The arrogance of the church is astounding. They care more about their reputation than the horrible deeds done to children. If they don't step up and take responsibility I don't see this going away at all. They seem to be in protection mode.

Oh the horror of it all and the never ending arrogance.

How is it remotely possible that this man can in any way compare the church being taken to task for for crimes committed against children to Jews being gassed or baked in an oven?

The church, from top to bottom, has no honor; it looked out for itself and it's reputation instead of the most tender and innocent among us, the children. And now instead of coming forth to do the right thing the pontiff hides behind head of state immunity? Organized religion is a crock, have your faith on your own, not this way.

Props to the folks that came clean. That's a start, now let's see the "leader" do the same.

lib50 says..."The arrogance of the church is astounding. They care more about their reputation than the horrible deeds done to children. If they don't step up and take responsibility I don't see this going away at all. They seem to be in protection mode."

It seems the church hierarchy is grasping at straws in attempting to make themselves the victim in this situation. First comparing the criticism of the pope's involvement/lack of exposing and reporting abusers to the sufferings of Jesus...and now, comparing themselves to those abused by anti-semitism? That is VERY offensive.

It is good to hear that some German Catholic hierarchy are forcefully speaking against the abuse, and making no excuses for the church...while voicing meaningful support for the victims. Maybe some of the others could learn from their honesty. Sad that good and faithful Christians, including Roman Catholics must listen to the deceptive, smoke screen accusations from some misguided powerful religious leaders at this time of Easter celebration.

Keep talking your make lots of Muslims. Send him to prison where he belongs. They know what to do to his kind there.

As far as I'm concerned The church has obstructed justice in cases where they have covered for these perverts and have done less nothing than protect the molesters rather than the children they have made victims. Any and all parties, regardless of their old age need to be investigated and punished to the fullest extent of the law. That not only goes for the molesters but those that have covered it up over the years as well. ~G

Today is a special day in the Christian community around the world. It is the beginning of a new beginning and a step towards salvation and eternal life

Huh? How does this statement have anything to do with the article or the rest of what you wrote?

Speaking out against crimes against children by the largest child abuse ring on the planet is now considered "anti-semitism"? I am at a loss for words. Satan really does run this world.

I think it is time we revoke Hitler and Mousilini's re-instatement of this crime syndicate.

That statement is false!

Couldn't have said it better myself! If there was something 'worse' than jail - that's where they should be! This has been going on for YEARS! I know for a fact since the late 1950's!

The Catholic's response is of such arrogance, that it borders disgusting. This is about victims, accountability, and system check points. The outright denial and reference to anti-semi indicates that the Catholic Church is still in the initial stage of DENIAL.

This drifting from the subject, but imagine if the Church is a government! What a mess. That was why our founding fathers voted to seperate Church from government. To help induce the seperation, the government provided the Church with NON-TAX exemption.

kingof_allmankind...disguisting, inflammatory, offensive comment...you have been reported. Tyler, please remove comment #1.6

The Popes mistake was years ago he tried to cover up , a major scandal. Today the church is trying to cover up , what is going to be a major scandal in the Church. The Church needs to stand up, get rid of all who abused, and re-think non married priests; this was church made dogma, it can be undone by Papal Bull. The church is at a crossroad, which path it takes will determine it's survival!

My father worked for the St. Josephs church on L.I. N.Y. & he used to talk to mother of the wrong things going on like father's messing around with the nuns and ect.... and ever since then he stop working for the catholic church and all the hypocricy going on. Maybe that's why people are losing their faith with this religion. Jesus didn't need all these fancy things to spread the word and Jesus did not need any $$ from anyone to preach the gospil. If I want to read the bible or prey, I will do it at home or on a nice mountain side. To me these days its all materialistic.

Amazingly, the Church just keeps digging a bigger hole for itself. Their credibility is non-existent, and they may never recover. Incredibly shocking, really.

Crazy Statement.

Equally comparing Catholic Church to Anti Semitism?. Hardly.

Where is the connection. They are still unaware of the severity of the crime. Still covering for their pervert clergy.

The Catholic people must be very embarassed by who leads them.

Why can't the Church face the truth? Perversion has nothing to do with the Catholics. It is the Clergy that should be uncovered by a mass investigation, and put on trial.

PLEASE LEAVE THE JEWS OUT OF THIS MESS.

This is anti Catholic. We all know homosexuals do not recruit or have sex with young children. I know this because the gay community, said they do not do children. You have to believe this or you are a Neanderthal.

Is it like anti-Semitism when more murder, death and suffering is done in the name of the Christian religion then any other reason... NOT just any other religion, but any other REASON?! Be it by Congolese Militia burning children alive and machete-ing thousands during this last Christmas season in the name of Jesus, or the GOD HATES FAGS and Thank God for Dead Soldiers Baptists protesting at funerals of our fallen soldiers, or just the plain 'ol rape and molestation of Children in North and South America, Ireland, etc.

No, its not anti-Semitism. Its anti-suffering, torture, hate, and the whole murder and hurting innocent children thing. Is that bad? Being anti-hurting children? At this point, comparing it to anti-Semitism would be a compliment.

How is it remotely possible that this man can in any way compare the church being taken to task for for crimes committed against children to Jews being gassed or baked in an oven?

Anti-Semitism entails more than just World War II. Look at the posts on Newsvine for examples, and not the ones that talk about child abuse. Even the post I quoted from (1.2) is full of anti-Christian hate.

You don't have to commit murder to be guilty of hate crimes or to be a bigot. Check 1.6 before it's deleted if you doubt me.

While members of the Catholic church are guilty of child abuse, there's no reason to hate all Catholics (or Jews or whatever) unless you're a kloset Klansman or some other species of trailer trash.

