As countless child sex abuse scandals have rocked the Catholic Church over the last several years, American families have been leaving the church in droves. As American men and women whisk away their children from the potential risk of molestation in the Catholic church, they also take their much needed money. The coffers of U.S. Catholic churches have been running on empty and the church sees the pocketbooks of illegal immigrants as its only hope.
During Pope Benedict XVI’s 2008 visit to the United States, he gave many speeches and sermons. Among other things, the Pope admonished Americans to adopt a welcoming attitude toward those who break our laws by entering this country illegally. Benedict said: “I want to encourage you and your communities to continue to welcome the immigrants who join your ranks today, to share their joys and hopes, to support them in their sorrows and trials and to help them flourish in their new home.
It was discovered that the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, a Vatican-based group which answers directly to the Pope has made a large donation to help build a shelter for Central Americans on their illegal journey to the United States. The money was given to the Brothers On The Path refuge, located in the Mexican city of Ixtepec.
Between 2005-2007, the number of Central American nationals caught by the Border Patrol entering the U.S. illegally has averaged 11 percent of their total apprehensions. While the majority of the 875,000 caught sneaking across the border annually are Mexicans, those coming from countries such as Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador are adding to the incredible burden placed on our Border Patrol agents.
Along with the usual problems posed by illegal immigration, a particularly violent gang known as MS-13 hails from El Salvador, but now has many Honduran and Guatemalan members as well. In addition to other parts of the country, MS-13 has been gaining a large presence in Northern Virginia, and is responsible for several machete attacks in the area. In 2005, an Alexandria teenager lost four fingers during a savage encounter with MS-13 members and a Fairfax man also became a victim of a MS-13 machete attack.
In June 2005, Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony wrote an op-ed piece for the Los Angeles Times in which he defended and even encouraged illegal aliens to enter this country. Of course, Mexicans and other Latin Americans are overwhelmingly devout Catholics. Mahony along with the rest of the church’s hierarchy is undoubtedly anxious to tap this potential source of income.
In 2006, Cardinal Mahony directed all priests in his 288 parish archdiocese to simply ignore any federal law which requires anyone working on behalf of the church to inquire into the citizenship of anyone seeking help (The Catholic church offers assistance to illegal aliens applying for various welfare programs). The directive was given by Mahony in response to the immigration bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in December 2005, which declared all illegal aliens and mandated the prosecution to anyone who knowingly aided an illegal alien.
For decades, the Catholic Church shielded and protected child-molesting priests. As complaints would come pouring-in from parents threatening to involve the police, the church would simply ship the offending priest off on a sabbatical, eventually pawning them off on another unsuspecting parish where the process would begin again. That practice is nothing more than aiding and abetting known criminals. The enormous toll of lives destroyed by this disgusting and cowardly exercise by the Catholic Church will never be fully known.
The Catholic Church has been forced to pay-out millions to the victims of pedophile priests. Fed up with the hypocrisy and disregard for the lives of innocent children, many Americans have fled the Church. In the Boston Archdiocese alone, 65 churches have been forced to close their doors due to a sharp decline in parishioners.
Boston was once considered the center of the American Catholic society. Catholic worshipers in that city were shocked to learn of the outrageous behavior displayed by Cardinal Bernard Law and the offending priests he protected for so many years. One priest that Law moved around to several different parishes was Father Paul Shanley. As it turned out, Fr. Shanley was not only a molester, but an advocate for NAMBLA (North American Man-Boy Love Association). While Shanley was eventually convicted of child rape, Cardinal Law was rewarded by Pope John Paul II, who brought him to Rome where he now holds a prominent position within the Vatican.
For many American Catholics, it became obvious that their church would never take seriously the issue of children being victimized by child-raping priests. It also became obvious that the church would never take true responsibility for the role the leaders of the church played in harboring these monsters. It is little wonder that so many now well-informed American Catholics refuse to ever return their children as well as their donations to the church.
