Mathew N. Schmalz
Professor of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross

Mathew N. Schmalz

Schmalz writes and teaches in the fields of Comparative Religions and South Asian Studies. He also writes on Catholic spirituality.

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Vatican chooses pragmatism over principle

The recent revelations of documents related to the case of the late Father Lawrence Murphy have brought the sexual abuse crisis to a new level of urgency. According to the documents, as reported by The New York Times, Father Murphy abused hundreds of children and adolescents entrusted to his care. In correspondence relating to the case, Bishop Raphael Fliss of Superior, Wisc., described the situation as "tragic." "Tragic" is an adjective originally reserved for literary and dramatic works that offer deep reflections on the sorrowful aspects of human existence. While the Murphy case does have its tragic dimensions for Catholicism as a whole, its specifics hardly lend themselves to lofty, abstract considerations. Instead, the case is about the calculated efforts of a predator to use his position of priestly authority to continue a pattern of sexual abuse. The case also reveals an ecclesiastic calculus that valued pragmatism over principle.

Legality and pragmatism dominate not only Rome's defense of its involvement in the case but also the documents surrounding Murphy's canonical trial. In his explanation of Rome's handling of the case, Father Fredrico Lombardi has emphasized the practical difficulties of handling the accusations regarding Father Murphy, particularly given the long period of time that had elapsed since the abuse took place and was reported to the Vatican. Of course, one of Father Murphy's defenses was that the canonical statute of limitations had expired--an attempt to exploit a legal loophole that shows that Catholic canon law and American criminal law present similar obstacles to the prosecution of cases. While the appeal to the statute of limitations was rejected, the summary of the Vatican meeting about the Father Murphy's case shows that legal logistics, and implicit concerns about the Church's reputation, carried the day.

At issue was the accusation that Murphy had violated the sanctity of the confessional. The decision was eventually reached to "abate" the upcoming trial but to place Father Murphy under canonical restrictions. One point evidently supporting the decision was made by Secretary Tarcisio Bertone, who emphasized the difficulties in prosecuting such a case under secrecy--leaving open the question of whether it was the secrecy of the confessional that had to be preserved or the confidentiality of any canonical process relating to sexual abuse. Attention was also called to the presumption of innocence in American jurisprudence; it is difficult to tell whether that refers to potential criminal or civil action or is adduced as some sort of general principle, ethical or practical, for dealing with sexual abuse accusations in an American context.

The translated summary of the discussion does show rather muted dissent. While he implemented the decision of his superiors, Archbishop Rembert Weakland did at least acknowledge that the victims would have difficult time understanding and accepting the decision. Most telling, however, was sub-Secretary Gianfranco Girotti's apparent insistence that the case move ahead if there was no repentance displayed by Father Murphy. If the Catholic Church viewed the case as a matter of "sin and redemption," as commentators have pointed out, the issue of repentance deserves further exploration.

In his letter to then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Father Murphy plaintively asked that he die with the "dignity" of his priesthood intact. While he makes reference to how he has "repented," Father Murphy does not mention any substantive act that would indicate repentance. Indeed, Murphy does not even admit to guilt and instead only acknowledges that he had been accused of sexual misconduct. The letter is striking in its narcissism and most certainly confirms the examining social worker's conclusion that Father Murphy had not displayed any remorse.

In Catholic canon law, the application of punishment is set within the context of recognizing sin in order to encourage reconciliation. By preventing the case against Father Murphy from moving forward, the Catholic Church abdicated one of the fundamental principles upon which its understanding of sin and redemption is based. While the Vatican discussion of the Murphy case does conclude with an affirmation of the necessary "remorse and reform of the priest," and makes reference to "grave evil," Bishop Fliss had already made clear that all pastoral options had been exhausted. That the charges against Father Murphy involved crimes committed in the confessional also shows that the interests of American civil law and Catholic canon law were not necessarily opposed in this case, regardless of questions about the statute of limitations.

While the actions of Lawrence Murphy were sinful and criminal, it is tragic that members of the Vatican hierarchy did not listen to their subordinates who belatedly recognized the gravity of the case. In his handwritten letter to one of the victims, Archbishop Weakland acknowledged the scope of the violations and the deep pain that Father Murphy had inflicted on vulnerable children and adolescents. It would be appropriate now for Vatican officials to begin the process of their own repentance by writing personal letters to the many victims of clerical sexual abuse.