To say nothing of....the pope (read pot) calling the kettle black. This church whose priests not only sexually abuse children, but this very church from which one pope HELPED the nazi regime round up Jews to be exterminated. They have some nerve calling the public outcry "akin to anti-semitism"??????????? They just keep adding to the reasons for the outrage.

Saxon-

You wrote: "...it can be undone by Papal Bull."

That's what's causing this whole mess anyway!

"A landmark achievement of the Second Vatican Council of the 1960s was a declaration stating the Jews should not be blamed for the crucifixion."

The church is really quick to change as you can see from above. It only took them 2000 years to stop blaming the Jews for the Christ's death.

What a joke and an embarrassment the Catholic religion is.

In reference to 1.6, I have read that post 5 times and I dont see anything in it that is a bannable offense. Go over to the boards talking about a muslim terrorist killing 37 people including women and children and you will see true hate speech. All the poster did was look at the catholic church from the perspective of a non believer.

Its also free speech. Something that we are losing in this country. We have this habit of removing or censoring anything we dont agree with.

From the posters perspective, he believes that the Roman Catholic church is a corrupt organization which has condoned child molestation because its accepted behavior with historical roots.

I dont see how that is untrue. Its well known that English Monarchy would have sex with little boys and girls and that goes back into the dark ages.

The pope and the hierarchy in Vatican City need to be dismissed. Once they are common citizens they can be brought to justice.

Olivier,

And look at what Catholicism has brought to Africa. I love how Eurpoeans think they can press other cultures into their rigid set of beliefs. Catholics seem to think that using birth control is a sin. How many Africans have died of Aids because of the backward beliefs of Catholics?

The absolute hypocrisy shown by the RCC recently is proof that they are not moral leaders but politicians in silk robes who are fleecing an ignorant flock who seek to be lead instead of thinking for themselves. The outrageousness of claiming that criticism of the church is akin to anti-semitism is only made more ironic by the fact that Pope Pious stood idly by and let Hitler attempt to exterminate the Jewish race.

Criticism of the RCC is is no way a condemnation of those of the Catholic faith because I am unaware of any parishioners who are defending the actions of the American college of Cardinals or the Vatican. I am a former Catholic who is still a member of the St Vincent DePaul society and I would love nothing more to see Cardinals and the Popes staff walked out of St Peters in chains and be charged with international conspiracy to commit and then hide sex crimes against children.

PistOff08 -

Okay, so now you want to go the Vatican route, eh? You think you have seen bad? These cases are just beginning to be uncovered in Europe. Wait until Asia has it's hand, and Africa, though we already know about a lot going on there that, sad to say, makes a little touchy-feely priest look like a saint (I'm talking about the burning alive of children whose people claim they are possessed by Satan, and those types of things).

Not only that, but the Church was the one institution NOT persecuted by the Nazis. Jews, atheists, homosexuals, and many others were, but not according to the Church. No, Hitler was an atheist, and that makes all atheists bad, right? You want to talk about shifting blame from personal to collective. Of course, any evidence given that Hitler was a staunch Catholic is dismissed by handwaving, as are the atrocities of the Crusades and the Auto de Fay. No, what you're seeing is the beginning of a backlash of 2000 years of oppression. You christian apologists want so bad to play the martyr card, you'll try to persecute others, then complain of being a victim when you get shouted down or smacked in a debate. Grrr... okay, time to take my happy pill. Too many nuts...

What arrogance. I am a Messianic Jew (A Jew who believes the promised Messiah is Jesus Christ) and there are family members I have never met because they died in concentration camps during WW2. Pope Benedictine's personal preacher was probably trying to caution Catholics from being too critical of the Catholic church, but that's trying to put a kind face on his outrageous comment. This statement goes hand in hand with the arrogant and evil position that "The protestants will never realize the fulness of what God has for them until they come back under the umbrella of the Catholic church." This was told to me twice; once by a nun at a book stall during a fourth of July carnival in a park, and the second time by the head priest at the Catholic church that had the service for our son-in-law's father when he passed away. That reminds me of those who whined and moaned about Paul the Apostle preaching to the gentiles (non-Jews) and some of them were not only getting converted, but receiving the secondary gift of grace, the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

I know the spirit of antichrist is in the world, and has been in the world. That man, in whom this spirit will dwell, will be advanced to world prominence only with the support of three main institutions...the military, the political, and the religious. It is not hard to imagine the Catholic church taking up the offenses of old (read Fox's Book of Martyrs) and torturing and murdering those who are of a different persuasion....such as Protestants and Jews...if they hold to this belief that Protestants are and remain outside of the grace of God. Jesus did not ask permission when He baptized in the Holy Spirit all those gentiles gathered at Cornelius's house. (Acts 10). Neither did He ask permission when He baptized in the Holy Spirit and fire those 500 persons gathered in the upper room on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2).

Now, I am not one for mislabelling, or speaking against anyone based upon their religion, race, sex, creed, or individual belief. We must all give account, and if I am able, by reasoning, to present a valid and credible argument for God and His great gift of salvation, then "those who have ears to hear, let them hear." I also affirm that there are many in the Catholic church who have fallen in love with Jesus, and know the difference between loving God and loving the church. Further, like red-headed stepchildren, Charismatic Catholics....Catholics who Jesus saw fit to baptize in the Holy Spirit...have been quietly tolerated. There may well be a time when the Holy Spirit will whisper to those who truly know God, and love Him, to "come out from among them and be seperate. Share not in her transgressions...", but that time isn't yet. Even so, those Catholics who truly know God, and love Him, really need to be about evangelizing those in the Catholic church who "hold to a form of religion but deny the power thereof". But that aside....

These remarks that "criticizing the Catholic church is tantamount to the worst anti-semitism" is a really unfortunate comment, and does nothing but invite ridicule, derision, and disrespect. I know that the preaching of Christ crucified and risen from the dead produces the same....ridicule, derision, and disrespect...but this isn't that. If any suffers, let him suffer for doing good. Any such ridicule, derision and disrespect this priest receives is but fruit of his comments. Let him eat his words.

