGNIFY the EX MARQUIS de PERALTA in HIS TOMB. OPUS DEI has given me a NAME and a FAME because of the OPUS DEI ASSAULTS on REASEN here, there and everywhere. WITNESSES of the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE will be those whi I have EDUCATED, the ones who come from FASCISM, DICTATORSHIP, CHURCH SLAVERY, GREATNESSES of SPAIN, ARISTOCRACY, NOBILITY, HIGHNESS and ROYALTY, to all of them I KEEP FULL RESPECT and ADMIRATION

Re: Scandal creates contempt for Catholic clergy

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 12:06:15 -0000

Here's my problem with the claim that Catholic clergy is no more guilty than other clergy.

There are only numbers for how many Catholic clergy being cited but not a single verifiable count being offered for other religions and/or denominations.

To use anecdotal claims made by insurance companies and underwriters is not data, it's anecdotal and it should not be considered evidence and here's why.

Insurance is in the business of spreading risk across many insurers not calculating the risk within one specific religion. If they had data to support this claim, they would be offering it but they obviously don't. What they have is the fact that insurance companies have not assigned a higher rate for liability against sexual misconduct for one religious group over the others.

This could be based on the rate of legal success rather than an even amount of claims from all religions. It also might be due to the fact that that specific underwriter doesn't have an even number of insured from all religions.

This is not science, it's a transparent attempt to whitewash an insidious scandal.

We know that there have been more than 4000 priests accused of misconduct. That's about all we know. We have no more data on other religions at all so the claims made here are nothing more than mere claims.

Re: Scandal creates contempt for Catholic clergy

George E. — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 22:19:44 -0000

Thank you for looking at the issue from all angles. I personally want to see the church show accountability rather than blaming what they have done on the media or pointing the fingers at other pedophiles to hide its own rampant pedophile problem. Ignoring a problem does not make it go away - it only perpetuates the problem.

Every time a pedophilic religious leader is transferred to another church, it becomes obvious that the church is more concerned with controlling its numbers than protecting its people. We deserve to have social leaders (e.g. priests, preachers, teachers, scoutmasters) in healthy sexual relationships instead of pretending that lack of a healthy sexual lifestyle is somehow good. Lack of a healthy sex life creates problems, period. Patience pays, but abstinence takes its toll.

Re: Scandal creates contempt for Catholic clergy

Steve Knapp — Sun, 30 May 2010 19:04:34 -0000

It's refreshing to see a little context creep into what is beginning to feel likelike a nationwide, press-sponsored blanket party on the Catholic Church. As a lapsed Catholic, I have no great warmth for that institution, but I've never subscribed to the idea that the average Catholic priest is somehow less trustrworthy or more dangerous, than the average Baptist minister, Muslim Imam, Buddhist monk or Senegalese witch-doctor. Now, thanks to what looks like a meticulously researched article, it appears I wasn't far off. Still, I'm bothered that it didn't appear in the pages of a Post street edition. What bother's me more is that I'm not all that surprised it didn't. If the press is running on fumes, pointed omissions like this are at least partly responsible.

Re: Hark! Talk back to the day’s religion news

Sharon Whelan — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 10:32:09 -0000

I loved the story in today's paper "Good Faith Effort". The story exemplifies how people of faith should live their faith through actions.
I have just finished reading "Three Cups of Tea" the story of Greg Mortenson's one man mission to promote peace, one school at a time. I have learned more about our present political and military situation in the middle east from reading about Mortenson's experiences than from any other source.
If president Obama where to choose a book for, one book one nation, as our
Denver mayor has, (one book one city) "Three Cups of Tea" would be a great choice.