thanks for the info
purps
The new clergy child abuse film: Deliver Us From Evil
by MegaDude 13 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse
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jschwehm
The priests weren't always expected to be celibate. In the early days of the Catholic Church the popes married, priests married and had families. The celibacy rule came about in order to keep the priest's property which would normally be inherited by his family.
Actually, in the early Church married men were ordained to the priesthood.
However, if single man is ordained to the priesthood, they make a promise not to marry. Marriage after ordination was never allowed.
In the Eastern Rite Catholic Churches today, married men are still ordained to the priesthood on a regular basis. In the Western Rite Catholic Churches, you need to get special permission from Rome to ordain a married man.
In either case, it has been the constant tradition of the Church to have celibate individuals serve as Bishops. I am unaware of any men who were married at the time that they were serving as Pope. Some may have been married prior to their becoming a bishop.
Secondly, the US Bishops of the Catholic Church have really screwed things up when it comes to handling their priests who have preyed upon children. (To say nothing of the priests who actually destroyed the lives of these poor children and their parents.)
Actions have consequences and the mistakes of our Bishops are coming home to roost as they should since we need to make amends for these problems. In my Archdiocese of Milwaukee, we are selling property all over SE Wisconsin to pay for the treatment of those who have been victimized by these sick men.
However, the problem is not the fact that priests are celibate or the teachings of the Catholic Church with regard to sexual morality. The problem is that the Bishops, Priests, and lay Catholics have failed to live up to the teachings of the Church in these areas.
As G.K. Chesterton once said: "The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried."
Jeff S.
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jschwehm
I wouldn't be surprised if Cardinal Mahoney is forced to retire after this film is seen more.
That would be a dream come true for many Catholics. Myself included.
Jeff S.
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morrisamb
I saw the film last night here in London, Canada with a packed house - many victims/survivors. Awesome movie...you won't be disappointed, but be forewarned it is a horror movie, gut-wrenching... one of the best lines in the movie from Tom Doyle: Jesus was a revolutionary! God, I love that..he'd never have settled for the crap that goes on in so many bureaucratic religious organizations.