Cantalamessa in his sermon said there was no need to dwell on the scandals.

Did this clown of a clergy member just tell everybody to just get over it?

From bibol #1.18-

We all know homosexuals do not recruit or have sex with young children.

I'm not sure if you were joking or not. But these priests that molested and had sex with these boys would be classified as homosexual pedophiles. They may not be part of the homosexual community but they certainly did boys.

The pope and the hierarchy mistake the church bureacracy for "the church". They are part of the church and serve as it's leaders---they alone are not "the church'. The church consists of all who follow Christ. The term "church" means "the called"---or those called to serve the Lord in other words. Sexual abuse of the children is reprehensible but their refusal (the leadership) to come out into the light and be accountable for those in the priesthood who are guilty of these crimes is, if anything, even more reprehensible.

it's already been said but will reiterate how arrogant and out of touch with humanity this church is, but then again all they have to do is confess their short comings and all is well while everyone else is condemned to damnation for theirs...I have a hard time wondering how they rectify damning the gay community, yet can find it in their hearts to forgive and cover up men who sexually abuse children... but then again there's a lot I don't understand.

Ever since I was a child, I was aware of cover up/protection of priests. I knew that they could never be excommuicated from the church but given another assignment.

Now look where we are at. So many children's lives destroyed, so many adults victims from their childhood and still carry with them the horendous acts done to them with threats.

Celibacy has no meaning anymore. How can any catholic believe in what the church teaches when so many have become victims of such a terrible crime.

Why aren't we given the information of discipline not only by the church, but the law of the land? STOP ALREADY...SAVE THE PEOPLE.

HOW HOW HOW does this compare to anti-semitism? That I think should be the question we are asking of this priest and the catholic church?

Anti-semitism is a hatred and persecution of a group simply because of birth. Jews do not have to do a thing and they are hated because of their heritage.

Priests and the catholic church do not have the right to compare themselves to Jews. They deserve the persecution and anything else they get for their actions. I know Catholics in general are good people. My dad's family is Catholic. My dad was raised in a Catholic orphanage. There are good priests and nuns working for the good of the communities they serve. But, when is enough enough?

The pope is not infallible. Who ever thought he was? He and any other member of the hierarchy needs to be held responsible for the crimes committed by priests, and they need to be held accountable for these crimes. Our nation held Nixon responsible for the crimes he and his underlings committed, why shouldn't these men be held accountable for their actions.

THEY SHOULD BE ASHAMED FOR THEIR ACTIONS AND FOR THEIR EMBARRASSING SELF-JUSTIFICATION OF THEIR ACTIONS THROUGH THEIR COMPARISON TO ANTI-SEMITISM! SHAME ON THEM AND ANYONE ELSE WHO TRIES TO JUSTIFY THIS BEHAVIOR.

What does a guy getting three nails and a sharp hat have to do with child abuse?

The Catholic Church has long confused secrecy with sacredness. From their files on their trial and accusation of Galileo to the making of children sign secrecy oaths not to tell anyone of their abuse, the overall atmosphere in the church has been self-preservation and denial. I don't see the current Pope's stopping a trial of a man who molested 200 deaf boys an act of mercy just because the man was ill and died shortly thereafter. Did the rapist recant? Did the pope's act compound the horror these 200 victims felt? Would the pope show the same mercy for Hitler because he was a baptized Catholic and the majority of his victims were not? Time to remove the tax exempt status on this old boy's club...

He was thinking- .....Yes,Hey let's blame the Jews for that too...

MSNBC: How long is the collapsed comment by King of all mankind going to be resting on this discussion board.

It is vile and vulgar.

Just a small note here:

This mess is about Catholic CLERGY, not the Catholic LAYITY. The Catholic Layity (parishioners) have been and are the victims of all this. I've noticed a few comments in here condemning the victims. Catholics are not any happier about this than anyone else. In fact, it's a large part of why Catholics globally are leaving the Church in droves.

Having said that, yeah, we are all still waiting for that apology and some indication these foul betrayers of God and Catholics everywhere have any sense of guilt, remorse or the seriousness of what they have done or allowed to be done. Bringing the suffering of the Jews into this and making a comparison between that suffering and what these people have done is REPUGNANT!

• The NY Times accusations against Pope Benedict were based on fraudulent documents: http://catholicanchor.org/wordpress/?p=601 .

• Not ONE of the media has done the homework or has the courage to report the REAL facts -- that it is married men, NOT priests, who are guilty of the most child abuse, and that priests are the LOWEST frequency offenders:

Everyone might consider the arguments of Professor Philip Jenkins, Distinguished Professor of History and Religious Studies at Penn State (who is not a Catholic) on priestly pedophilia.

Professor Jenkins concludes in his analysis that all groups have pedophile scandals, and that the Catholics (while the largest religious group) are at the bottom of the list statistically among offenders (Pedophiles and Priests: Anatomy of a Contemporary Crisis, Oxford University Press).

• Sexual conduct by the staff of U.S. Public Schools is also orders of magnitude worse than what the Catholic Church is accused of, and to this day, these offenses are continue to be swept under the rug -- http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21392345/ .

Madison3, you are going to quote statistics? This is not at all about the probability of people being pedophiles. This is about all the children whose lives were ruined because of the priests who were/are pedophiles. This is about a church hierarchy which has historically tried to cover up that this has happened. This is about an influential prient who is now claiming that the church hierarchy is so much above this all that we should not be allowed to point out their failings. Well Father Cantalamessa, you are not above it all, you and yours are not perfect nor sin free, and it is time that there is an understanding of what has led to these sins. Time for you folks to do some real soul searching and fix this mess. Either that or get out of the way and allow others to do what must be done.

