Ongoing religious scandals

Delirium

robindch wrote: »

The church in Los Angeles was forced by court order to disclose its internal files on pedophile priests and the church's management of them. So a few days back, it uploaded 12,000 pages of documentation or so to its website, some of which makes pretty unpleasant reading:

http://clergyfiles.la-archdiocese.org/listing.html

The current archbishop of LA is so unhappy at his predecessor's management of the whole mess, that he's relieved him of all administrative and public duties. This kind of implied public reprimand of a cardinal by an archbishop is, to my knowledge, unique in the catholic church, an organization where, as the pedophile scandal showed, breaking ranks seems to be a most serious sin.

Now, lawyers for the victims claim that the church has only released around one-third of what it should have.

And following on from that, it seems the Cardinal will be involved in choosing the next pope.

Los Angeles Cardinal Mahony to Help Elect New Pope

Catholic Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles, who's banned from some church duties, says he will help elect a successor to Pope Benedict XVI, who announced he's resigning.

Mahony is the former head of the Los Angeles archdiocese, where he has been barred from public duties by the current archbishop because of revelations about his past handling of clergy pedophile cases. But Mahony otherwise remains in good standing as archbishop emeritus.

Mahony says in a statement that he looks forward to traveling to Rome to participate in the conclave that will choose the next pope.

He also participated in the conclave that elected Benedict in 2005. Mahony says Benedict was an "extraordinary successor to St. Peter" and the church will continue to be blessed by his prayers and writings.

SebBerkovich

koth wrote: »

And following on from that, it seems the Cardinal will be involved in choosing the next pope.

Los Angeles Cardinal Mahony to Help Elect New Pope

The only way to maintain the high standards set by Papa Ratz is to only have those of the highest standard in the church find a successor.

robindch

koth wrote: »

And following on from that, it seems the Cardinal will be involved in choosing the next pope.

It's not the only thing he's involved in. Turns out that he swiped almost 90% of the the cemetery maintenance fund in order to settle a string of molestation claims.

The move appears to be legal in California since the strict rules which block privately-owned cemeteries from misappropriating maintenance funds don't apply to religiously-owned cemeteries. For differing, if obvious, reasons, neither the relatives who contributed to the fund weren't consulted, nor were the dead. And when the money did finally appear in the full light of day to pay the claims, Mahony failed to say where it came from, choosing instead to say that it derived from "substantial investments". No doubt another case of cardinal-level mental reservation.

One abuse victim, whose parents are buried in one of the cemeteries concerned, objected to the misappropriation, thought about it a bit more, then gave it his thumbs up.

http://articles.latimes.com/2013/feb/09/local/la-me-church-cemetery-fund-20130210

maringo

koth wrote: »

And following on from that, it seems the Cardinal will be involved in choosing the next pope.

Los Angeles Cardinal Mahony to Help Elect New Pope

Read a couple of the pdf files. Couldn't read any more as so sickened. Shocking abuse and total abuse of power. Absolute b stards protected by absolute b stards. Seems to be the same the world over.

Nodin

Right....that time again....

NEGOTIATIONS between the State and religious orders on the multi-million euro compensation owed for institutional child abuse are at a stalemate.
........
The Government wants the 18 religious congregations involved to pay a combined €735m – half the estimated €1.47bn final bill for compensating victims.
But, to date, the congregations have offered €480m, in a combination of cash and property.

The €480m figure has not improved since 2009 when the congregations upped their original offer following the publication of the Ryan Report, which detailed the extent of institutional child abuse.
The congregations are offering €255m less than what the State is seeking and when the falling property values are taken into account, the shortfall is even larger – last year it was estimated at €380m.
.................
As an alternative to handing over more cash or property, last year the minister suggested that the congregations transfer the ownership of educational and medical facilities to the State.
He told them that they could continue to control the facilities for as long as they desired, but that the State would take on the role of landlord and, so ultimately, be the beneficial owner.
But, the congregations say that many such facilities are beyond their reach because the ownership has been transferred to trusts, complex legal entities over which they have no control

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/religious-orders-refuse-to-budge-on-childabuse-payout-29070659.html

kylith

Transferred to trusts for just that reason, the slimy, two-faced expletives.

robindch

Indo wrote:

As an alternative to handing over more cash or property, last year the minister suggested that the congregations transfer the ownership of educational and medical facilities to the State. He told them that they could continue to control the facilities for as long as they desired, but that the State would take on the role of landlord and, so ultimately, be the beneficial owner.