By Mathew N. Schmalz  |  March 25, 2010; 3:11 PM ET  | Category:  Benedict XVI , Papacy , sexual abuse scandal Save & Share:  Send E-mail   Facebook   Twitter   Digg   Yahoo Buzz   Del.icio.us   StumbleUpon   Technorati  
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AT WHAT COST?

On November 6, 1999 Pope John Paul II in his sermon at the Sacred Heart Cathedral of New Delhi, INDIA, openly stated, "Just as in the first millennium the Cross was planted on the soil of Europe, and in the second on that of the Americas and Africa, we can pray that in the third Christian millennium, a great harvest of faith will be reaped in this vast and vital continent [Asia]"

This is a story from INDIA, where this - priests raping nuns and boys - disease is spreading like AIDS.

http://myexperimentsagainstprejudice.blogspot.com/2009/02/church-sex-and-scandals.html

Posted by: futuralogic | March 31, 2010 10:45 PM
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YOU ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN A NEW BLOG…

…that tackles Church abuse, separation of Church and State, Atheism, Buddhism, Existentialism….

Just posted:

CONCEPTS + LOGIC = KNOWLEDGE, by Blacksun
MAN AND REASON, by Randall Duncan
RATZINGER’S VATICAN: SEX, LIES AND SECRETS, by Emily Helm.
THE NEW BUDDHIST ATHEISM, by Mark Vernon

http://theexistentialatheist.blogspot.com/

“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.”

Posted by: Schaum | March 30, 2010 3:24 PM
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On Topic:

Look, with all due respect Scmalz, the Vatican Cosa Nostra, is a money-laundering gang of pederast protectors, among other things.

It is not salvageable. It needs to go, the sooner the better.

And bon voyage. You can keep on worshiping the image of the corpse of a dead (non)Jew on a stick. That goes without saying.

Posted by: FarnazMansouri | March 28, 2010 6:32 PM
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Might not be "on-topic" but added information is always good:

Added information about the problems of the Vatican Bank can be found at
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Institute_for_Works_of_Religion

Added information about the Catholic sex abuse cases can be found at
http://www.answers.com/topic/roman-catholic-sex-abuse-cases?method=26&initiator=CANS

Added information about others who apparently have been unfair to Holocaust victims:

"Steven Erlanger

International Herald Tribune
01-20-2005

Israeli banks holding assets from European Jews killed in the Holocaust failed to make a determined effort to return the holdings to their heirs, and when they were returned, they were not returned at their proper value, according to a report by an Israeli parliamentary committee. The government of Israel, as custodian for a large part of the assets, also failed to make a serious effort to maintain their value or to return them to survivors or heirs, the report said."

The assets of Israeli banks are posted at:
http://duns100.dundb.co.il/ts.cgi?tsscript=/2009e/e30a4

Israeli banks by the way have over one trillion dollars in assets.

Posted by: YEAL9 | March 28, 2010 5:35 PM
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Look, with all due respect Scmalz, the Vatican Cosa Nostra, is a money-laundering gang of pederast protectors, among other things.

It is not salvageable. it needs to go, the sooner the better.

And bon voyage. You can keep on worshiping the image of corpse of a dead (non)Jew on a stick. That goes without saying.

Posted by: FarnazMansouri | March 28, 2010 4:48 PM
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AN OPEN INVITATION:

The only way to cure the cancer of Catholicism is to begin each ceremony of ordination to the deaconate with castration.

A new blog tackles Church abuse, separation of Church and State, Atheism, Buddhism, Existentialism….

A new essay by Randall Duncan: MAN AND REASON, just posted!

http://theexistentialatheist.blogspot.com/

Posted by: Schaum | March 28, 2010 1:12 PM
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"And why couldn't they (Catholics) attend a nice Presbyterian church instead? The reason why they can't is more odious than the Vatican's secrecy.
Posted by: HookedOnThePost | March 28, 2010 10:13 AM "

Please do inform us as to why Catholics cannot attend a nice Presbyterian church.

And in case you missed the following:

"The Vatican Secret Archives (Latin: Archivum Secretum Vaticanum), located in Vatican City, is the central repository for all of the acts promulgated by the Holy See.

These archives also contain the state papers, correspondence, papal account books,[1] and many other documents which the church has accumulated over the centuries.