Madison3 - But let's play with your statistics. What is the probability that there remains any child out there who is not now wondering whether their local priest - a kind and caring person - is also a pedophile? What is the probability that a rather significant set of these same children won't now call themselves Christians as they grow older. What is the probability that the remaining observant children will not now want to become priests because they don't want to be looked on as being the same as these pedophiles?

The damage that has been done by these priests and those that have covered it up is going to reverberate for a long time yet. And Father Cantalamessa has now added to the amplitude of that effect.

Madison,

I don't doubt what Jenkins says at all. Pedophiles operate in any system where they can have access to children. The problem is that the Catholic Church is an institution that has used its tremendous cultural status, economic power, and political clout to first silence many of the victims and then to help the abusers avoid any real consequences for their crimes. A pedophile who is discovered in a public school, by contrast, isn't going to escape prison. No public school administrator is going to shame a victim or make the victim sign a promise not to tell anyone or tell them they will go to hell if they do. Moreover, any administrator who did do these things would be considered aiding and abetting a criminal and so also culpable in a crime. Are any of these priests in jail? Are any of their abettors? The crimes talked about here are not new; the Church continues to set itself above the law, and this is the real crime.

You also have to consider hypocrisy. The public school system does not consider itself to be the law of "god" regarding moral ethics - it makes no attempt to write moral law as with the "10 commandments" or the "beatitudes" the head of the public school system does not make a claim to hold infallible wisdom in the "eyes of god" does not claim to have the power to forgive men and women's "sins", no principal or regional director of a public school claims the ability to turn bread into the body of a "god" for worshippers consumption all while actively participating in the sexual rape of children.

Actually, there is not much really new in this. The Catholic church protects its own...and never accepts responsibility for doing wrong. Since the church's beginnings...they have driven toward power and control....wars were faught because the church considered itself better than anyone or anything else. Lies have been told and truths hidden...this is a great example..it will be interesting to see just how their members react to it...see if they continue to support this type of behavior and the church itself.

The Catholic church, and the religion it preaches, condones and supports pedophilia. No other way to see it.

hoe do you get a nun pregnant.....dress her up as an altar boy.....

The pedophiles within the church should be brought to justice, along with anyone who new or protected them, including the Pope !!! Leave the church out of it !

it was a direct association with "the church" that led to thousands of children being raped by men of the cloth. I ask you considering the same priests who raped children were also in charge of hearing confession and saying Sunday liturgies - looking back would it have still been a sin for those children to miss mass on Sunday? Did they really need to confess their sins to the person who was raping them?

the catholic cult is a scam. They do not hold the keys to morality. The church will not be left out of this - this is the church.....

Wow. Just wow. Comparing this to the sort of hatred shown to the Jews. Not.

The reason people are coming down so hard on the Catholic Church is due to the fact that pedophilia has been shown to be a major cover-up by the Church for many years. The pope himself may not have actually done any molesting (that we know of!) but he certainly knew of it and did what he could to help with the cover up.

It is long past time this came into the light. They must face it and deal with it harshly in order to regain any credibility at all.

Comparing this to the hatred against the Jews - just unbelivable...

If you read some of the violent things being said, yeah!!!

What I find appalling are the Catholic tv commercials offerring to forgive those who 'strayed from the church'.

The 'church' strayed away from human decency and descended into child abuse and conspiracy.

Typical Cataholicism creed, you are guilty, its not the church's fault. Give me a break.

are you kidding me?! I hope you're being sarcastic with this statement. CHILDREN look up to and respect their elders (that's what they're taught in church). By disobeying their elders and "running away" they are breaking the "rules". Children should not be in a situation where they have to decide whether or not to disobey their church leaders and run. And the people putting them in this situation supposedly help lead them to eternal life. Keep siding with the pedophiles and we'll create some really messed up generations of people. Your statement is appalling.

John you are a disgusting human being who is obviously ignorant of the dynamics of sexual abuse against children. Educate yourself.

What part of forcible rape do you not understand?

So it is the fault of children?? That is exactly what a pediphile would say.

John,

I can only say, please shut up. There is no prize for the stupidest comment on this blog.

Ozarkdahlin says...

This is yet another attack on Christianity at Easter time...like every other year. It is an attack on the institution of priesthood as well, by people who are not Catholic, but want to see the Church fail. Little do they know, the harder they push to destroy us, the stronger our roots dig in.

Actually, this is an opportunity for the Roman Catholic Church to show by example and actions, how Christians should repent and address their sinful (and criminal) acts of harm that destroy or threaten to destroy others...in this case, God's most innocent, vulnerable children. True repentance does not cast blame at victims and others, it does not make any attempt to excuse behavior, or qualify it with claims of small percentage statistics or the sins of others. Credibility is lost when these tactics are used.

Rather, TRUE REPENTANCE fully acknowledges and accepts responsibility and accountability for the gravity of the harm done, with sincere heartfelt apologies and concilatory steps to alleviate the suffering and pain of the victims, always placing the highest importance on TRUTH...in order to bring about HEALING, and effective CHANGES to prevent any possibility of reoccurence. Anything less does not show a True change of heart, and without fully and honestly acknowledging all contributing factors to the abuse, Trust is never restored.

According to the article, it seems some Roman Catholic leadership in Germany are doing just that...and I am sure many Christians join me in respecting that. The pope and/or some of those who surround him are adding to the anti-Roman Catholic sediment they decry by their comments and actions, in my opinion...and loosing a time-sensitive opportunity to be an example of the Gospel. Sadly, they may be doing irrepairable damage to the Church...and that affects all of us.

John - you are a pedophile, aren't you?

John-495504, that is disgusting and edging on the side of support pedophilia. You have been reported.

Tyler, please pull this person from the site.

Kids, I think the lesson to be learned is that you should never obey religious authority. These bastards are not God-not that He's much better.

Catholicism; the Toyota of religion!