Ah, so the religious orders don't own the places, they don't pay for the people that work there and they don't pay for the maintenance or the capital expenditure. But they still get to control them?

Sounds perfectly equitable.

Banbh

And impose their dogma on the patients and students.

UDP

kylith wrote: »

Transferred to trusts for just that reason, the slimy, two-faced expletives.

Didnt that crook Sean Quinn not do the same thing?! Its a good thing they have the good book to teach them their super morals.

joseph brand

Pastor to Sue Forbes for Listing 'Richest Pastors' in Brazil; Claims Information Wholly Inaccurate

One of the pastors mentioned in the list, Silas Malafaia, has promised to file a lawsuit against the magazine for its "shamless" report. Other evangelical leaders have also spoken out against the news saying it presents religion as a profitable business and infringes on the private finances of individuals.

Ha!

The investigation listed the five wealthiest ministers as: Edir Macedo, leader of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God ($950 million); Valdemiro Santiago, of the World Church of the Power of God ($200 million); Silas Malafaia, president of Victory in Christ Assembly of God ($150 million), RR Soares, of the International Church of the Grace of God ($125 million) and the married couple Estevam Hernandes and Sonia, of the Reborn in C

It's not about the money. Yeah right.

joseph brand

The pope's entire career has the stench of evil about it.
By Christopher Hitchens

There are two separate but related matters here: First, the individual responsibility of the pope in one instance of this moral nightmare and, second, his more general and institutional responsibility for the wider lawbreaking and for the shame and disgrace that go with it. The first story is easily told, and it is not denied by anybody. In 1979, an 11-year-old German boy identified as Wilfried F. was taken on a vacation trip to the mountains by a priest. After that, he was administered alcohol, locked in his bedroom, stripped naked, and forced to suck the penis of his confessor. (Why do we limit ourselves to calling this sort of thing "abuse"?) The offending cleric was transferred from Essen to Munich for "therapy" by a decision of then-Archbishop Joseph Ratzinger, and assurances were given that he would no longer have children in his care. But it took no time for Ratzinger's deputy, Vicar General Gerhard Gruber, to return him to "pastoral" work, where he soon enough resumed his career of sexual assault.

Very much more serious is the role of Joseph Ratzinger, before the church decided to make him supreme leader, in obstructing justice on a global scale. After his promotion to cardinal, he was put in charge of the so-called "Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith" (formerly known as the Inquisition). In 2001, Pope John Paul II placed this department in charge of the investigation of child rape and torture by Catholic priests. In May of that year, Ratzinger issued a confidential letter to every bishop. In it, he reminded them of the extreme gravity of a certain crime. But that crime was the reporting of the rape and torture. The accusations, intoned Ratzinger, were only treatable within the church's own exclusive jurisdiction. Any sharing of the evidence with legal authorities or the press was utterly forbidden. Charges were to be investigated "in the most secretive way ... restrained by a perpetual silence ... and everyone ... is to observe the strictest secret which is commonly regarded as a secret of the Holy Office … under the penalty of excommunication." (My italics.) Nobody has yet been excommunicated for the rape and torture of children, but exposing the offense could get you into serious trouble. And this is the church that warns us against moral relativism!

It's a pity The Hitch wasn't around to see the pope quit his job, leaving the stinking sinking ship.

Run_to_da_hills

Pope To Seek Immunity From Prosecution from Italian Government.



Not sure if this was mentioned here. I am sure Ratsinger could avoid arrest if he spent the rest of his miserable years within the confines of the Vatican as it is considered a sovereign state.

'Pope Benedict, Joseph Ratzinger, has scheduled a meeting with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano for Saturday, February 23 to discuss securing protection and immunity from prosecution from the Italian government, according to Italian media sources.

Ratzinger's meeting follows upon the apparent receipt by the Vatican of a diplomatic note from an undisclosed European government on February 4, stating its intention to issue an arrest warrant for Ratzinger, who resigned from his pontificate less than a week later.'

http://itccs.org/2013/02/14/pope-benedict-to-seek-immunity-and-protection-from-italian-president-giorgio-napolitano-on-february-23/

Sarky

Poor sources and worse PhotoShops? Seems legit...

Hotblack Desiato

Pfft, there's always a doubting Thomas isn't there.

bnt

UCD News reports on a recent study, by researchers at UCD and St. Vincent's Hospital, on the role of Clerical training in fostering child abuse by clergy:

The study involved nine clergy who had perpetrated child sexual abuse and were attending professional psychotherapy. The interview schedules with the offenders were taken from a thematic analysis of a random selection of ‘life stories’ (autobiographical accounts of participants’ life histories completed as part of group therapy).

