I simply do not know what has happened in the Church, and I don’t know how we ever know.
About 5 % of priests in the U.S. have been sexually involved with minors; that is certain.
But what about other countries and times?
The German bishops have not released the number of accused priests, but there have been thousands of accusations.
However in the 1930s the Nazis searched diligently for evidence to discredit the Church. Apart from two exceptional orders of lay brothers, they could only make charges against 50 priests, and most of those were acquitted. Did the Nazis miss massive abuse among the clergy? They tended to be thorough and none too gentle in their questioning.
Pepe Rodriguez estimates about 7% of Spanish priests have been sexually involved with minors. That is in line with American data. But Spanish anticlericalism has a long and bizarre history. Rodriguez is a sociologist, but he has also written a book “exposing” the pagan source of Christmas customs, another book “exposing” the Bible, and a third book praising Freemasonry. His judgment may be skewed.
But St. Peter Damian gave a scathing account of the clergy in the middle ages.
So what to make of all this? Has abuse risen and fallen, or have the cover-ups been more or less successful?
If abuse varies from diocese to diocese (from 0% to over 10% of priests in the U.S. dioceses), Why?
If abuse varies from decade to decade, and century to century, Why?
These are important questions, and I see no effort by the hierarchy to try to resolve them.
Yes, priestly pedophilia is as widespread here in Mexico as it is in the US and other countries. The difference is that priest pedophiles are not theatened by victims, lawyers, nor by the media. The problem can only be taken care of within the church, and eveb when that is done, priest pedophiles come back to assert themselves. These are sociopaths who never recognize guilt.
Yes, priestly pedophilia is as widespread here in Mexico as it is in the US and other countries. The difference is that priest pedophiles are not theatened by victims, lawyers, nor by the media. The problem can only be taken care of within the church, and even when that is done, priest pedophiles come back to assert themselves, showing up to concelebrate at the Chrismal Mass. These are sociopaths who never recognize guilt.
In the Diocese I am in the coverup has gone on for decades . It was in the early nineties that a Rico suit was filed against the Bishop for transferring pedophile priests from this Diocese to another state and Diocese and then onto Ireland and back again. When it came to light in the News the figure for secrecy payoffs was well over 3 million.
Apparently this was a well known problem for the CDF and Cardinal Ratzinger now Pope Benedict.
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23369148-pope-led-cover-up-of-child-abuse-by-priests.do
I do not believe the elderly prelates were up to date with the power of the internet or social communication and are still finding it hard to play catch up with the changing times. The extent of the scandals is not so easy to squelch as it was before when we lived in isolated parish pocket communities.
There is nothing new under the sun, except for our response to these sins. God’s response stays the same.Any wonder why we are experiencing an increase in disasters natural and otherwise?
1st Century
The Didache from A.D. 90 says [Didache 2:2], “You shall not commit murder, you shall not commit adultery [Ex 20:13-14], you shall not commit pederasty, you shall not commit fornication, you shall not steal [Ex 20:15], you shall not practice magic, you shall not practice witchcraft, you shall not murder a child by abortion nor kill one that has been born.”
http://catholicpatristics.blogspot.com/2009/03/homosexuality.html
‘true lover’ u r a lier!! I am Latino and to said that ‘as widespread here in Mexico as it is in the US and other countries’ I ask: where r the proof?
For years those of us who were born in Latin America knew of priest having FEMALE lovers, that’s an open secret!
In mexico for CENTURIES they have a crisis in vocations, there are places that for decades don’t have a priest. Most of the ranchos and small towns only see a priest once a months.
Do i believe there are HOMOSEXUAL priest preying on young MALES? Yes they are, but not like in the U.S.A.
Tony, Mexico?Maciel for one. His minions for others. The scandal really shamed the Legion when a Mexican Lawyer took on the Legion school in Mexicofor the molestation of his three year old. The others came out of the shadows once they saw he won the case in the News.Also, the tragic stories in the movie which featured Dolan and Sipe .South American little boy who lived with his grandmother both poverty victims broke my heart.And their was the priest in his Divine Mercy vestments with his diary on how to seduce little boys for molestation.It was heartbreaking since the little boy was taunted as the,” priest’s wife” by the other children in the school. When the Grandmother lodged the complaint both she and her little Grandson were no longer welcome in the village Church and shunned by her neighbore who knew them forever.
Read the numbers here……
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_sexual_abuse_scandal_in_Latin_America
Did ya ever consider that the crisis in vocations may stem from straight young men who are disgusted by what is going on in the seminaries? read Michael Rose’s book ,’Goodbye Good Men”.One out of two good semaries he mentions was a error on his part when you read and or know what had been happened in St Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia. for that read the Philadelphia Grand Jury Archdiocesan Report on Bishop Accountability.
Leon ,you ask if the Nazi’s missed massive clerical abuse. Not many people seem to understand that not all homosexuals display effeminate characteristics.The same goes for those that are clerics. Some historians claim Hitler himself was a homosexual. not unlike Maciel ,he was a perverse megalamaniac, and also like the deceased Maciel ,he still has his followers amongst the pseudo conservative catholic genre.
The truth about homosexuality and the Nazi Party……..
“Lively’s crime? In his book, “The Pink Swastika,” Lively exposes a secret homosexual activists don’t want you to know about Nazi Germany: that although the Nazis did persecute homosexuals, the homosexuals the Nazis persecuted were almost exclusively the effeminate members of the gay community in Germany, and that much of the mistreatment was administered by masculine homosexuals who despised effeminacy in all its forms.”
http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/fischer/080515
>About 5 % of priests in the U.S. have been
>sexually involved with minors; that is certain.
1. Does the hierarchy admit this?
2. Do the Defenders admit this?
3. How does this compare to the stats for other professions (e.g., teachers, scout leaders, etc.)?
Is it not true that many in the National Socialist leadership admired the ancient Greek “love” for handsome (masculine) male adolescents? I thought there was some good evidence that this was the case.
The distinction between masculine and feminine homsexuality was very important in ancient pagan societies. For an adult man to take the passive “feminine” position was considered shameful (vulgar insults between males still allude to this). But to take the active position, especially with a boy, was perfectly fine. This distinction is not made by our modern terms “homsexual” or “gay” but it is still very much found among many peoples. I’ve heard some disturbing things regarding this that decency won’t allow me to repeat. It seems reasonable that the Nazis, with their love of the pagan past, would think and operate on these terms.
I’ve lived in Mexico for over 33 years as a priest. I worked in the Chancery Office. My present Bishop tells me there are “many” pedophiles in our Diocese. Together with one of the former Vicar Generals of the Diocese, we have calculated about 8% (at least) same-sex pedophiles. Of course, “pedophilia” means abuse of those under 18 years of age. The victims are too afraid to come forward (speak publicly) in Latin countries.
Truelover i apologize for my lack of charity. 8%? Wow that very high.
Tony, I understand completely. I wish I could meet you in person to explain all that I have learned over the years. I think the recent article by Podles about what happened in Chile is very pertinent. Months ago I wanted to reply to you more completely, but my computer would not respond. What keeps everything undercover here in Latin America is “clericalism”. In countries where the Catholic Church is the majority of the population, the priests have the overwhelming support of the public. However, if you look at BishopsAccountability on line, you’ll see how many Latin American priests, living in the States, were involved in abuse of minors. Some of them have fled to Mexico, and they we have become a sort of haven for such as them.