Tyler, I question whether pedophiles are allowed to post on this site. Is John a pedophile? I don't know, but from the reaction to his comments, I would hope he could be banned from this page.

I think that people are really hating the sin in this case, this isn't anything like what the Jews have delt with by any means. I feel it is time to allow these priests to become accountable to the local laws and customs of the country where the offense origionally occured. This needs to be done in an attemt to protect those who the priests are "supposed to be serving." How disgusting!

People must think that everything Catholics do or say must meet with the approval of the Anti-Defamation League. The ADL even presumes to tell Catholics who can or can't be declared a saint! These busy-bodies need to mind their own business and quit issuing their tiresome and predictable condemnations every time some priest says anything.

Heh, this is the same Church that threatened to excommunicate a young girl who wanted to have an abortion to terminate a pregnancy caused by her FATHER. They did nothing to him.

where in Christianity does it say to spend millions and millions of dollars on useless things instead of using to HELP people? Useless things being, gee, i dunno: gold crosses, expensive works of art, an ENTIRE CITY..... ugh

sorry to get off subject a might, but that always got me about our TV evangelist who preaches God wants them to be rich and has all their private jets and multiple mansions...

The first act at spinning the whole issue is to turn it around and pretend you're the Victim

Perhaps he should endure what the Children endured as victims.

How can he? He has no feelings.

Playing the victim is the root of all christianity. How many times have we heard statements about "we all have a cross to bare" a need to be "cleansed from our sins" or one of my favorites from both catholics and evangelists is when they "offer their suffering up to heaven" - the christian religion is based on guilt, acceptance of suffering, paying for redemption, idol worshiping and poly theistic belief codes wrapped into a money collecting power structure.

Old courtroom stratedgy: "When you don't have reason on your side...go for dramatic emotion:.

Wow. Just wow.

That CAN'T be right? Why not? If a priest were able to molest children for 10, 20, 30+ years without little or no interruption that adds up to a lot of potential victims for one pervert. I have to ask, What liability, if any would the government share where child molesting priests are concerned? It makes no sense. ~G

Priests use to steal and rape all the time until King Henry the VIII took away some of the church's power.

Imagine the numbers who were abused who haven't come forward. I personally know of 2. I'm pretty sure that number is much more sizeable. Abuse victims feel shame and often times feel responsible for what happened to them. That shame keeps them from coming forward. The church's response is not helping.

Several hundred priests is probalby an underestimate - there are about 400,000 Catholic priests in the world, and some Catholics estimate the percentage of abusive priests at 5%. That's 20,000 child abusers! So even 100,000 victims is certainly way too small given how long the coverups have been occurring.

A shocking number for an organization that claims to represent God.

when things are broken and can't be fixed, just junk 'em... time to junk the catholic church as it's been rotting and decaying for a very long time now!

"And what about those people who are stating they have been abused when they havn't."

Hmmm...I wonder what gave them the message it is acceptable to deceive like that?

And what about those people who are stating they have been abused when they havn't. I'm pretty sure there is a sizeable number of so called abused who are looking for nothing more than to get a free check from either the government or the church as a payoff.

What your seeing is the tip of the iceberg compared with the number who haven't come forward out of shame, guilt, feelings of inferiority, fear etc... Wait until the abuse scandal becomes unhinged in Latin and South America where the catholic church has played conqueror for over four hundred years of unchecked abuse in what was a third world environment of the church's making.

Those abused I do feel sorry for. But the abused racked up equals over 100,000 people that called in the first week? That means several hundred priests were involved in all the touchy feely. And that can't be right.

Try several thousands of priests. The American Bishop's own investigation revealed over 85% of parishes had reports of abuse - they confirmed over 10,000 cases of abuse in just a fifty year time frame by over 5,000 priests.

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/AtAGlance/data.htm

KJR:

Who are these people claiming abuse when it never happened? I must be missing something. I've never heard of a priest becoming falsely accused of molestation. Can you give me examples.

The largest "mafia" of the world!

The Borgias, Pope Gregory's "family" were the first mafia family.

And just why would it be so bad for the pope to demonstrate some humility and and get out there and take ownership of this thing?

There are people who have been hurt by the Catholic Church. Their lives have been ruined as children by Catholic priest who are pedophiles. The Catholic Church including this Pope has known about their dirty priest for decades. Nothing has happened to those priest by anyone and the only response by this dirty Church is to deny their complicit part.

The Catholic Church should not be given tax breaks. They have broken the law too many times and do not police themselves well. They hide or move criminal priest abusers around as to keep quiet and so they won't have lawsuits.

It's time for them to stop playing these lying games with the public. These men and this Pope has known what goes on inside this church and yet he has the where with all to put out this garbage and mock those who have come forward to tell their story.

Where is his compassion to these people? The Pope and this Church is Cold. They are only looking out for the mass of wealth that supports them all.

Children are sacred. Their safety should be everyone's lst priority. No one, not even a Pope should protect a pedophile but they do and have done so for too long.

I hope critics keep it up and not let the Catholic Church white-wash these crimes against children.

Everyone should care more about children than this Pope or this Church.

I certainly don't hate the Catholic church or Catholics. What I am repulsed by is the defense of pedophiles and the church's coverup to avoid scandal. Simply because repulsive activity can be found elsewhere does not make it OK. Coming from what are self-proclaimed representatives of God makes these crimes even more heinous. For the pope's priest to compare this to antisemitism compounds the vileness of the church's acts. Hatred toward Semites is unfounded, based merely on who a group of people is. Disgust with the Catholic Church is based on centuries of child abuse actions, only coming to the forefront now. The rape of the innocent is not what God had in mind, I feel pretty certain. I must say my respect for all Catholics is tarnished. How can you continue to support these molesters and their apologists and co-conspirators? Is that really what you think God wants of you?

Dearest Madison,

Oh, the poor church under attack during holy week. What a crock of horse manure!