All of the participants displayed significant difficulties forming friendships and close relationships, a condition common among perpetrators of child sexual abuse.

“What appears among our study participants, and therefore is likely for other clerical offenders, is the experience of a culture and system that failed to re-balance or correct any early problems they may have had but rather acted to compound them through the strict imposition of certain beliefs and ideology,” adds Dr D’Alton.

The findings published in The International Journal of Child Abuse and Neglect point to a prevailing ideology that compounded psychosexual and psychosocial vulnerabilities during the participants’ clerical training, and thus fostered any predisposition to perpetrate sexual abuse.

As I've said before: what kind of man would willingly choose a career that denies him a healthy sex life and marriage?

Bannasidhe

Christian Brothers Schools (CBS) is to benefit from projects worth €60m in the current five-year school building programme, the Irish Independent has learned.

That is on top of €30m already paid out for major building works in CBS schools that have finished recently, or are due for completion soon.

... The figures have come to light as negotiations on the handover of the vacant boys' primary school in Basin Lane, James Street, Dublin hit a stumbling block.....The Edmund Rice Schools Trust (ERST), which now owns and controls the CBS schools, is blaming legal issues for the delay.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/90m-payout-row-over-vacant-school-29077025.html

WTF????

What the hell are we doing paying for the CBS to build schools that are then under the management of a Trust that insists all of that property can only be used to 'bestow' a Catholic education????? :mad:

MrPudding

Bannasidhe wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/90m-payout-row-over-vacant-school-29077025.html

WTF????

What the hell are we doing paying for the CBS to build schools that are then under the management of a Trust that insists all of that property can only be used to 'bestow' a Catholic education????? :mad:

Further, a trust that is probably only in existence to prevent payment of monies owed.

mrP

joseph brand

robindch wrote: »

It's not the only thing he's involved in. Turns out that he swiped almost 90% of the the cemetery maintenance fund in order to settle a string of molestation claims.

The move appears to be legal in California since the strict rules which block privately-owned cemeteries from misappropriating maintenance funds don't apply to religiously-owned cemeteries. For differing, if obvious, reasons, neither the relatives who contributed to the fund weren't consulted, nor were the dead. And when the money did finally appear in the full light of day to pay the claims, Mahony failed to say where it came from, choosing instead to say that it derived from "substantial investments". No doubt another case of cardinal-level mental reservation.

One abuse victim, whose parents are buried in one of the cemeteries concerned, objected to the misappropriation, thought about it a bit more, then gave it his thumbs up.

http://articles.latimes.com/2013/feb/09/local/la-me-church-cemetery-fund-20130210

That evil swine mentioned above has decided to ask god to forgive and bless those who are angry at him for shielding child rapists.

In the past several days, I have experienced many examples of being humiliated. In recent days, I have been confronted in various places by very unhappy people. I could understand the depth of their anger and outrage — at me, at the Church, at about injustices that swirl around us.
Thanks to God’s special grace, I simply stood there, asking God to bless and forgive them.

I want to say that this is unbelievable stuff, but it isn't. This is par for the course, as far as the church is concerned.

robindch

joseph brand wrote: »

I want to say that this is unbelievable stuff, but it isn't. This is par for the course, as far as the church is concerned.

That's just so last week (Mahony's original post is here).

This week, Mr Mahony is comparing himself to Jesus Christ.

http://cardinalrogermahonyblogsla.blogspot.ie/2013/02/jesus-suffering-servant.html

Rogert Mahony wrote:

The poem of the Suffering Servant is important for all of us who are disciples of Jesus Christ since we are called to imitate his words, actions, and life. Part of that journey will always entail suffering from time to time. But what makes Jesus' suffering so different, and so important for us, is that he lived out Isaiah's prophecy fully: "...he did not open his mouth..."

That means never rationalizing what is happening in our lives, never protesting misunderstandings, and never getting angry because of false accusations. And that is so difficult for us human beings. It is certainly difficult for me on my journey.

Not opening our mouth in repudiation or backlash goes against our human nature, and against our pride. But remaining silent after the example of Jesus leaves each accusation in the hands of our loving and forgiving God, not in the hands of other humans with varied agendas.

Sarky

I'm sure Jesus would have remained silent over child sex abuse.

Bannasidhe

Sarky wrote: »

I'm sure Jesus would have remained silent over child sex abuse.

He may have reconsidered the words 'suffer little children to come unto me.'

