I don't want to start an argument or anything, I just thought this article was interesting and potentially applicable to some opinions on this board:

http://catholiceducation.org/articles/facts/fm0011.html

As for how the Church reacts to Pedophilia, I know for a fact that the Bishop in my area has said quite clearly in this interview:

Q. How would you handle an allegation of sexual abuse by a priest under your leadership?

A. We’d turn it over to the archbishop’s delegate. If it were a credible accusation of abuse of a minor we’d turn it over to the authorities to be dealt with immediately. If it turns out to be true, that person is finished. They’ll never be in pastoral ministry again. (for the rest of this interview: http://ecn.ab.ca/trinity/qanda.html)

I am sorry, I think that the instances of this were sick, inhumane, and abhorrable. I think these priests should be punished and have their personal parts cut off. I just think that it is a shame that we now see innocent priests being spit on in the street. Do you spit on men with children because we know some men are pedophiles? No.

Anyways, I am not trying to start an argument, so I won't respond to this thread any further, I just thought the article was interesting.

-- Prose (arpeggio69@hotmail.com), March 20, 2003

Answers

Prose , Pedaphiles have been the ones in the news lately, but there are other worst things or about the same: homosexuality, adultery, cannibalism, bestiality, torture, assassination, descrimination, physical and verbal abuse, incest, murder, fraud of the goods of others, stealing, false witness, polygamy, rape, molestation, abortion, sexual immorality, and the list goes on. 80% plus of us are or were or will be guilty of at least one of them.

Do you realize how much God is angry with us? Can you see how patient he is? Jesus used to say that we should look at our eye first( find our sin) and deal with it, and then see how we could help our neighbor with their sin.

-- Elpidio gonzalez (egonzalez@srla.org), March 20, 2003.

In my opinoun, there is a strong tendency for the Church to radiate information outward with out taking much in.

As an engineer it looks like a system with insufficicnt feedback.

This can be good when the Church is under attack and is holding up an alternate light to the world by which the world can be judged.

This can be bad when part of the Church goes bad, and there is not a way to correct it except by a top down approach.

As with any place that has this tendency, there will be undetected bad apples in many different ways. My guess is that there are other time-bombs in the Church. I do not know how to get the Church to listen to cries of "you are hurting me". But it must to clean out the problems.

May the Church prosper and be found to be Good under God.

Sean

-- Sean Cleary (seanearlyaug@juno.com), March 21, 2003.

the Second Vatican Council (referred to as the Ecumenical Council in the letter), Cardinal Tardini sent out a letter requesting suggestions from all the world's bishops. Some of these replies are remarkable for their clear-sightedness. Here follows the response sent by Bishop Gerald de Proenca Sigaud, Bishop of Jacarezinho in Brazil, written on August 22, 1959 to Cardinal Tardini.]

Most Eminent Lord,

I am writing this letter to you, in obedience to your letter of

June 18, in which you ask me for my opinion on which issues should be

dealt with at the coming Ecumenical Council.

I will present to you, with humility and modesty, certain points

which are very important to me, but without the intention to accuse

anyone or to subject my superiors to criticism.

I shall not bring up dogmatic or juridical questions, since the

other Bishops certainly have done so already. I will broach some

practical questions which are fundamental for the future of the

Church, and I ask you to kindly give these your consideration.

INTRODUCTION

When I consider the present Catholic life in my country and in

other parts of the world, I can see a lot of things which are a sign

of life and which are certainly a source of consolation for every

soul who loves the Church of Christ. But I see also certain signs

which cause great alarm. These are so grave, that I think they should

be taken into consideration by the ante-preparatory Pontifical

Commission to the Ecumenical Council, and afterwards by the Council

as well.

I can see that the principles and the spirit of what we call the

Revolution, are penetrating the Clergy and the Christian people, just

as in the past the principles, doctrine, spirit and love of paganism

penetrated into medieval society, resulting in a pseudo reform.

Many among the Clergy do not discern the errors of the Revolution

anymore, and do not resist them. Others love the Revolution as an

ideal cause, they propagate it, collaborate with it, they persecute

and speak evil of the adversaries of the revolution, and hinder their

apostolate. Very many pastors keep silent. Others assimilate the

errors and spirit of the revolution and encourage this spirit openly

or covertly, in the same way as the pastors did in the time of

Jansenism. Those who fight against the errors suffer persecution from

their colleagues, and are labeled "integrists".

-- Ed Richards (loztra@yahoo.com), March 21, 2003.