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Pride before the fall of Rome
By Maureen Orth
special correspondent, Vanity Fair
In reporting for Vanity Fair in 2002 about one of the U.S.'s most vile child molesting priests, Paul Shanley, now in jail, I interviewed nine of his victims. Listening to their heartbreaking stories, I came to understand what true Evil is as never before as well as the sin of pride --the pride of the Church for thinking that its reputation was more important than saving children's lives. The experience for me illustrated that sins of omission can be worse than the sins themselves because they cause the wrongdoing to continue.
For the past 30 years, the Church has appointed its most conservative doctrinal guardians to its most important positions of authority. Helping to lead the charge of course has been Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVl; Today's Church is very much one that he has helped fashion, notwithstanding the overdue meetings with molestation victims and tardy edicts about the guilty being punished. Now he is being asked to resign. But why? His resignation will do nothing about celibacy, women priests or the paucity of thought in how to attract back the droves now leaving the Church.
This weekend millions of Catholics will confess their sins in the sacrament of Reconciliation in order to be in a state of grace to receive Holy Communion on Easter Sunday. We Catholics, however, are taught that for our sins to be forgiven, we must realize we were seriously wrong, fully confess and not commit them again. Does that sound like the Vatican today? The Church isn't there yet and that is why the resignation of the Pope will not propel this Church into the 21st century.
Maureen Orth is a Special Correspondent for Vanity Fair Magazine and the founder of the Marina Orth Foundation.
By Maureen Orth |
April 3, 2010; 1:47 PM ET
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Posted by: usapdx | April 4, 2010 10:17 AM
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There is no heaven of glory bright, and no hell where sinners roast. Here and now is our day of torment! Here and now is our day of joy! Here and now is our opportunity! Choose ye this day, this hour, for no
redeemer liveth!
The only way to cure the cancer of catholicism, and stop the pedophilia, is to begin each ceremony of ordination to the deaconate with castration. Let any priest who wants to be celibate make a gift of his balls to jesus.
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Posted by: Schaum | April 3, 2010 10:27 PM
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Dear Catholics,
I hurt, I have hurt for 46 years and I am hurting from abuse from one of your priests and the cover up that followed not only in my case but in thousands of others.
Is this all the "Christian" help you can offer me and thousands of other victims, declaring that we victims who speak out are similar to the Nazi's that killed the Jews? Have you noting better to offer in the name of poor old Jesus?
Is this what your Christ had in mind when he, as you claim, founded your Church?
Is this your legacy, hiding criminals against nature, God and man and scapegoating your victims?
Is this what Catholics and your Church are really about? How can you joyfully celebrate Easter knowing each and everyone of you is complicit in this international sexual terrorism? Is this really it really means to be "men and women of God"?
I pray for the strength and clarity to simply, totally and finally dismiss all of you as your Lord said,
"Father forgive them for they know not what they do"
Posted by: coloradodog | April 3, 2010 3:40 PM
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If the ADMINISTRATION OF THE RCC does not come clean, watch the young peoples feet. The ancer whould be for a NEW POPE and he calling for VATICAN III to turn RCC around.