In the 17th century, under the orders of Pope Paul V, the Secret Archives were separated from the Vatican Library, where scholars had some very limited access to them, and remained absolutely closed to outsiders until 1881, when Pope Leo XIII opened them to researchers, of whom now more than a thousand examine its documents each year.[2]"

ref: Wikipedia

Posted by: YEAL9 | March 28, 2010 11:26 AM
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The canon law!! isn't that an oxymoron? We all know these resignations do not happen voluntarily, unless of course someone has great pangs of conscience, or is incapacitated and has sense to get out. Just like in case of Nixon, the situation got so ugly that everyone came up to him and nudged out of the white house. In a similar manner when the embarrassment crosses the tipping point (which cannot be known till it occurs) then the rest of the scum in the college will push him off the cliff and claim it was all done voluntarily. Mr. Ratzinger will of course will be mouthing of all kinds of homilies and attest to him leaving the stuff voluntarily. He probably will also get a fine golden parachute too. Lets all hope that tipping point is not anywhere around the corner, because longer it takes to reach the tipping point more we will learn about the corruption and more likely greater numbers of laity will be grossed out and leave the Church.

Posted by: Secular | March 28, 2010 11:14 AM
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I'm just sorry for practicing Catholics whose tithes provide the fuel for this ugliness. And why couldn't they attend a nice Presbyterian church instead? The reason why they can't is more odious than the Vatican's secrecy.

Posted by: HookedOnThePost | March 28, 2010 10:13 AM
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Bank Secrecy-

"Bank secrecy (or bank privacy) is a legal principle in some jurisdictions under which banks are not allowed to provide to authorities personal and account information about their customers unless certain conditions apply (for example, a criminal complaint has been filed[1]).

In some cases, additional privacy is provided to beneficial owners through the use of numbered bank accounts or otherwise. Bank secrecy is prevalent in certain countries, such as Switzerland, offshore banks and other tax havens under voluntary or statutory privacy provisions.

Created by the Swiss Banking Act of 1934, which led to the famous Swiss bank, the principle of bank secrecy is sometimes considered one of the main aspects of private banking. It has also been accused by NGOs and governments of being one of the main instruments of underground economy and organized crime, in particular following the class action suit against the Vatican Bank in the 1990s, the Clearstream scandal and the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Former bank employees from banks in Switzerland (UBS, Julius Baer) and Liechtenstein (LGT Group) have testified that their former institutions helped clients evade billions of dollars in taxes by routing money through offshore havens in the Caribbean and Switzerland. One of these, Rudolf M. Elmer, wrote, "It is a global problem...Offshore tax evasion is the biggest theft among societies and neighbor states in this world."[2]

ref: Wikipedia

Posted by: YEAL9 | March 27, 2010 12:51 AM
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"The Vatican Secret Archives (Latin: Archivum Secretum Vaticanum), located in Vatican City, is the central repository for all of the acts promulgated by the Holy See. These archives also contain the state papers, correspondence, papal account books,[1] and many other documents which the church has accumulated over the centuries. In the 17th century, under the orders of Pope Paul V, the Secret Archives were separated from the Vatican Library, where scholars had some very limited access to them, and remained absolutely closed to outsiders until 1881, when Pope Leo XIII opened them to researchers, of whom now more than a thousand examine its documents each year.[2]

The word "secret" in the title "Vatican Secret Archives" does not have the modern meaning: it indicates instead that the archives are the Pope's own, not those of a department of the Roman Curia. The word "secret" was used in this sense also in phrases such as "secret servants", "secret cupbearer", "secret carver".[3]

ref: Wikipedia

Posted by: YEAL9 | March 27, 2010 12:48 AM
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The Vatican has many secrets -- but why? What are they hiding?

They're hiding the FACT that they have been a haven for pedophiles for literally hundreds of years -- as well as murderers, ruthless financiers, profiteering incorporated internationally-based subgroups, Nazi propagandists, and ceaseless apologists for a twisted, cynical ideology.

This is what humanity's desire for 'spirituality' creates -- a despotic, anti-human, profoundly evil religion, using the sickest, most underhanded, devious methods to rope in supporters -- the promise of an all-powerful "loving, holy, God" which will give them "eternal bliss" for giving up their free human lives in servitude.

If true 'evil' exists, then it would choose the robes of a holy man and the protective mantle of a holy church as a disguise, would it not?

Yes, indeed it would.

Posted by: Frank57 | March 26, 2010 10:06 PM
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The Vatican has many secrets -- but why? What are they hiding?

They're hiding the FACT that they have been a haven for pedophiles for literally hundreds of years -- as well as murderers, ruthless financiers, profiteering incorporated internationally-based subgroups, Nazi propagandists, and ceaseless apologists for a twisted, cynical ideology.