The illegal aliens represent exactly what the Catholic Church needs right now...largely uneducated and devoted worshipers with jobs. The illegal aliens will be all-too happy to place their children in Catholic schools (largely funded by school vouchers). If Congress ever grants amnesty to all illegal immigrants, they will fill the now-darkened parishes throughout the U.S. Most of these people speak very little English and most lack even an elementary school education, they are much more likely to keep their mouths shut once the priests begin to have their way with their children. The shell game of shifting molesting priests around will begin again and the faithful will continue to fork-over ten percent of their wages to the church.
The Catholic Church has also helped to organize the massive illegal alien rallies seen in recent years around the nation. The March 2006 rally held in Washington, D.C. was sponsored by among others the Archdiocese of Washington’s Office of Justice and Service, Catholic Charities of the Arlington Diocese, and the Catholic Social Justice Lobby Network. Baltimore churches St. Michael and St. Patrick even sent a four bus convoy filled with illegal aliens to the Washington rally.
A high-ranking official with the Diocese of Arlington, Va. named Father Jose Hoyos played to the crowd when he said: “I want to pray for all the representatives and the senators and the president of the United States, because if they were Christians they would not pass this kind of law.”
According to the Catholic Church, it is now somehow un-Christian to protect the sovereignty of one’s own nation.
The aid and encouragement given to illegal aliens has angered many people who still care about preserving the Republic and maintaining it as a nation of laws. Al Garza, executive director of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps recently said: “It’s not only provocative, it’s sinful. What they’re really doing is saying, ‘Look, even though the United States has laws, we’re going to help you break the laws to realize your dream.’ “
In the 1940’s, the Catholic Church helped Nazis escape prosecution to begin new lives in South America. At least from the 1960’s to the present, the church chose to protect child-molesting priests over innocent children. Now, to save itself, that same Catholic Church is encouraging an illegal invasion of this country...Is it any wonder that this church has become irrelevant to most Americans?
Comments
Excellent article, Mr. Gibson. The facts and common sense reinforce your points.
Thank you for a very well written expose' on the continuing criminal conduct of the U.S. Roman Catholic Church.
I wish you would have written you essay ten years ago when the Bishops began their stealth effort to replace the loss of 16 million American parishioners, who quit the church because of the actions of perverted and corrupt priests, and began the effort to replace those losses with the mostly Hispanic illegal aliens.
There is no illegal alien exception to the violation of the law. The is no Bishop/Priest immunity to the violation of those same laws.
It is time for Federal and local prosecutions of Bishops and Priests for violations of Federal Immigration laws. The Federal Statute covering a Criminal Conspiracy would be a good place to start. For those Catholic Cool-Aid drinkers-- this poster and his entire family were life long Catholics; emphsis on the word WERE.
I'm saddened by Mr. Gibson's article because it is true and points to the demise of our country. As long as illegal aliens are allowed to cross our borders and the Catholic Church encourages it, we will continue to spiral downward. Illegal immigration will allow Mexico and central American countries to take us over without firing a shot. Notre Dame invited Obama to speak and he will receive an honorary degree even though he favors abortion and stem cell research. This is insane and totally against the teachings of Christ. How can the Catholic Church justify all this. The Pope and others want us to accept the illegal aliens and yet does not disapprove of unmarried hispanics becoming pregnant. Instead Americans are scolded because we do not approve of illegal immigration. Go figure.
Politicians see the American taxpayer as the "Beast of Burden" are malevolent Sen. Harry Reid, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Dianne Feinstein and a multitude of other officials, who only have big business dividends at heart. We must all keep phoning Washington at: 202-224-3121; The President: 202-456-1414: The truth: NUMBERSUSA.
