Any cleric proven to have engaged in pedophilic activities or trafficking of minors should be tarred, feathered, laicized, excommunicated, and left to rot in jail for life. St. Joseph, pray for us.
From the Archdiocesan spokesperson: “The Archdiocese of New Orleans has been openly discussing the topic of sex abuse for over 20 years.” Well, that’s the issue now. The U.S. Catholic Church has been “openly discussing” the abuse. How about “openly eradicating sex abuse.” Some transparency and action is required for change.
Thank you. I understand the time frame. A way of thinking about it is this: What household sees a snake pit inside their home and says, “let’s move away from it and not talk about it.” And then when they do, eventually they find themselves all standing outside. Now, what household stands in the yard and says, “let’s discuss this snake problem.” How long do you stand and discuss what has obviously happened in your home before you go in and make sure the snakes are gone and they can’t come back. Ten years? Twenty years? No household does that with snakes. Why would a Church do that with abusers?
I could understand the reassignments decades ago when this perversion was not well understood and the priests were given counseling.
Last year? Are they completely out of their minds?
Homosexuality is deep seated and not “curable” with a trip to rehab. One and done. Any credible evidence of abuse should be met with immediate removal and restrictions until guilt or innocence is proven.
That being said I do know of false claims that ruined lives and priesthoods. Again immediately remove the priest or other church employee and give them no opportunity to abuse. Investigate and if true the McCarrick treatment seems appropriate
The perversion was sufficiently well understood that it was standard Church policy to permanently remove such men from ministry. Until the brand new "science" of psychology, which really didn't understand anything, had a bunch of charlatans with degrees claiming, without evidence, that they could cure them.
It would be nice to say that complicit bishops were simply bamboozled into believing them, innocently and naively. But naivete in a bishop is not a virtue. Prudence is. Every bishop that trusted them ignored centuries of Church practice and canon law to listen to men with no evidence. There was no excuse for reassignments even decades ago. There was omerta, and the stunning conceit that kids just bounce back, so it's not that big of a deal.
Not to nitpick, but I would adjust to say, "please God let this not have happened here," as He is the author of time and praying for that can be efficacious.
I’m not sure I understand your correction. Are you suggesting that I ask God to make it that these crimes that have happened in temporal reality never to have happened in temporal reality? I hope you aren’t conflating my hope that I don’t learn people in my diocese have trafficked children with some desire on my part to have any abuse swept under the rug.
I think your original comment could read that way, yes, and it's the kind of thing that victims are incredibly sensitive about (and with good reason). I imagined that was not your intent at all. My suggested adjustment was specific to your comment about your own diocese. If nothing ever comes out, let it be because nothing ever happened there, and it's something we could pray for now.
Yes, that is exactly my sentiment. I certainly never intended to imply concern for anyone but victims.
My genuine response is that, if my diocese is implicated in this particular issue, I feel like it would be as if the very soil I’ve grown in has done unspeakable harm to others. My heart breaks for the victims in New Orleans and all around the world. If anything has happened in my diocese, I hope it is brought to full light and full, swift justice.
I thought sharing the news about Fr Hecker is important. Yes the Church was wrong to put these priests to back into ministry. Fr Hecker left ministry in 2002. The John Jay report was released in 2004. Fr Hecker admitted what he did in 1999.
I would have been much more troubled if the issue was after the John Jay report.
Unfortunately abuses from decades ago can still come back under the spotlight of the law as in this case.
Pray for repentance of all sinners and appropriate justice being meted our here or in purgatory!
SMH
Any cleric proven to have engaged in pedophilic activities or trafficking of minors should be tarred, feathered, laicized, excommunicated, and left to rot in jail for life. St. Joseph, pray for us.
--> This saddens and angers me. Mt 18:6.
From the Archdiocesan spokesperson: “The Archdiocese of New Orleans has been openly discussing the topic of sex abuse for over 20 years.” Well, that’s the issue now. The U.S. Catholic Church has been “openly discussing” the abuse. How about “openly eradicating sex abuse.” Some transparency and action is required for change.
See my reply, this is a priest who left ministry in 2002.
Thank you. I understand the time frame. A way of thinking about it is this: What household sees a snake pit inside their home and says, “let’s move away from it and not talk about it.” And then when they do, eventually they find themselves all standing outside. Now, what household stands in the yard and says, “let’s discuss this snake problem.” How long do you stand and discuss what has obviously happened in your home before you go in and make sure the snakes are gone and they can’t come back. Ten years? Twenty years? No household does that with snakes. Why would a Church do that with abusers?
I could understand the reassignments decades ago when this perversion was not well understood and the priests were given counseling.
Last year? Are they completely out of their minds?
Homosexuality is deep seated and not “curable” with a trip to rehab. One and done. Any credible evidence of abuse should be met with immediate removal and restrictions until guilt or innocence is proven.
That being said I do know of false claims that ruined lives and priesthoods. Again immediately remove the priest or other church employee and give them no opportunity to abuse. Investigate and if true the McCarrick treatment seems appropriate
The priest was NOT transfered last year. The priest was *indicted* last year at the age of 91, having been retired for over two decades.
The perversion was sufficiently well understood that it was standard Church policy to permanently remove such men from ministry. Until the brand new "science" of psychology, which really didn't understand anything, had a bunch of charlatans with degrees claiming, without evidence, that they could cure them.
It would be nice to say that complicit bishops were simply bamboozled into believing them, innocently and naively. But naivete in a bishop is not a virtue. Prudence is. Every bishop that trusted them ignored centuries of Church practice and canon law to listen to men with no evidence. There was no excuse for reassignments even decades ago. There was omerta, and the stunning conceit that kids just bounce back, so it's not that big of a deal.
My diocese is a neighboring one and across a state line. Please God let us not learn such vile things happened here.
Not to nitpick, but I would adjust to say, "please God let this not have happened here," as He is the author of time and praying for that can be efficacious.
If it did happen, people should know.
I’m not sure I understand your correction. Are you suggesting that I ask God to make it that these crimes that have happened in temporal reality never to have happened in temporal reality? I hope you aren’t conflating my hope that I don’t learn people in my diocese have trafficked children with some desire on my part to have any abuse swept under the rug.
I think your original comment could read that way, yes, and it's the kind of thing that victims are incredibly sensitive about (and with good reason). I imagined that was not your intent at all. My suggested adjustment was specific to your comment about your own diocese. If nothing ever comes out, let it be because nothing ever happened there, and it's something we could pray for now.
Yes, that is exactly my sentiment. I certainly never intended to imply concern for anyone but victims.
My genuine response is that, if my diocese is implicated in this particular issue, I feel like it would be as if the very soil I’ve grown in has done unspeakable harm to others. My heart breaks for the victims in New Orleans and all around the world. If anything has happened in my diocese, I hope it is brought to full light and full, swift justice.
When will it end? Never?
When Christ returns and the final judgement is when it will end.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/disgraced-louisiana-priest-now-91-charged-raping-teenager-1975-rcna104036
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/20/new-orleans-priest-lawrence-hecker-child-abuse
I thought sharing the news about Fr Hecker is important. Yes the Church was wrong to put these priests to back into ministry. Fr Hecker left ministry in 2002. The John Jay report was released in 2004. Fr Hecker admitted what he did in 1999.
I would have been much more troubled if the issue was after the John Jay report.
Unfortunately abuses from decades ago can still come back under the spotlight of the law as in this case.
Pray for repentance of all sinners and appropriate justice being meted our here or in purgatory!
How much longer until this horrible demonic force is exorcised from our church?