This is what humanity's desire for 'spirituality' creates -- a despotic, anti-human, profoundly evil religion, using the sickest, most underhanded, devious methods to rope in supporters -- the promise of an all-powerful "loving, holy, God" which will give them "eternal bliss" for giving up their free human lives in servitude.

If true 'evil' exists, then it would choose the robes of a holy man and the mantle of a holy church as a disguise, would it not?

Yes, indeed it would.

Posted by: Frank57 | March 26, 2010 9:06 PM
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It would be the best if people knew the facts about this church, and the insidious grasp it still has on people's fantasy lives.

This particular Church (Catholic) has exerted much power in the past, pre-enlightenment times. It has been an incubator for some damned good research, to boot.

But the bottom line is always power, and that power is always at the expense of truth, meaning that they tend to B.S. on liturgical fealty to the ignorant masses to gain popular support.

It would be nice to finally put an end to all this "supernatural power from a fantasy above" hoopla, thereby speaking in truths, rather than fancy ecclesiastical sprechen, that says nothing, asks you to obey, and not question.

That's a misuse of "faith", and the Catholic church has always done it this way....sorry.

They make you feel bad for not believing it(the dogma), hook, line, and sinker.

so they take it on faith.

So what's your next trick, now that the cat's out of the bag, Catholics, and so many enlightened people are seeing your "faith" for what it really is - fantasy?

Maybe start selling pot; that may get you some blind faith, and some cash to boot!

Posted by: pgibson1 | March 26, 2010 7:54 PM
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I am an atheist. I am also a law abiding citizen and parent. Always looking out for my sons' welfare I welcomed the laws and protections installed for children and minors. I would expect that if a person in my neighborhood was suspected of abuse or molestation that a police car would drive up and the person would come out in handcuffs. Until I see that happen with priests and/or bishops this is nothing but an exercise in the media to pretend to be acting on the issue. Teachers, counselors or coaches do not have any privileges other than Constitutional and I want to see the same police/justice actions for all "trusted" adults, including a pope, that we leave in the care of our children. Anything less than arrest's or subpoena's is an act of injustice to those harmed.

Posted by: 1ezmac | March 26, 2010 7:23 PM
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The only way to cure the cancer of Catholicism is to begin each ceremony of ordination to the deaconate with castration.

A new blog tackles Church abuse, separation of Church and State, Atheism, Buddhism, Existentialism….

A new essay by Randall Duncan: MAN AND REASON, just posted!

http://theexistentialatheist.blogspot.com/

Posted by: Schaum | March 26, 2010 5:32 PM
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I am a lawyer, not a canon lawyer, but a civil/secular lawyer and plowed through every page of the materials posted online by the NYT. By a weird coincidence, I lived in Milwaukee at this time period and am the same age as most of these victims. I know the power the Catholic church had in Milwaukee at this time.

The NYT materials clearly show that this Father Murphy never repented. And, from the standpoint of the innocent deaf boys, up to 200, that he molested, so what. The job of the church isn't to insure that the molesters of the world repent and go to heaven, but that innocents are protected. The thrust of the documentation clearly showed the Church's main goal was to avoid scandal or "problems with the deaf community" and insure that Father Murphy's rights as a priest were protected.

There has been a lot of misinformation about this case on cable news. Someone called Raymond Flynn [not sure that's his name] representing some lay Catholic organization was on MSNBC and basically blamed the whole situation in Milwaukee on the failure of the parents of these children to come forward in 1974.

There is no indication that the parents of these children knew what was happening to their sons. These boys were in boarding school and had little contact with their parents apparently. The Milwaukee police cooperated with the Church and did not prosecute Murphy in 1974, so the police DID know about the problem, how I don't know.

This Raymond Flynn or whoever he is said that the parents of the victims were the most to blame in ALL of the pedophile priest situations because they failed to go straight to the police and instead of trying to deal with the situation through the Church. Flynn should be ashamed of himself for blaming the parents in this situation. This fact twisting by a lay "spokesmen" for Catholics is despicable.

Posted by: Afraid4USA | March 26, 2010 5:20 PM
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Mr. Schmalz, you have no idea what you are talking about, and reading the New York Times doesn't make for investigative reporting. You obviously have never taken the time to find out how things are handled now. I assume you have never talked to people on the front line, who everyday are making sure this doesn't happen again, that victims are compassionately attended to, that seminarians, clergy and lay ministers are properly vetted before they serve, the list goes on and on. But, no, you rely on a newspaper that hates the Catholic Church, but you never bother to find out what is really happening. This pope and the American church have done far more than public schools, police departments, etc., than anyone else in trying to respond in principle to the tragedy of child sexual abuse. And thinking you KNOW because you read the NYT is laughable.