How many more illegal aliens with their families are taxpayers expected to support? The media, along with the government have chanted monotonously for years, that only 13 million have settled here. But the Heritage Foundation have analyzed it's more like 40 million? Then who are we inclined to believe? I think the latter of the two and with that, what costs are estimated taxpayers fork out annually. Remember we have an encumbrance of illegal aliens stealing jobs in "Sanctuary Cities" But then we have Sanctuary states like California. Then guess what state nearly collapsed with bankruptcy imminent? They had to raise the highest taxes in the nation, to cover the $47. billion dollars, so they could support all the illegal alien welfare payouts. Seeing nobody is telling the Public the straight facts, we should use Census tracking to locate and deport all illegal foreign nationals? E-Verify should be made--PERMANENT--Not just for new employees, but those already hired.
Then we have E-verify that was stripped from the Stimulus/Omnibus spending bills. Then we have some pro-illegal immigrant states charging taxpayers to underwrite the in-state, higher education of illegal alien students. Course by now--we know the left wingers, open border brain-dead zealots, are pushing President Obama, to enact another Amnesty, the Dream act and rescind E-Verify, Real ID Act---and then to purgatory with US workers. If they can overrule the US Constitution, they can sure ignore the en masse,discharging millions more impoverished people for the taxpayers wallets--AND NOT THE PREDATORY BUSINESSES THAT HIRE THEM Remember who--THE PEOPLES--Arch-Enemies are? US Chamber of Commerce, ACLU and K Street lobbyists, the Catholic church and other religious factions.
You are wrong Mr. Gibson. The Catholic Church in the US is growing. This Easter perhaps as many as 100,000 Americans would be joining the Church. The Church does not need illegal immigrants to grow. What it needs is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and in its mission. All over the world, the Church is well and growing.
Manny
This article was right on about the Catholic Church. There are scriptures stating people have to follow the law:
Apostle Paul wrote in Philemon about sending a slave back his master.
Paul's letter to the Romans 13 states:
1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
The Catholic Church is made up of human beings who err and sin, but has always followed Jesus Christ's example for over 2000 years in assisting "the underdog" the poor and vulnerable in all countries of the world, regardless of religious beliefs. Mr. Gibson and the other writers show their ignorance and bigotry when they continue to bash both the Church and vulnerable people struggling to survive in a strange land,. As Catholics we and our leaders believe that nations have a right to sovereignty, but not to maintain and defend unjust laws. (This nation has way too many of those!) If you are so patriotic (maybe Christian), why don’t you all work for our true American ideals?
The Catholic Church isn't advocating illegal immigration to help the spirituality of people. People migrating to the US are usually doing so for economic gain. That is, they want to make more money, have more things, better secular education opportunities; thus it is more of a worldly view for their move rather than to increase their spirituality. Yes, they want their children to have what they did not.
What kind of an example is that for the children -- "The law only counts when it works in your favor." And if you favor money and possessions, you can convince yourself of a great many laws not to follow, including God's. Now, are the children better off spiritually? Are the immigrants who live in fear of the authority better off?
Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. Romans 13:2
The Catholic Church is really pushing it. It is only gaining favor from illegal aliens and their supporters not legal, law abiding U.S. citizens. Jesus said to take care of the poor and downtrodden but not to break the laws of the land to do it. I can name some sins illegal aliens are committing by breaking into our country.
"Thou shalt not steal" (social services)
"Thou shalt not lie" (immigration status)
"Thou shalt not covet" (sneaking into the U.S. because they want what we have)
I grew up Catholic but I'm very disgusted with the Church these days. I guess if the Church thought it could get away with covering up child molestations it figures it can get away with the criminal act of harboring illegal aliens. Seems their only aim is to get enough people in the seats to fill their coffers, no matter what the immigration status.
The illegal "immigrants" are using the Catholic Church as much as the Church is using the illegal "immigrants". Each party is in it for themselves. One to gain access into our country illegally, the other to up the attendance (and offerings) at their masses. Both should know and act better but they are both greedy groups that will stop at nothing for gains in their favor. All should be kicked out of our country for breaking U.S. law.