Your holy church and its leaders HIDE child rapists, just so the good name of the church can go on. Well, here's a news flash for ya, bub.....There is so much of this being reported around the world that even children will no longer trust their lecherous priests. The catholic church is club of child molesters protected by the leadership. They are criminals that do these horrible things, and those that hide them are equally guilty. I hope governments across the world prosecute all the priests and the pope alike.

There is NOTHING WORSE than someone who harms a child in any way. They should all be burned at the stake, and then burn in that hell of theirs for eternity.

what i am hearing you say is that because the catholics do it less often than any others it is okay to molest children but, only if you are catholic and not married.

Softdude:

The Pope HAS gone out there and taken ownership of this thing:

The Pope said:
"You have suffered grievously and I am truly sorry. I know that nothing can undo the wrong you have endured. Your trust has been betrayed and your dignity has been violated." (http://www.zenit.org/article-28725?l=english)

Kate:

The Catholic Church has committed the least amount of these crimes, has suffered the most accusation, and has apologized and taken the most remedial action – more than U.S. Public schools, married men, or any other group.

It is not the Catholic Church, but the media that is lying, and NBC retracted some of their accusations earlier this week.

The Church is not a mass of wealth, and does not support parishes – when you resent and sue Catholics, you are taking out of the pockets of innocent Americans who contribute to their parish and their Diocese today. The Vatican does not pay for it, and the Vatican is not rich—do you expect them to sell St. Peter’s? Why not ask Obama to sell the White House?

The children are at 10 times greater risk when they go to public school every day, than from Catholic abuse. They are at greater risk staying in their own homes with their own parents. You cannot eradicate sin from the whole world, and it’s very odd to focus on the least offenders.

Ronacrone:

The Church is NOT defending pedophiles, and has NOT had centuries of child abuse actions. You are very gullible when you believe the New York Times, NBC, The DaVinci code, and other attempts to vilify the Catholic Church. You should do more homework on both sides of the issue before you jump to conclusions and believe fiction and libel.

You did not even read my post carefully before replying – the Catholic Church has been the LEAST offender. Today, the U.S. Public schools abuse children more every day, and hide the offenses more every day, than the Church has ever done, and unlike the Church, are not taking steps to fix the situation.

Son of Revolution:

You could raise the level of your arguments out of the horse manure pasture if you want credibility.

You seemed to miss the point of my post, which is that parents, public schools, governments, and boy scout leaders are still abusing more children today than the Catholic Church has ever done.

Your suggestion of burning offenders at the stake, then letting them burn in hell, would actually enrich the world population with more Catholic priests, and would reduce the number of married men, public school staff, and every other group on earth, who are all worse abusers than the Catholic Church.

The pot should stop calling the kettle black. How can anybody criticize another for sins that are less frequent than your own? That is bigotry.

Jack-

No, read my post.

It’s not O.K., but stop attacking the smallest violator who has apologized and who is taking corrective action. The police don’t stop someone who is speeding 2 miles over the speed limit while overlooking those who are speeding 20 miles over the limit. You also should not go with a vengeance after those who offend the least, while ignoring the biggest offenders.

By ignoring the largest offenders and focusing on the least offenders, the media manages to brainwash people like you into thinking that Catholic priests are perverts, and that the teaching of the Catholic Church is worthless. They are misrepresenting and maligning the Catholic Church by their omissions. And people like you fall for it. In actual fact, Catholic priests are the least perverted of all human groups.

Admit that even a doctor who smokes can tell you that smoking is not good for your health. So the Catholic Church, even if her members sin, can teach morality. That is what is really under attack here – those who resent the moral authority of the Church try to undermine the Church by criticizing the speck in her eye while ignoring the plank in their own eye.

The ~2000 year old mantra of.........

"I'm a victim...."

is wearing a little thin.

Yo dude, can you get your story straight. First you say the accusations are false, then you say the Pope has taken responsibility.

Which is it??

Answer these relevant questions:

1) are Christian priests abusing children??

2) has their employer been covering for them??

3) have the perpetrators been punished??

4) is their a conspiracy within the church to cover their tracks??

It's pretty simple

200 deaf boys would find your words supporting this sick Church empty. All children who have been harmed by the holier than thou pedophile priest would find your support of this sick Church empty.

You are on the wrong side of this issue. The Catholic pedophile priest knew that these children would do what they wanted them to do and not question them. The pedophies hide right in plain view in the Catholic Church while doing their dirty deeds to innocent children and then they asked to be forgiven or to let them remain and be supported by the Church? Insane.

This Church has played deaf, dumb and blind for too long. Your advocacy sounds like you may be too close to the subject to be objective.

The Catholic Church is so full of hubris and self-aggrandizement it is laughable. Their ridiculous robes and hats are looking more like clowns every day.

These Popes, Bishops, etc. are just plain old men and nothing more. Just because they dress-up and play holy and wear goofy hats doesn't mean they are any better than anyone else.

They believe that they are better and there in lies their problem. They want to be treated better than other people and have authority over them.

Their structure is ripe for attracting those men who will commit crimes and want the protection from what people perceive is a place of virtue.

The Catholic Church should be held accountable and I really hope more investigation into these crimes continues and that the media does hound them right out of Rome.

jack, that's exactly what madison is saying - it's ok to molest a few children as long as someone else molests more than they do... and they really think they are going to heaven? i guess when you believe that you can commit horrific acts and then simply apologize and all is forgiven.. I have to wonder what other laws the church breaks and doesn't report. Wow.. it's truly amazing. I thought what i read yesterday was bad - this is truly despicable beyond anything else. I'm really stunned.