Posted by: jpfann | March 26, 2010 4:03 PM
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Hallucinations-

"Definition from answers.com

Hallucinations are false or distorted sensory experiences that appear to be real perceptions. These sensory impressions are generated by the mind rather than by any external stimuli, and may be seen, heard, felt, and even smelled or tasted."

As per the NT, Jesus and his family members saw and talked to angelic beings to include satan. Today we classify these beings as fairies/tinkerbells and demons of the demented and anyone who said they saw or talked to said beings would be hallucinating or under the influence of drugs to include alcohol to include wine the standard beverage of first century Palestine.

See http://www.highestfive.com/mind/famous-hallucinations/ for a review of some famous hallucinations.

Posted by: YEAL9 | March 26, 2010 3:54 PM
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For those interested in the studies of the historic Jesus, please see the results of the exhaustive studies of the available scriptures posted at sites such as:

wiki.faithfutures.org/index.php?title=Crossan_Inventory

www.earlychristianwritings.com/theories.html

www.earlychristianwritings.com/

www.mtio.com/articles/bissar24.htm

Posted by: YEAL9 | March 26, 2010 3:44 PM
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New York Times

"New Torah For Modern Minds

By MICHAEL MASSING
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F20E1EFE35540C7A8CDDAA0894DA404482


Abraham, the Jewish patriarch, probably never existed. Nor did Moses. The entire Exodus story as recounted in the Bible probably never occurred. The same is true of the tumbling of the walls of Jericho. And David, far from being the fearless king who built Jerusalem into a mighty capital, was more likely a provincial leader whose reputation was later magnified to provide a rallying point for a fledgling nation.

Such startling propositions -- the product of findings by archaeologists digging in Israel and its environs over the last 25 years -- have gained wide acceptance among non-Orthodox rabbis. But there has been no attempt to disseminate these ideas or to discuss them with the laity -- until now.

The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, which represents the 1.5 million Conservative Jews in the United States, has just issued a new Torah and commentary, the first for Conservatives in more than 60 years. Called ''Etz Hayim'' (''Tree of Life'' in Hebrew), it offers an interpretation that incorporates the latest findings from archaeology, philology, anthropology and the study of ancient cultures. To the editors who worked on the book, it represents one of the boldest efforts ever to introduce into the religious mainstream a view of the Bible as a human rather than divine document. "

Posted by: YEAL9 | March 26, 2010 3:36 PM
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Yeal9,

1. Actually there is a lot of evidence to support the OT - archeology being one of them. Many choose to ignore this. Perhaps later today, if I have time I will say more...but without the time and resources at my disposal at the moment, I cannot.
2. I don't think this panel of "contemporary NT scholars" can really say definitively that only 30% of the NT is of the "real" Jesus as you just stated. It seems to me that they just take out what they don't like or what they think is impossible. I will concede that there are instances where the Christian sects did want to entice people of other religions (i.e. Christmas -- although this holiday does celebrate the birth of Jesus the timing and the tradition of the Christmas tree are not "Christian" -- many believe that these came in later to entice those who followed pagan religions). That being said, the Gospel message rings loud and clear and follows from the OT very clearly. I think that you have to take Jesus as he is. Jesus is one of 3 things: 1) a liar, 2) a lunitic or 3) the Lord. You can't mix and match and eliminate what you think is hallucinations or embellishments. If you think Jesus was a crazy man, as you say, then fine. Don't just take 30% of Him. Say it outright. If Jesus is a liar or a lunatic...then NOTHING He said should be believed or followed (all that love your neighbor as yourself stuff should just be thrown out as crazy talk or lies). I just don't like it when these so called "contemporary NT scholars" try to rationalize Jesus to fit their mold. Maybe they are the ones who need to change not Jesus. They need to make up their minds.
3. How do you know these people suffered from hallucinations? Were you there? I am guessing you weren't. I will give themt he benefit of the doubt and at least admit that they possibly did have spiritual experiences and may not have hallucinated...but the fact is, we don't know for sure. Some things in life have to be taken on faith. For instance, I have faith that the Jesus of the NT was who He said He was (I do base my decision on evidence that Jesus did live and that can back up what is detailed in the Bible -- and yes there is evidence). I wasn't really there to actually see it, but I have faith (backed up with evidence) to believe that what the Bible says occurred. You also have faith that Jesus of the NT is not the person the Bible says that He is (you may have evidence that helps to support your view). Ultimately, you were not there, just as I wasn't there either.

