At last he spots the enormity of the False Allegations Industry.

In a nearly 5,000-word letter sent on the feast day of St. John Vianney, patron of parish priests, the pope on Sunday acknowledged the “pain” of priests who “feel themselves attacked and blamed for crimes they did not commit.”
The pontiff said that priests have shared with him “their outrage at what happened, and their frustration that ‘for all their hard work, they have to face the damage that was one, the suspicion and uncertainty to which it has given rise, and the doubts, fears and disheartenment felt by more than a few.'” Francis said “without denying or dismissing the harm” caused by the scandals, “it would be unfair not to express our gratitude” to priests who have fulfilled their duties “faithfully and generously.”

The 'faithfully and generously' group is to be commended - and is, by far, the largest amongst the ecclesiastical Catholic congregation.

But two other groups exist - those who abused children; the church originally denied their existence, in numerous countries.

Largely because of Francis, the church has owned up over the past five years - and many of the offenders were punished, with compensation often paid.


Significantly the third group was the most damaging - the Cardinals and Bishops who covered up the abuse/abusers, for decades.

Unusually just relocating them, to attract again. Like Cardinal Phillipe Barbarin of Lyon - who was recently given a custodial sentence by the civil courts, for his inaction.

I really don't know much about cover ups and the evidence, but times were different years ago (I thought it was obligatory for anyone joining any religion that encouraged chastity to get their jollies with willing choirboys and choirgirls) and it was considered fair, if bishops and senior clerics believed in the innocence of the falsely accused, for them to avoid confrontation and possible worse trauma to the false accusers by disposing of allegations they believed to be exaggerated or false in as subtle a way as possible.

JK2006 wrote:
I thought it was obligatory for anyone joining any religion that encouraged chastity to get their jollies with willing choirboys and choirgirls


An extraordinary statement and belief...

Indeed even at the time we thought it odd but then so was being gay being criminal and women being banned from voting.

At the time!

Pell and Barbarin's convictions, and custodial sentences, were given (in different countries/continents) - within the past 12 months.

Homosexuality was decriminalised over 50 years ago - and women have had the vote for 100+.


Have we learned nothing?

Not even that the sexual abuse of helpless and innocent children is the most abhorrent and cowardly act commitable.

Now - and 'at the time'...

Oh I think we've learned; these days even women have the vote.

JK2006 wrote:
I really don't know much about cover ups and the evidence, but times were different years ago (I thought it was obligatory for anyone joining any religion that encouraged chastity to get their jollies with willing choirboys and choirgirls) and it was considered fair, if bishops and senior clerics believed in the innocence of the falsely accused, for them to avoid confrontation and possible worse trauma to the false accusers by disposing of allegations they believed to be exaggerated or false in as subtle a way as possible.

I laugh sometimes before I realise how serious it all is..over those who simply will not accept that "the past" really was another world with it's own set of rules and conventions.

There was hardly any need for a "cover-up" since almost all of society participated in it.

Police and officials were reluctant to investigate. Parents were oblivious or if they found out they basically participated in "covering-up" abuse themselves by removing children from a church, school etc.

There was always talk about "that funny man " next door with a warning to kids perhaps not to accept sweets from him.Thus watering down the notion of abuse that it was a funny old men with bags of sweets lurking in a shop doorway near the school.

The way in which the Catholic Church (and Anglican and others) "covered-up" was just reflecting societies then norms- move Father Fiddler to another Parish or put him on Gardening Leave for awhile.

Society ( with the media- reluctant to investigate just like the police) helped perpetuate this. Children in institutions could be fiddled with or beaten senseless because society thought "serves the little bastards right for being there in the first place" (orphans weren't even thought about)

Some of it is still there today..a society that fulminates about abuse and rape will happily chortle away about some offender who stole a few cars or robbed a bank better be careful "beading over in the shower if he drops the soap " in jail or openly laughs at the idea their particular hatred that week will surely raped in when he goes to jail.

Rape is perfectly OK in certain circumstances..don't believe me? Just read the comments section of a gutter tabloid where the editor allows such comments to flourish.

If you were around in the 50's/60s/70s you are to blame for abuse. If you were not on a soap box screaming to High Heaven about it- you are to blame (includes me).

You are to blame because of your ignorance in not contemplating that such things could happen.. No bloody excuses and passing the buck.

The British government elected by the British people all participated in in so many ways..even sending of kids via lies (some told their siblings or parents were dead) in their 1000s to Australia to be farmed out to churches and schools to be used as slave labour.

While many had happy lives did any fucker in Britain bother to check that these kids were safe? Did they ever.
Dozens of ways that society participated and promoted ignorance.
So bloody easy in hindsight to pontificate on the past.

# and they still don't basically give a stuff about children or they might be concerned about the Six Million ( a Holocaust ?) that die every year from poverty or the millions in indentured labour manufacturing cheap goods for them.

But bring up sex !!! mention the word "peedeofile" and you have their instant attention !

## Lecture Now Ends Here.