Fairly stated. I've said much of what you say re illegal immigration to our priests/clergy (nearby parishes). Some have as much as called me "racist", to which I say, "Exactly what race is illegal?".
The Catholic Church is clearly aiding and abetting the breaking of our laws...and yet they want "the faithful" to respect the Church's. This appears to be one desperate "church" that has rolled the dice on lower-paid workers, the dissolution of the middle class and its place in the New World World...all with the pre-text of helping the peons, while destroying others.
By these actions, alone this "church" is no longer "catholic" but divisive and dealing in discrimination.
May the Good Lord help and protect those in the right.
Mr. Gibson, you should try to get your facts straight before posting a rant like this. First of all, Pope Benedict did not encourage illegal immigration, he encouraged Catholics to be welcoming to immigrants (we are a nation of immigrants BTW)
And illegal immigrants as a source of income? That is laughable. they send a majority of their money home to their families many border churches are going broke, if you are right, they should be the richest in the church.
Also, Cardinal Law was hardly promoted, he now lives in a one room apartment, little more than a church pastor and sits on some obscure Vatican boards with no authority whatsoever. Some promotion.
Mr. Gibson, not every hispanic is an illegal immigrant. But it is clear you seem to think so.
Anyone with half of their brain working can see through Pope Benedict's words and that he is referencing illegal immigrants. They are the "immigrants" that are constantly in the news and being defended by scores of priests and bishops across America.
Secondly, facts show that the overwhelming majority of illegals come from Mexico, and elsewhere south of the border and are indeed Roman Catholic. If even the minority of them go to church and pay tithes that's a mountain of moohlah coming into the church. The Roman Catholic church in the U.S. needs that money.
They seem to think that illegals can help put money into their near-empty coffers.
So many, though, continue to defend the Roman Catholic Church, even though this scandal happened, and even though illegals are taking away jobs from U.S. citizens.
It seems like many pro-Roman Catholic Church types don't care about unemployed American citizens or little children, though.
I hardly know what to say. I had no idea that people who call themselves "Christian" could be so judgmental and unfair towards Catholics and their church. First of all, the Pope does not support illigal immigration. He simply wants us to welcome the Hispanics and others who come to our country looking for a new life. He doesn't want us to discriminate against them. Secondly, the fact that the Church tried to cover up the horrible scandles is dissapointing. I definetely think that they should have handled the situation differently. However, the Pope, during his vist to the U.S., did apologize for the scandles. It truly is horrible that men who call themselves priests (And I must admit that if they were ordained by the bishop, then they are)could have the audacity to do what they did. There ARE corrupt priests out there. But there are also corrupt protestants and protestant ministers. Many, many of them. Furthermore, the amount of holy and wonderful priests is overwhelming. Do not believe that the entire church is made up of corrupt priests. That idea is narrow minded and naive. Lastly, the fact that so many people are leaving the church is heartbreaking. Just because their priest was corrupt. The bishop obviously should be informed of any inappropriate activity by the priest and the priest should be replaced. I'm not saying that everything the Church says or does is perfect. The Pope IS infallible when he speaks about matters of faith or morals, but I do disagree with him on some things. For instance, the war in the Middle East. But that is besides the point.
The Catholic Church is judged harshly and unfairly. The irony is humorous when considering the vast amount of corrupt NON-Cathlics out there. How sad it is that people leave the true Church for reasons such as illigal immagrant opinions and corrupt priests.... You give up recieving Communion and the sacraments, going to Mass and learning God's Word for this?!?!?!
If the Catholic Church is so welcoming, why do they have gates at the Vatican? Why can't squatters just live there? Why not tent cities? Why doesn't the Church practice what it preaches? The Hly See is so harsh! Ooh, sounds like border enforcement to me.