Posted by: cassie123 | March 26, 2010 1:40 PM
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Christianism includes within its ideology a tidy guilt-rejecting mechanism. If one of their faithful announces to their god(s) that he/she is truly and sincerely sorry for -oh, let's say the rape of a nine year old- their god(s) forgives the "sin" and absolves the criminal from spiritual guilt.

The sociopath, not needing the self-deluding apotropaics, simple wipes his member and moves on.

Posted by: tojby_2000 | March 26, 2010 12:15 PM
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Obviously the USA RCC is not the only tax-exempt group lobbying Congress.

From guidestar.com:

“The tax-exempt The Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith has a professional lobbying staff of approximately 528 in 28 offices nationwide, of those , two staff members based in Washington DC devoted 75% of their time, and the other devoted approximately 50% engaged in advocacy on (Congressional) legislative proposals related to federal hate crime laws, global anti-terrorism, the Middle East Peace Process, immigration issues, the use of government money to fund faith-based organizations and counter-terrorism proposals outside Washington, DC.”

The total revenue for the ADL in 2008 was $59,960,134 mostly coming from contributions and grants.

The largest of the lobbyists:(note the large sums of money being spent by health "profiteers" on lobbying )

Lobbying Client Total 1998-2009

US Chamber of Commerce $606,758,180
American Medical Assn $220,832,500
General Electric $196,410,000
AARP $175,702,064
American Hospital Assn $174,890,431
Pharmaceutical Rsrch & Mfrs of America $173,403,920
AT&T Inc $150,471,757
Northrop Grumman $143,005,253
Exxon Mobil $138,886,942
National Assn of Realtors $138,417,380
Blue Cross/Blue Shield $136,317,077
Business Roundtable $134,030,000
Edison Electric Institute $133,995,999
Verizon Communications $132,534,841
Lockheed Martin $122,340,423
Boeing Co $121,528,310
General Motors $106,914,483
Southern Co $104,620,694
Freddie Mac $96,194,048
Altria Group $93,650,000

Would the move to end tax exemptions for any group generate the added taxes/contributions needed to pay for universal health care??

The money spent by the health-"profiteers" on lobbying should be spent on health insurance for those who cannot presently afford it.

Posted by: YEAL9 | March 26, 2010 11:55 AM
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I am so sorry that once again we have to spend the energies of our Pope and our church on the bad behavior of men - those who did the actions, and those who covered them up. The only acceptable punishment for child abuse is castration, and if the courts won't do it, the mothers will.

Posted by: anngrace2 | March 26, 2010 11:53 AM
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"Legality" of the law or church doctrine? Two very different frameworks, and therefore different outcomes.

I say the law of the state trumps that of any church, which the Catholic church never follows.

$hame.

Posted by: PatC1 | March 26, 2010 11:35 AM
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Praise The Lord JESUS. Yes The Lord Is Coming.

This Easter Sunday JESUS Is Gonna Rise Up Again To Save This Evil World. The Saviour Is Comming For Us Chosen oe Believers.

Praise Jesus. The Lord Is Comming For You & Me & All The Righteous God Fearing Folk.

You All Will Go To Hell, Comes Judgement Day. So Be Ready. No Joke You All. Jesus Oh Jesus Jesus is come For Ye.

This Sunday Never Forgett The Suffering That Our Lord Our God Is Shed For Our SALVATION. Praise The Lord Jesus, Jehova, YAWEH. Thank You Mother Marry.

Are You Ready? I Am! Remember, Being Ready Is Half The Battle To Being Saved, The Rest is Believe That Jesus Died For Your Sins In Order That We May Be Forgiven & Blessed In His Name, The Father, The Mother & The Holy Ghost.

Jesus Is Our Lord, not Yours Alone. Thank You Father.

Happy Easter!

Posted by: righteous11 | March 26, 2010 11:19 AM
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Buddhism teaches if the person acts respectworthy, so is the teaching they follow. However, if the person does not act respectworthy, neither is the teaching they follow.

Actions speak much louder than words. The Catholic has chosen over and over to support pedaphiles over faith, while denouncing gay and homosexual behaviour as immoral.