SebBerkovich

The Catholic Chruch in Germany has decided that now is the time to allow rape victims

"Proper medical, psychological and emotional care"

including allowing

"permit certain types of "morning-after pill" for raped women".

But what could bring on such generosity?

bishops took the decision because they feared losing state subsidies for church hospitals.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2013/0222/breaking7.html

MrPudding

SebBerkovich wrote: »

The Catholic Chruch in Germany has decided that now is the time to allow rape victims including allowing

But what could bring on such generosity?



http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2013/0222/breaking7.html

It's always about the money.

MrP

darealtulip

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/23/cardinal-keith-o-brien-accused-inappropriate

"Three priests and a former priest in Scotland have reported the most senior Catholic clergyman in Britain, Cardinal Keith O'Brien, to the Vatican over allegations of inappropriate behaviour stretching back 30 years."

Nodin

Abuse victims in "Protestant Magdalene Laundries" with links to the State were not included in the redress scheme for fear of the financial cost, contrary to the official policy that money would not be a factor, official documents suggest.

Separate documents released show how officials decided to include a number of Protestant homes because they knew there would be no claims from centres which "operated in the 1800s".
According to documents released, officials included the homes on the grounds there would be no claims from those institutions. One official wrote to his colleague: "I would be inclined to include them in the schedule as they were used as residential centres for children. I think it is safe to assume that there will be no applications for those centres which operated in the 1800s!"

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/fears-over-costs-leave-protestants-without-redress-29090520.html

Stayin classy.....

darealtulip

Another great headline

Papal resignation linked to inquiry into 'Vatican gay officials'

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/21/pope-retired-amid-gay-bishop-blackmail-inquiry

MrPudding

Excellent news. This will hopefully be a slippery slope from which they cannot recover.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/28/catholic-church-abuse-claims-compensation

MrP

robindch

MrPudding wrote: »

Excellent news.

Interesting to compare the judgement's understanding of the relationship between a priest and a bishop and the "officeholder" defence offered by the church, with [url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/23/cardinal-keith-o-brien-accused-inappropriate
]the description of the relationship[/url] provided by one of the priests in the O'Brien "inappropriate behaviour" story from last week:

The Guardian wrote:

The ruling stated that although a priest may not be directly employed by a diocese, "he is in a relationship with his bishop, which is close enough, and so akin to employer/employee as to make it just and fair to impose vicarious liability [on the church for the priest's acts]".

Priest C, via The Guardian wrote:

Those involved believe the cardinal abused his position. "You have to understand," explains the ex-priest, "the relationship between a bishop and a priest. At your ordination, you take a vow to be obedient to him. He's more than your boss, more than the CEO of your company. He has immense power over you. He can move you, freeze you out, bring you into the fold … he controls every aspect of your life. You can't just kick him in the balls."

MrPudding

robindch wrote: »

Interesting to compare the judgement's understanding of the relationship between a priest and a bishop and the "officeholder" defence offered by the church, with the description of the relationship provided by one of the priests in the O'Brien "inappropriate behaviour" story from last week:

It is actually an interesting area of the law. Vicarious liability was one of the first subjects I studied when I began studying law, and it came up again when I studied employment law. Personally I find it to be a fascinating and complex area, and the the statement from Portsmouth which you have linked to, does not really do justice to the complexities of it. That said, an overly simplistic view of the master/servant relationship is the only view under which they might get a result they are happy with, so I suppose it is understandable that they might paint it that way.

I think this case really could turn out to be problematic for the church. Whilst it is obviously going to be binding for courts within the UK, which is potentially bad enough, it will be seen as highly influential in other Commonwealth and Common Law jurisdictions.

I expect lawyer fees for setting up sham trusts will see a significant spike over the coming years.

MrP

Hotblack Desiato

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2013/0308/1224330914510.html

Magdalene nuns hit back at critics and defend their role

Two nuns who were involved in running Magdalene laundries have hit back at criticisms of the four congregations which operated the 10 such institutions in Ireland up to 1996.

In interviews to be broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1’s The God Slot at 10 o’clock tonight “Sister B” said: “All of the shame of the era is being dumped on the religious orders.”

“Sister B” claimed that religious congregations in Ireland have been “stigmatised by the media”. “Some people claim generational hurt but we are suffering the generational hurt as much as any of the residents out of this and it is unfair . . .

Asked whether an apology might be in order, “Sister A” responded: “Apologise for what. Apologise for providing a service? We provided a free service for the country. Okay, it may have been putting away an ugly part to society, which it was in a sense, but it was the family who chose to put them there,” she said.