I'm just as done with the "Church" as I am with the Repukelican Party and the party system. If you are an American you should only identify with the Constitution and Bill of Rights, NOT a party platform. Likewise, if you are a Christian, you should identify with the Word of God, NOT man-made denominational dogma and "tradition."
Your article seems to condemn the Roman Catholic Church only and forgets that there are pedophiles in other church ministries also. It's part of the illness for these sick people to be in positions of control and domination especially around children. The Catholics have a hierachy different from many other churches, especially the Protestant and community organizations where ministers are their own highest church authority. You can't tell us there are no problems with some of those ministers also. Their abused young congregants have no one to tell about what has happened to them. At least the Catholics are doing something about the problem.
Excellent article, Mr. Gibson. Exposing the hypocrisy in the Catholic Church is very important.
Most who leave the Catholic Church know nothing about it. Mass to them is a show, Communion just a wafer. Most are ignorant and self centered---like most American's today. I know, I was one of them. But those who find any excuse to leave can always come home again. Open your Bible, read the Church Fathers, listen to the likes of Scott Hahn--get an education in mind and spirit.
@CARRIE RUEL-FLORES
Have you forgotten the blood of the martyrs spilled by the Roman Catholic church in those 2000 years? The persecution and murder of innocent people who simply stated that their faith was in the Word of God...not the traditions of the pope. Huss, Luther...the list goes on and on.
You would do well to research the history of the Roman Catholic church before claiming they have always helped the poor and downtrodden. The corruption was disgusting.
Paul is correct.. and excellent commentary. I continue to demand to know why the Catholic Church is even close to the internal affairs of the United States.
An excellent source for finding the current opinions of the Catholic Church would be.. findarticles. Ask for catholic illegal, catholic immigrant or catholic undocumented.
I hardly know what to say. I had no idea that people who call themselves "Christian" could be so judgmental and unfair towards Catholics and their church. First of all, the Pope does not support illigal immigration. He simply wants us to welcome the Hispanics and others who come to our country looking for a new life. He doesn't want us to discriminate against them.
==================================
If they are illegal aliens, it is NOT discriminating to abide by the laws of the United States. Sooo... comply with the law, and do not aid or abet illegal aliens.
igonre the law! welcome children into sex smuggling racket of acorn guidance? ignore homosexual bishops rabbis? ignore and deceive people from the truth? cardinal baloney mahony! ignore the law with help from committee after committee across our nation? children suffer no problem! families suffer so sorry! evil prospers all across our country gangs violence and innocent people suffer this catholic churches and cardinal mahony baloney preaches? see no evil? speak no evil? sorry brother i'am frank. children seniors the helpless ones i speak very much up for because i simply care. countless millions of americans who gave there lives to fight for all mens rights to enjoy freedom from people like yous" only a fool would throw there honor there pride away. profit greed is your reasoning and your faith! pitty is what i feel for you because your a lost soul indeed. in english that means punk! pride duty honor country worth fighting for indeed america! results FREEDOM. god bless U.S. all AMEN.
The sexual abuse problem in Protestant churches is worse than anything found in the Catholic Church. Source:
www.csmonitor.com/2002/0405/p01s01-ussc.html
I pray for a cleansing of your mind and soul. The dishonesty is not worthy of individual comments. Please look in the mirror.
Catholic Church needs money because of class action law suits, which is a problem for almost all of us in a litigious society. Of course the only people who make money off those class actions are the attorneys who file them on the behalf of the people. The question is, how honest were those who were filing?
Wow...