Perhaps the Catholic Churhc does not view their own behavior as immoral, because they seee themselves above humanity and the laws of the land.

Immorality trumps faith again!

Posted by: patmatthews | March 26, 2010 10:45 AM
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The RCC whose priests consider the Catholics "God's people," whose medieval relics say this on television, in the media, and probably to themselves in the bathroom is an international pedophile ring. The pedophile gang is protected both from within and without, the latter by DAs who don't prosecute and by police.

When pedophiles leave the priesthood, they are set loose in the communities. Priest pedophiles have not above raping nonCatholic children.

The RCC is morally bankrupt and yet not only escapes prosecution but influences United States legislation, has legislation passed to serve its interests, tantamount to Establishment.

In a recent Apellate Court decision, the RCC was deemed a FOREIGN NATION and, therefore, immune to lawsuits by Americans.

What was the gist of the suit? The suit was brought by the victims of 200 Nazi Franciscan priests (Utashe), who owned and operated concentration camps during WWII. These Nazi Franciscan priests cut living people up with scissors and watched them bleed to death, impaled them and watched them drown.

The Nazi Franciscans then deposited what the victims (Serbian Orthodox, Jews, Roma) had in Vatican Bank. Vatican Bank was established by Pius XII as a repository for nazi loot.

The suit against the Franciscan Order continues.

Posted by: FarnazMansouri | March 26, 2010 10:04 AM
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Continued:

At the same time, incomprehensibly and illegally, that the US deems the the RCC a foreign nation and thereby immune to lawsuits, the RCC enjoys nonprofit status in the United States.

The RCC and its shills in Congress are in violation of Rico. It also has its shills in the media, and notwithstanding this column, EJ Dionne is one of them. EJ Dionne praised Senator Ben Nelson's efforts to deprive poor women and their families of choice under the Health Care bill. When Sen. Ben Nelson then took a bribe (an earmark) in exchange for a mild concession, EJ Dionne praised Nelson for his bribe, as being, by some twisted logic, "reformist."

Of course, the "reformist" bribe was universally hated, and when Dionne made the belated discovery, he again praised Vatican Ben Nelson, for wanting the bribe out.

Abroad, the RCC is being investigated by the Italian Justice Department for laundering 200,000,000 mafia dollars. That would be the mafia that murders elected Italian officials who attempt to stem the tide of organized crime that has over-run Italy.

The RCC has had nothing thus far to say on this, except to blame the Christian Orthodox for instigation this investigation.

This has not been reported in RCC WaPo.

Solution: The Congress must be purged of its Vatican shills.

Posted by: FarnazMansouri | March 26, 2010 10:03 AM
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Continued

The "bishops" et al must be prohibited from lobbying in Congress. Ditto all other religious institutions. Separate church and state.

The resignations of DAs who have failed to prosecute pedophile priests should be demanded. Ditto, those of police who haven't investigated.

The RCC is either a FOREIGN nation or a CIVIL institution. NOT Both.

If the latter, the Apellate Court decision protecting it from lawsuits must be overturned.

If the former, it must lose its nonprofit status immediately.

Either way, prosecutions on a variety of fronts for a variety of crimes too numerous to list here are long, long overdue.

Posted by: FarnazMansouri | March 26, 2010 10:02 AM
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Who is ccnl1 again?

Posted by: coloradodog | March 26, 2010 8:58 AM
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It would be interesting to see Vatican records of correspondence between it and the Archdiocese of Boston on cases relating to a handful of the most heinous predators that have come to light: Fr. John Geoghan, Fr. Paul Shanley and Fr. James Porter. In addition, there were about 80 other priests in the Archdiocese of Boston, who were known pedophiles, many of whom were supposedly supervised under the Shepherd's Crook of Cardinal Law. How many of their cases ended up going to the Vatican/CDF, or was Cardinal Law deemed competent enough by the Vatican to investigate these cases on his own?

Something else that would really blow the lid off the Priest Pedophilia Scandal would be to see how Fr. Maciel Delgado, founder of the Legionnaires of Christ, was protected under the Papacy of JPII. Surely, those whom Fr. Maciel abused have had the sanity to save copies of their correspondence with the Vatican/CDF. I predict that it will only be a short time before another reporter gets a Pulitzer Prize for exposing the minute details of that scandal. The world is waiting to hear........... Who wants the job?

Posted by: JeannieGuzman | March 26, 2010 7:01 AM
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vatican chooses prgmatism over principle.

in other words vatican applying secularism methods over doctrine.