Madison,

Y'know what I think the big problem here is? People don't want an apology. They want justice. They want somebody punished. Even if the offending priests who committed these acts are not longer alive, they want the next person up the chain-of-command to own up and say, "Yes, I moved this abusive priest to another location rather than fire him," or "I knew about this and did not do enough to stop it," or whatever. Then they want that person to step down and then subject themselves to the rule of law to determine innocence or guilt and n the case of the latter, accept just punishment. It doesn't have to be the Pope. A Cardinal, A Bishop, another priest, somebody who was directly involved.

And I know with some cases, priests have gone to jail. But for each new scandal, these folks want someone held accountable. I mean, the so-called priests who committed these acts have ruined lives. That certainly doesn't mean all priests are bad or that the RCC is inherently evil. I think there's a lot of good that comes out of the church but is completely being overshadowed by these scandals. And these scandals need to be followed up with disciplinary action, not apologies.

That's what I think so many of these posters want. Simple justice according to the rule of law. And I'm not saying these folks are right or wrong. I'm just trying to get a handle on what they're thinking as far as what they're posting.

And having folks in the Catholic hierarchy try to downplay this in any fashion is doing them no favors.

Madison, why would we read your posts carefully? You babble on forever with no substance and evidence to support your words. I'm not going to read someone's opinion that I already personally know to be wrong. Give me a break. I know one person who was molested in school and it was a catholic school (not public) by a theology teacher who was then transferred to a new jurisdiction by the school and the molestation was covered up. I know two people who were molested by priests. I know not one person who was molested by a public school teacher. You. Are. Wrong. End of story.

I feel sorry for you; you are very naive.

Not ONE of the media has done the homework or has the courage to report the REAL facts -- that it is married men, NOT priests, who are guilty of the most child abuse, and that priests are the LOWEST frequency offenders.

Even if this is true (and I'd like to see you present supporting facts) - what the priests did is far worse than what most child molesters do. Priests are in a very unique position as far as being in a "position of trust". Both adults and children place their trust in the clergy and expect them to adhere to higher standards of behavior, and to be concerned for the well-being of their congregations. The actions of the priests constituted a violation of trust that exceeds almost any other such violation - the exception being parents who molest their own children. And even worse, I'm sure many of the priests KNEW that even if the victims tried to tell their parents what had happened, they would at best, be disbelieved, and at worst, be severely punished (usually physically) for "spreading lies" about the priest. The frequency of molestation by priests may be lower, but the level of evil is much, much higher.

You did not even read my post carefully before replying – the Catholic Church has been the LEAST offender. Today, the U.S. Public schools abuse children more every day, and hide the offenses more every day, than the Church has ever done, and unlike the Church, are not taking steps to fix the situation.

Why wasn't the church "taking steps to fix the situation" LONG ago? The child molestation has been going on for decades, and all the church did was cover it up and re-assign those involved (which I'm sure the priests were thrilled about - fresh meat!). The pope's apology is pretty much akin to the ones that come from Tiger Woods, Jesse James, et al - the only reason they're "sorry" is BECAUSE THEY GOT CAUGHT. If Benedict had been concerned about the molested children, he would never have demanded, when he was Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, that ALL cases of priestly pedophilia be reported to him, instead of being taken to the civil authorities.

I like your at least semi-rational defense of Benny's Boys, but you and the good professor are missing a pertinent point. You want to say that priests are less dangerous numerically speaking than teachers at public schools? The analogy is false; if a principal were found to have covered up for a teacher's pedophilia, the principal would be removed and prosecuted. Is that happening to Benny the Rat? Not at all...

And frankly I'll make my criticisms of the Church during Holy Week or whenever the hell I feel like it. When the Pope's preacher comes out on Good Friday and makes these ridiculous comments, he's opening up the proverbial can o' worms.

Madison3,

I try to reconcile your defence of your Church and your God's representatives on earth with his doctrine in order to get a full grip of your rather earthly defence in spite of your belief in the almighty. And here's goes:

Catholics pray to their God for he loves them and listens to their prayers, right? As an example, in October pope Benedict XVI will declare saints some deceased Catholics who (the Catholic authority has fully examined and concluded these to) have performed miracles by way of intercession with the almighty on behalf of their fellow Catholics through the latter's prayers.

Fact: Despite the 200 deaf children crying out for help to the almighty each night from their suffering of rape and sodomy by father Murphy in Milwaukee, the Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omiscient and Bebevolent Being chose to turn a blind eye to the harms that Murpphy did to these deaf children. The almighty also let father Murphy die with dignity as he asked the then-Cardinal Ratzinger for.

I say this because your almighty God said and I quote from Matthew 18:6:

'But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.'

Given the concerns he has for the children and specifically spelled it out, he did not lift a finger to rescue these deaf children from hell on earth despite their prayers.

My conclusion: the Christian God must have either busy sleeping, drinking or having orgies with pure virgins in heaven that he did not hear these deaf children's crying our for help.

I bet you, Madison and other blind Catholics like yourself, in the face of these deaf children, have nothing to practise your God almighty's teachings but plenty to dug and wiggle under the spotlight, right?

After all, parents, educators and bishops of the diocese in which Murphy practised his carnal desire alongside his rituals could not fully understand the sign language that these deaf kids could muster.

I dare say that the Christian God is a liar, a cheat, a fraudster and a spychopath. No less.

PS. The US bishops were warned of the that abusive priests only pretended to repent and change "to be again in a position where they can continue their wanted activity" back in the 50s. According to Fitzgerald, the leader of the Servants of the Paraclete in Jemez Springs, New Mexico. So for the US bishops to claim such thing as it was too late to do anything, blah blah blah, you should listen to it with a FULL bag of salt. (Reported by AP March 31, 2009).

Whatever. A lot of the Catholic Preists like touching young boys.

Madison,

In another time, and in less despicable circumstances your defense of, and devotion to, your faith would be charming. But, as it stands today, you are as much a part of the problem as are the catholic clergy. Lending your voice to their cover-up and denials is disgusting.

