"It is a great suffering for the church in the United States and for the Church in general and for me personally that this could happen," Benedict said. "It is difficult for me to understand how it was possible that priests betray in this way their mission ... to these children. "I am deeply ashamed and we will do what is possible so this cannot happen again in the future," the pope said.
I say that's great! But I also say that it's about time. During the time the events of the movie listed below Deliver Us From Evil occurred, the current Pope, then Cardinal Ratzinger, was prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
According to the movie and Wikipedia, Cardinal Ratzinger was responsible for those engaging in pedophilia. Another Wikipedia entry states:
Due to special canonical legislation, it also has competency for cases of clerical sexual abuse of minors.
Victims in the movie were also turned away from the Vatican by security. So why now? I'm glad at least the issue is being talked about although, given the past minimal action on this issue, I have little confidence anything major will be done. I also wonder if any current clergy will be looked at or if it's just potential new clergy.
My wife and I watched this movie in disbelief with our jaws dropped. I recommend it be watched with caution as it is a very difficult movie to watch.
Mark
p.s. James blogged about this movie in the past.
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8 comments:
I have also watched the movie, and while the atrocities committed against the young (and the mother of one young man) were great and horrendous, the movie also contained multiple errors and unsubstantiated rumors (in particular, those rumors concerning Cardinal Ratzinger, for which they provided ZERO proof and to which you mindlessly echo, as well as their arguments concerning celibacy and the Eucharist...they simply did not know Catholic teaching).
I am fully aware that your whole mission on this blog has become a full-scale attack against the Catholic Church, regardless of the weakness of the argument (read: Luther's excommunication revisited), and by any means available, no matter how ridiculously clumsy they might be, which by first appearances attempt to put the Church into a negative light, but upon further analysis only prove that you also fail to fully comprehend the issues. This is far from engaging in scholarship.
I was hoping that by coming here I would encounter adults engaging in adult-like conversation. It seems that I was wrong. Unfortunately, this blog has not become anything of substance, but rather the equivalent to the National Inquirer, a cesspool of lazy thinking.
Please, one last request: Instead of blindly arguing from bias, develop reasonable arguments. Don't argue just for the sake of arguing, which is nothing more but intellectual immaturity. If you want to tackle an issue like the abuse scandals, do so with an intellectually-honest perspective.
Thanks,
Alex
Alexander,
Thanks for stopping by. You say I don't provide any proof yet I do reference the movie as well as the documented wikipedia articles.
Thus far, I am unaware that what I've posted has been shown to be incorrect. You making assertions that I'm wrong doesn't prove anything. In other words, you've provided ZERO proof for your arguments.
So what exactly did Benedict do to try and put an end to the pedophilia issue as prefect?
Mark
From what I understand, Cardinal Ratzinger had been quite active, contrary to certain corrupt bishops in the USCCB and the Vatican itself, in handling the matter with utmost integrity. It is hardly the case that he is just now concerned about doing something. Your wikipedia article has nothing condemnatory and is hardly a substantial accounting of the situation. And if the documentary has evidence they cite, then cite the evidence, not the documentary.
As well, the onus is not on Alexander (or myself) to provide proof. We're not making the accusations. You are. I'm not an expert, and I wouldn't even know how to go about getting the requisite proof. But, once again, I'm not the one accusing Ratzinger.
I am asking Alexander to show me how I am wrong in my observations. He said I was so show me.
I was making some observations based on the movie and other reports which are linked to the larger wikipedia article.
I understand this is not just a Roman Catholic problem.
Mark
Honestly, Wikipedia?!? I don't know of anyone who considers it a reliable source.
Also I find it ironic that the advice Mr. Swan gives to people converting to Catholicism is:
You owe it to yourself, your family, and your friends to be as honest and diligent as possible in your studies.
But if something is critical of Catholicism, honesty, diligence and fairness is no longer necessary.
Is keeping people away from Catholicism the overriding motive, no matter what the issue?
Well, I believe that Kevin mentioned what I would have said. Kevin, this truly is a small world (internet world). I'm married to Pastor Hoeben's daughter, Rebekah, from your old church Northside Baptist. She says hi.
I'm just saying to read the articles that are linked on wikipedia as references. It's not like they are made up from wikipedia. Also, I gave a link to SNAP which documents Benedict's issues in this area.
Outside of the movie which is a documentary and said news articles, how am I supposed to document items such as these? Write to Benedict? Write to the priests and bishops to see if they were quoted rightly?
This article quotes a translation of SACRAMENTORUM SANCTITATIS TUTELA. In which observations are made. And that's all I was doing was making an observation.
Again, where am I wrong?
Mark
Alexander,
Wow! It is a small world. I trust Rebekah and family is well. I'm sure we'll pass more in the blogosphere.
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