1-the catholic church and juchristianity in general never had a backbone of any sharia ,if any body comit a sin,the pope either suck it up to the upper heaven??? or the king of the state give the methodolgy of crime and punishment wich in this case is 100% human secularism including the directory of the *infallable* human pope?

2-the long arm of the law is missing in the doctrine of juchristianity ,a domestic idealism cat inside church box, no more no less than the godes aphrodite, another add to the delusionism of greco-romanism .

3-the impotent lump stump doctrine of juchristianity in general need no pragmatism nor secularism nor the infallablism of the pope ,it need real divine revelation.


for so god love the world he nailed his *only* begotten son on the cross for the sin and love of mankind ?????the god or the lord or the son of god is the way the truth and life????????

let the infallable pope and the rest of juchristianity put the above doctrine in legalization and executivness termnology and application!!!!

Posted by: mono1 | March 26, 2010 4:55 AM
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Which organization gets to protect criminals from facing the law enforcement. If a teacher were accused of the same, does the president of the ISD move the teacher from one school to another or does s/he report that to the police? Why does this catholic church feel that they can shield these criminals? Aren't they supposed to obey the civilian law, where they are operating? Above all what amazes me is that the catholic laity comes out to rationalize away this tawdry cover-up catholic hierarchy? How can the parents of the victims keep it away from the law enforcement? This fact really astounds me. This crap about religion affects your judgment so much that one even abandons their own children. These parents are all taking a leaf out of the scumbag Abraham's book when that pond-scum of mythical character was willing to kill his own son. Astounding! Astounding! Astounding!

Posted by: Secular | March 25, 2010 7:17 PM
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To make truth silent in order to not damage the image will backfire for the truth will always come. It is time for a NEW POPE and then call VATICAN III to turn the RCC around.

Posted by: usapdx | March 25, 2010 6:24 PM
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Professor Schmalz,

The imploding of the RCC (actually all religions) is not simply due to the pedophilia scandal, it is also due to the flaw in the theology/law and history of Catholicism and all religions in general:

Examples (as noted by many bloggers):

1. Abraham founder/father of three major religions was either the embellishment of the lives of three different men or a
mythical character as was mythical Moses, the "Tablet-Man" who talked to burning bushes and made much magic in Egypt.

Many of the 1.5 million Conservative Jews and many of their rabbis have relegated Abraham to the myth pile along with most if not all the OT.

Current crisis:

Realization that the Jews are not god's chosen people.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F20E1EFE35540C7A8CDDAA0894DA404482

2. Jesus was an illiterate Jewish peasant/carpenter/simple preacher man who suffered from hallucinations and who has been characterized anywhere from the Messiah from Nazareth to a mythical character from mythical Nazareth to a mamzer from Nazareth (Professor Bruce Chilton, in his book Rabbi Jesus). Analyses of Jesus’ life by many contemporary NT scholars (e.g. Professors Crossan, Borg and Fredriksen, On Faith panelists) via the NT and related documents have concluded that only about 30% of Jesus' sayings and ways noted in the NT were authentic. The rest being embellishments (e.g. miracles)/hallucinations made/had by the NT authors to impress various Christian, Jewish and Pagan sects.

The 30% of the NT that is "authentic Jesus" like everything in life was borrowed/plagiarized and/or improved from those who came before. In Jesus' case, it was the ways and sayings of the Babylonians, Greeks, Persians, Egyptians, Hittites, Canaanites, OT, John the Baptizer and possibly the ways and sayings of traveling Greek Cynics.

http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/theories.html

For added "pizzazz", Catholic/Christian theologians divided god the singularity into three persons and invented atonement as an added guilt trip for the "pew people" to go along with this trinity of overseers. By doing so, they made god the padre into god the "filicider".

Current crises:

Pedophiliac priests, atonement theology and original sin!!!!

3. Luther, Calvin, Joe Smith, Henry VIII, Wesley, Roger Williams, the Great “Babs” et al, founders of Christian-based religions or combination religions also suffered from the belief in/hallucinations of "pretty wingie thingie" visits and "prophecies" for profits analogous to the myths of Catholicism (resurrections, apparitions, ascensions and immaculate conceptions).

Current crises:

Adulterous preachers, "propheteering/ profiteering" evangelicals and atonement theology, all male hierarchies and strange banking and funding.


Posted by: YEAL9 | March 25, 2010 5:12 PM
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