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How long must the children suffer pedophelia abuse by Catholic and Protestant church?
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Catholic Religious Orders’ resisted assistance it was concluded, and that church officials shielded their Religious Orders' pedophiles from arrest amid a culture of self-serving secrecy in the five volume report on the probe.
Ireland's State Commission to Inquire Into Child Abuse concluded, "A climate of fear, created by pervasive, excessive and arbitrary punishment, permeated most of the institutions and all those run for boys. Children lived with the daily terror of not knowing where the next beating was coming from.”
Many, now adults in their 50-60s, solicited government for years for an official investigation. Unfortunately, despite all of the work by the state commission and the former abused children that the report, even though highly detailed, doesn’t give up the abusers by name.
Christine Buckley, 62, who spent the first 18 years of her life in a Dublin orphanage where children, she claimed, were forced to make rosaries, were humiliated, beaten and raped--whether they achieved their quota or not said, "I do genuinely believe that it would have been a further step towards our healing if our abusers had been named and shamed."
The Catholic Religious Orders that ran more than 50 prison workhouse-style reform schools from the late 19th century until the mid-1990s, offered belated public words of apology, regret and sorrow Wednesday. When questioned, Catholic Church leaders indicated they would continue to protect the identities of clergy accused of abusing these children. These men and women who were never reported to police, were instead permitted to change jobs and keep harming children.
Are the world’s governments too afraid of the Catholic Church’s wealth and power to address the obvious world-wide pedophile abuse?
Recently, even in our beloved southland, the ugly head of pedophilia, so well hidden and swept under the carpet by the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church world-wide, has surfaced even here.
Here is an article with reader comments from The Memphis Commercial Appeal that was published back in April.
Judge weighs request to open priest-abuse records
Newspapers press for case files to be made public
By Lawrence Buser (Contact), Memphis Commercial Appeal
Thursday, April 2, 2009
A special judge Thursday indicated he may release sealed documents from a recently settled priest sex-abuse case, but only after some editing is done to protect alleged victims and priests with unsubstantiated charges.
Retired Circuit Court Judge Charles O. McPherson asked attorneys for the Catholic Diocese of Memphis and The Dominicans to submit their proposed edited versions of the depositions and pleadings by May 4 for his review. "As I think they say in the newspaper business, I'm going to take a blue pencil to it," said McPherson, meaning he will be the final arbiter of whose names are deleted and whose are released. "If I find no real reason a name should not to be revealed, I'm ruling it should be released. But if there's a case from 1956 and a priest was never charged and there's no proof, I don't think he should be subjected to public scrutiny."
The judge's remarks came after a two-hour hearing in which attorneys for The Commercial Appeal and the Memphis Daily News argued that a blanket protective order in the case since 2006 should be lifted because the documents are judicial records that should be open for public inspection.
One major study showed 10,667 claims by minors of sexual abuse by priests over the past 50 years, said attorney Richard Hollow of Knoxville, who is representing The Commercial Appeal.
"If that is not a public issue, then we would be hard-pressed to find one," said Hollow. "This issue has to have a public airing."
The newspapers sought access to the records after a $2 million settlement was reached in February in a sex-abuse case of a 14-year-old Memphis boy, identified only as John R. Doe, who was abused by Father Juan Carlos Duran in 2000.
The Catholic Diocese of Memphis and Duran's order, The Dominicans, agreed to the settlement, but with the understanding that the protective order sealing the Diocese's records of other abuse allegations going back decades would remain intact.
"There are allegations that have never been argued and never decided," said Diocesan attorney Marty Reagan. "We do not want to try this case in the media. There are names with these allegations, but we don't know if they're credible."
COMMENTS
Posted by GoodMan on April 3, 2009 at 3:27 a.m.
How freaking crazy is religon and the world when priest can rape kids and get away with it.
Posted by aralulrch on April 3, 2009 at 7:52 a.m.
Maybe Chris Peck can get a database of sexually abusive priests together and post it on this website. That Mr. Peck would be a worthwhile list to provide to the public.
Posted by CarterHaugh on April 3, 2009 at 8:11 a.m.
Let's not pretend this is just a Catholic problem. Some of us know better. Don't we? And -- name the guilty, withhold the names of the innocent, and the names of those whose culpability was not substantiated. Common sense.
Posted by juren1 on April 3, 2009 at 8:39 a.m.
Tell me why Catholics are do adamant about protecting their guilty.......if "man-on-the-street" raped their son there would be hell to pay, but since it was a priest they choose to look the other way. (Yes, I already know it isn't ALL Catholics, but you have to admit it is a very, very large majority)
Posted by CarterHaugh on April 3, 2009 at 8:52 a.m.
I think it's all over the place -- wherever you put someone in a position of spiritual power, they are tempted to abuse it. Thank goodness most shepherds are strong enough not to have sex with their flock. I'm not Catholic, but I don't think they're worse than other denominations. The most prominent sex abuse conviction in Memphis over the past few years involved the pastor of a prominent East Memphis White evangelical church. Remember?
Posted by bikeman on April 3, 2009 at 9:35 a.m.
I think anyone convicted of such a horrible crime should pay dearly. But I'm also concerned that many non-Catholics are starting to think that most Priests are pedophiles. I can tell you that this is not the case. These men dedicate their lives to their God and their faith. There are some wonderful priests here in Memphis. Also, anyone accused will appear to be guilty to many people. That's why you have to be careful about publishing allegations that are not proven. When people hear about these lawsuit amounts, you'd be surprised at how many allegations appear - the suggestion of which alone could ruin someone's reputation.
Posted by Lynette on April 3, 2009 at 10 a.m.
If any member of the clergy, regardless of denomination, is found guilty of pedophilia or child rape, their identity should immediately be exposed to the public. It is interesting that the Catholic Church is so concerned over trying to save their priests' reputations. What about the ruined lives and reputations of those who have been victimized? And this is from a religious faith who claims to be "pro" life. They don't seem to be too "pro" when it comes protecting little boys, from being sexually abused by sick, twisted men who claim to represent God. Judge McPherson is totally right in this matter.
Posted by jongregory on April 3, 2009 at 10:24 a.m.
The RCC under the last two popes has fostered secrecy and persecution allowing this clerical aristocracy among 'equals' to thrive. They are not concerned about the innocent young boys, young girls, and women who have been abused. Their only concern is to 'not bring scandal to the church' and 'embarrass the church'.
What kind of morality based on selfish-self interest rather than honesty, fairness, and kindness is this? The RCC and all fundamentalist religions care only about maintaining their political power over people's lives.
As for Buddhists, Baptists, Pentecostals, Jews, etc. they all hide child abusers. There are over 100,000 cases brought yearly against coaches, teachers, and people -in-trust positions that abuse children and young adults.
Three years ago a 40-year employed married VP of Boy Scouts of America in Irving, TX was indicted on child(female) pornography.
20 SBC ministers (only last 5 years) in Texas have been indicted on child abuse, one minister having molested 35 boys in East Texas. In the meantime, the SBC refuses to track or take corporate responsibility for the abuse.
The list goes on and on.(see www.StopBaptistPredators.org & DMN priest abuser tracker).
Abuser Networks help but every Christian and Jewish denomination has to be finally moral and admit so far they only have cared about the 'Church' reputation than the victims.
