Bishop says media 'unfair and unjust' on RCC handling of clerical child abuse

[Cato]

Thank God I was never the prey of the former model who taught me chemistry | The Spectator

I have to concur with Rod here.

A little off topic and inappropriate there chief. Note the ad at the top of the page on your link.

[SirHenryGrattan]

Imo, this is primarily because we as parents now have the knowledge and wisdom not to let them have unsupervised access to children.

True. But don't child protection measures apply to all those who work with children. England has some of the toughest child protection measures. Why are they needed?

[Driftwood]

Correct Cato
Wrong thread, perhaps this link would be more appropriate..

The Daily Mash - VATICAN POSSESSED BY PERVERTS, SAYS SCIENTIST

[Toland]

True. But don't child protection measures apply to all those who work with children. England has some of the toughest child protection measures. Why are they needed?

While interesting, this question is off topic. The issue is the cover-up.

[SirHenryGrattan]

Irrelevant at best.

Have you ever speculated as to why public opinion was unsympathetic to [a particular category of] those who committed sexual transgressions or exhibited delinquent behaviour?

Could it have any connection with attitudes inculcated by religious organisations, which aggressively demanded and received unquestioning deference.

Of course. Most western and cultural moral values are derived from the Judaic-Christian tradition which has historically stigmatised unmarried mothers and children born out of wedlock. It's not an indigenous Catholic belief.

England de-criminalised homosexuality in 1967. Does this mean that English people were evil before 1967 and then suddenly saw the light. No. There was a gradual change in social values that resulted in legislative amendment.

Perhaps the Irish people have always been socially conservative and the Irish RCC simply mirrored this. The Northern Irish Protestants are the most conservative Protestants in the UK. That suggests a pattern.

[SirHenryGrattan]

The issue is the cover-up.

I do agree with this point. The issue is the cover up or rather was the cover up. But what do you want? Another enquiry?

[Toland]

Perhaps the Irish people have always been socially conservative and the Irish RCC simply mirrored this.

Perhaps.

You're short of evidence, though.

For what it's worth, I'd say there was a feedback relationship between the conservatism of the Irish Church and of Irish society in general, as there almost always is.

[Toland]

I do agree with this point. The issue is the cover up or rather was the cover up. But what do you want? Another enquiry?

I don't think your use of the past tense is appropriate in the light of recent comments by the Irish bishops and age-old silence from the Holy See.

You ask what I want: I want the power of the catholic church in Ireland irreversibly broken, to be honest.

Now, what would you like in the context of this thread?

[Cato]

This bishop is seriously in need of a couple of things; a moral compass and a PR adviser. Every time one of these pointy headed persons open their mouths they seem to place both feet and their crozier into it.

They, the bishops, still don't seem to understand the anger directed at them.

[NeilW]

I cant say I have much sympathy for his position.

But if we are focussing on the church to the exclusion of others then that could be a problem. I watched a Newsnight report during the week where there were clear and damaging questions for the Irish police / justice department to answer. They didnt put anyone forward so the programme interviewed the Archbishop of Dublin instead. Unfortunately the Archbishop doesnt have the power of arrest and so cant do anything about an uncharged abuser living abroad unbeknownst to the local authorities.

I couldnt figure out why the focus of this report was on the church's attitude when it was the state that is still failing the victims and putting further children at risk.