“Sexual conduct by the staff of U.S. Public Schools is also 10 times worse than what the Catholic Church is guilty of, and to this day, these offenses are being swept under the rug -- http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21392345/ .”

Therefore no one should be upset when the members of a so-called Christian institution commit heinous crimes against trusting children under the power of authority? It is apparent just how low the standards among the Catholic faithful really are.

“It seems that moral authority, including the Pope, including the Jewish faith, and including policemen, is often hated by those who do not wish to obey common-sense laws and who wish to act selfishly and without self-control.”

Precluding grown men from marrying, not eating meat on Fridays during lent, Papal infallibility, and the claimed lack of bodily decomposition of the saints is “common-sense” only to someone suffering from severe brain damage.

The only defense that will save those faithful to Rome is rank ignorance. Quite frankly, if it wasn’t for their shameless deception and assimilation of uneducated immigrants their active membership in the US would be statistically very small.

Sadly, based upon your comments it appears that you unfortunately fall within the latter category and thus will be without excuse on the last day. I sincerely hope that you will repent of your endorsement of this Anti-Christian doctrine before it is too late.

Erik J,

A saying by Carl Sagan for you: 'Extraordinary Claims require Extraordinary Evidence'.

So why you s/b surprised when a religion which claims to possess the only way to eternal salvation but behaves like a perfect hiding place for paedophilia priests needs the strongest spotlight on it for all to see its hypocrisies. Got it?

As for your last comment which implies a threat to scare the sh*t out of a mature adult with reasoning and logic, let me say this. We as adults no longer believe in 'A monster is coming to get you if you don't stop crying'. Ask your mother.

Maybe it's time for you to find out the effects of indoctrination on you and join the rest of human race not sheep (as taught by your church, with an imaginary being your shepherd).

Madison - Well said. Now you will get 5000 vicious replies from atheists and catholic haters who love standing on the justice and accountability soapbox, but convieniently overlook the concept of DUE PROCESS.

F#$k you you blind deaf and dumb idiot and your little dog Shawn too

Great reply, Mark. Go back to the angry community college student board. You may return when you are able to articulate something more than Fyou.

Keep trying.

Telephone........Rome calling.........

wake up douggy. Your church is rotten to its stinking core. If there were only one pervert priest and the leaders protected him, it would stink as bad. There are thousands of damaged kids because your "celebate" priests can't keep their pants on.

Religion is the root of evil

And the catholic perversion apologists start to chime in....

The church has lost trust with its faithful. It may never get it back now.

"very few priests"? Check your facts. Each time an abuser was re-assigned and not made responsible for their actions the people involved in shuffling them around (priests, bishops and pope) became just as culpable for the crime.

They're weeding out the molesters ? WITH the Church's help ? Gee, I wonder why Cardinal Mahoney and the Vatican are NOT releasing internal memos on pedophiles and actions (not) taken ?
they are STILL protecting their ass(et)s

You are absolutely right. I wanted to say the same thing. How AUDACIOUS to compare the two. What a smoke screen to try and hide disgusting, criminal, and UN-Christian behavior. Face it, the Pope knew. He knows of all of them now. It is not time to clean house. It is time to burn it down. I am not anti religion. I am working hard to live like a Christian should. If I did those things, I would admit failure. To cover up these crimes is to condone them, and that makes a person party to them. The whole organization is corrupt. REALLY then, how absurd to think that Jesus would want anything to do with such ones claiming to FOLLOW him! The time is ripe for "Babylon" to come crashing down (Revelation 18).

Mary,

Good post.........

The media is unjustly discriminating and selectively attacking and reporting the errors of the Catholic Church because the media does not like the teachings of the Catholic Church.

This is religious discrimination.

Whether you are discriminating against Jew or against Catholics, you are discriminating against religion.

Madison,

Discrimination against pedophiles is probably a good thing. If you lined up all the people raped and murdered in the name of Catholicism in the last 2,000 years I wonder wonder how many times they would wrap around the world....

Happy Spring Equinox everyone!

there are priests out there molesting boys - there is no way to keep it out of the news.

reporting about molesters isn't discrimination. it may be hard to hear if you are catholic, but that doesn't make it any less true.

Mary you are absolutely right. Lately we have had lot of people jumping on the Anti-Semite train. Pope is the root of all eviel. Just look at him and his School of Cardinals, They all have SATANS look in their eyes and their faces. Catholics are in a state of denial. They have brought this calamity on themselves. There are many good CATHOLIC people, who have no idea what to do with this huge problem. One way to stop this is to not send any money to VATICAN for starters. Next get rid of 80% of priests who are homosexuals and pedophiles. For gods sake allow priest to marry. Plain and simple no wife no priest.

Madison,

Quit defending sin. Period. End of story. Sex between a man and a women is what G** wants (sorry I'm Jewish) but married to a non sexual catholic woman (since her 40's she is now in her 50's). Which is what the "church" taught her. But a priest can have a seven year old boy? Or a 13 year girl (Nun). Get it together and pull your head out of where it dose'nt belong.

Mary's rule is a good one: criticize people not for who they are, but what they do. Too bad it doesn't ever get applied to Jews.

Seattle,

That is not going to happen and we both know it. Pope Ratzdick is all about his wind bag bs and denials and protecting the biggest and most successful criminal organization that the world has ever known. The western world, anyway.

Maybe its time for the "church" to fail. Enough!!

Wow, Peter...you GET it ! Why cant others ?

I hope I read your headline tomorrow.

It was 6 million jews.

Is that any different than people who try to like Obama to Hitler, and thus minimize the truth of the holocaust and the victims?

Excellent call Rudy. It's okay to call President Obama Hitler and you wont hear anything from the Jewish community then, but here the Priest is talking about collective blame against the Papacy and it boils down to somehow the church is anti-semitic...

I understood what the Priest was trying to say but people are not taking it in context..

Ignorant secular liberal

Go to Iran, RedMike. State and religion are separate here.