The 265th Pope slithers off into retirement

by designs 45 Replies latest social current

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  designs

  When next you go to church and genuflect and cross yourself and believe transsubstantiation might actually occur in the Eucharist be sure and include your potty mouth on the list as you confess to the priest. Catholic.org even as a guide on how to make a good confession in case you are rusty.

  Since this thread is about one particluar Pope going off into retirement, the Council of Elvira, 305AD, is worth repeating for those who wonder how religious institutions take the normal out of normal life and see how this religious group shielded its leaders from the processes of justice to the harm of so many kids.

  We lived an odd experience as JWs where normal things got stripped away and lost. We understand abby-normal.
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  designs

  A U.S. attorney for the Vatican is arguing that Pope Benedict retains his immunity in or out of office. Attorney with the Center For Constitutional Rights, Pamela Sprees, and her team are ready to challenge this assertion by the Vatican before the International Criminal Courts- 'There's nothing set in stone about this'. Modern courts have not dealt with an emeritus Pope. CCR will make the challenge that Pope Benedict presided over the Doctrine Of Faith for 20 years and had oversite of the sexual abuse cases. Jeffrey Lena, the U.S. attorney for the Vatican argues that Benedict did much to change the policies in the Church. However Benedict's treatment of Rev. Marcial Maceil, founder of the Legion Of Christ Order, will be brought up as an example of how little was done- Benedict ordered Maciel, who sexually abused seminarians, to simply 'leave the ministry and lead a life of prayer and penance'.

  Would that be acceptable to victims and families abused by a JW Elder, simply to have a GB member strip someone of being an elder and tell them to pray and repent.
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  Sulla

  Again, missing the notorious lack of prisons in Vatic an City. But, I repeat myself. Wonder why that is?

  As for my swearin', designs, that don't mean nuthin'. That's just how we window washers talk, don't you know? After a long day rappelling on some building, in the cold, in the heat, hauling gear up, it feels good to hang out and talk some shit with the boys. "Yo, that's bullshit, that summabitch don't know what he's doin'." And so on. I'd think you would have more respect for the working class. Diversity is our strength, you know.
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  designs

  The fellow priest like the fellow elder has a duty to contact the civil authorities and turn in someone who has committed a sexual assault, but you knew that....I think
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  Sulla

  There's enough bad stuff in that story for a lifetime, designs. I guess we don't know what happened yet, except that Ratzinger re-opened a stalled investigation into the matter back in 2004. It's possible that Cardinal Ratzinger did not report to American authorities ongoing sexual abuse of minors when the report was completed in 2008(?). On the other hand, if one discovers that a 60 year old man was molested 50 years ago, it isn't immediately obvious what sort of responsibility you have with respect to reporting it. Is it even possible to report a 50 year old allegation of molestation (in Mexico) to American authorities?

  Tough to say. It's possible that Ratzinger did wrong in all this. On the other hand, if I tell you I was molested 30 years ago when I was a boy, do you now have an obligation to report this instance of child abuse? Hell, is it even possible to report such a crime?

  I know, I know, there's always some jackass telling the lynch mob that we need to think this through. Fuckin' killjoys.
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  designs

  I understand your point about the statute of limitations running out on many of these cases. Class action suits may be the way for some of the kids, now adults, to have their say in a court so it is recorded for all time. As an Elder I dealt with only one case of immediate child abuse and it was reported to Child Protective Services. Another case where the woman was abused as a child and repressed the experiences for some 40 years, almost a Sybil personality developed from that trauma and repression. Similarly with a young man in his early 20s. I had many more cases that dealt with spousal abuse. In all of those situations speaking about it in some offical setting was a significant part of these victims being able to recover and go on with life. So I think it must be the same for these Catholics, who even though they are adults, are frozen in time by their abuse.