Time that Americans not only started taking our Constitution seriously, but also the views of such men as Jefferson, Adams, Franklin and especially Thomas Paine on religion. Come on folks, if the Catholic Church didn't have the veneer of holiness it would collapse under a prosecutorial hail of RICO charges. As an ex-Catholic who knows the religion very well (yes not all ex-Catholics are stupid unlike what Catholics like to say), this religion infests the daily thoughts of those who follow it, and even sinning cafeteria Catholics always put Il Papa primero when it comes to religious ideas. Catholics can scream discrimination because of some bad history on the part of America, but if any other religion had such domination in America (judiciary, house, senate, business, on tv christian characters are always catholics) people would be hollowing conspiracy theory after conspiracy theory. You have the gift of reason, use it people! Fairy tales (bible), holy smoke, and priests = lies
I am so done with the catholic church! Anyone with a brain would stop giving money to this organization of liars. They need your money folks to pay off the law suits from homosexuals and pedaphiles. They also push for illegal immigration to fill their once full parishes. The USCCB is merely an organiztion to promote democrates by funneling in money to acorn in the name of church's teachings on social justice. The Bishops let Tom chabolla, mary kay henry, a lesbian and pro-choice advocate, and sr. mary ann walsh, to run their organization and continue to hire these people with church donations. Wake up America!
The author is a vile and uneducated sorry excuse for a human being. You are not worthy of the oxygen you take in or the space you occupy. Go find yourself an island where you can be by yourself and exist in your own hateful world!
What organization completely ignores the fact that humans have a sex drive but has demanded since the 12th century that its leaders cannot marry?
What organization says that it's top leader is completely infalliable but who is a human and not Christ. Christ is the only human who was infallable.
If the Catholic Church covers up broken laws, stalls investigations, moves priests around, and does other reprehensible acts to save itself, that’s one thing. But if it then says the Bible commands them to do it, or uses the religious authority people invest in it to let things slide, or says that the Pope is infallible and therefore what he did must be right, then yes, absolutely, 100%, skeptics need to jump in and cry "foul," and ask the church to change a rule, you know, like in kindergarden.
Great, now they want to stand up for illegal immigration (as if they don't have enough problems). Why do we call people who are illegally in this country "immigrants?" They have not migrated to
Okay....what does the sexual abuse have to do with illegal immigration you moron? Are you really that dense that you see a connection between those two? Oh yes...hardworking people and pedophile...ok I see it. Idiot!
Catholic church sucks...but Jews run america anyway
It was because I opened the bible and learned the truth that our family left the Catholic church. Many are leaving the church because of the false traditions of the Catholic church and out of obedience to what God commands in the book of Revelation 18.4. Get out of her my people if you donot want to share with her in her sins and if you donot want to recieve part of her plauges.God is soon going to have false religion destroyed.
Considering that the Bible is a Catholic work, the very fact you have a bible comes ultimately from the Catholic Church. How sad it is that you misrepresent the Catholic Faith that even if you go to Mass on Sunday's you go through the whole bible every three years and every two years if you go everyday. Scott Hahn was one of the most anti-Catholics in America. It was the bible that lead to ultimately to the Catholic Faith. There are currently thousands of Protestant Ministers from all walks that are on the road to the Catholic Faith.. Marcus Grodi, a former Presbyterian Minister, each week invites converts on the show "The Journey Home". I encourage you to read James 5:19-20 and check out www.deepertruthblog.com
wwwdotevilbibledotcom
The catholic church will support anything that increases their population of congregants, or brings more money to them. They are a business, not a church. look at how they handled all the child molestations over the years? How can anyone , that is a christian, turn their backs on the little ones that the bible speaks of? It is a disgrace!
Gail, obviously, you have been grossly misinformed. I had a 5 year old niece that was sexually molested by a police officer. Do I condemn all police officers? Do the law enforcement agency advocate such a thing? Your hatred becomes you? 97% of Catholic Priests and higher are innocent of this, yet you condemn all of them. I'm glad that I don't think the same of your church!!!
The Catholic Church is growing and doing well. It is doing well at the grass roots level. To be able to teach in any capacity, Priest or other, you must have a security background check, training for any ministry in the Church. Considering that Non-Catholic entities have had higher incidence of child abuse, I recommend this for your organization. Plus, I have seen thousands of reverts back into the Catholic Faith. I personally fall into this category!!!
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