"...What do these practices indicate? They indicate clearly that the Philly Archdiocesean leadership and, by clear implication and fair inference, the Catholic Church's hierarchy worldwide is, and has been, for decades engaged in a massive cover-up of widespread priest sexual abuse of defenseless children.
They also suggest strongly that few U.S. political leaders, prosecutors, judges, and even journalists and TV news outlets have given the pervasive sexual assault by priests on minors the serious attention it requires.
As a consequence, over 100,000 American children have been sexually abused by priests with not one U.S. bishop tried and convicted for complicity. This number of innocent and defenseless American victims exceeds the combined total U.S. fatalities and casualties from the Iraq and Afganistan wars, yet American political leaders and media have barely given this outrageous epidemic any attention...."
Bridget Mary's Reflection
Kudos to Gerald Slevin for his excellent analysis of the criminal sexual abuse trial against the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. It is shocking that the national media has not covered this story as a major news story. Sickening really, that such evil has flourished in the Catholic Church and not one bishop held accountable! Why does the institutional church hold such power over politicans and media outlets? Why did the sexual allegations against Penn State Coach Joe Paterno merit non-stop media coverage, yet the criminal trial that exposed disgusting, stomach-churning sexual abuse of children in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia by priests merit so little national scrutiny? Where is the outrage? Something is wrong with this picture!
The current hostile take over of the LCWR for the nuns' support of women's ordination, homosexuality and contraception is a diversionary tactic on the part of the Vatican to take the attention off their own global clerical corruption and crimes. Catholics will not be fooled by the new U.S. bishops' Madison Avenue like "PR" campaign led by Cardinal Dolan(who also should face questions in his handling of the sexual abuse cases in Wisconsin). Can we sniff out a political agenda here? Most Catholics support contraception coverage. It is simply an issue of justice and religious freedom for all, Catholics and non-Catholics alike. I don't think that Catholics will be duped by their bishops in this google alert age! Hopefully, the national media will catch on and comprehend that the bishops are not the church, the people are! It is time to report this bigger story including women in the church and outside, and their reactions to the so-called "bishops' war on women!"
Bridget Mary Meehan, arcwp, www.arcwp.org, sofiabmm@aol.com
No comments:
Post a Comment