I've just finished reading it. (Main Forum)

by Milly , Sunday, July 08, 2012, 01:48 (315 days ago) @ desi

I've just finished reading this excerpt from the book "Beyond Belief" and there were so many things I could have highlighted...in the end, I would just urge everyone to read the whole thing.

Two parts of the conclusion merit a mention:

By the failure not only of Pope John Paul II and his successor, but also by virtually the entire Catholic hierarchy to confront the issue of sexual abuse within the clergy, the Catholic Church has abdicated any historic rights it has previously claimed to speak to her laity on the issues of faith and morals. To abuse a child, to violate an innocent, is for the vast majority an act beyond belief. For a member of the priesthood or a religious order to abuse a child, an adolescent or adult is the ultimate betrayal of trust. The damage may be eventually sublimated, but it is permanent. Clerical sex abuse is a total attack on the body, mind and soul of the victim. It combines physical pain, mental anguish, and emotional and spiritual rape,

and

Recently, a Rome-base prelate observed, “There will not be, either in the short or medium term, a policy of zero tolerance with regard to sex abusers. If such a policy existed and was applied across the board, there are many bishops who would be forced to resign … many cardinals who would have to take early retirement… As for zero tolerance towards homosexuals, we already have that. It just happens to be confined to the laity. If it were applied to the priesthood, its infrastructure would collapse.”

Keep in mind that this was published back in 2007. Sadly, things only seem to have gotten worse.

I feel sick to the stomach...much like I did after spending many hours reading the Grand Jury report on the cases in Philadelphia when they were released, and like I did when I finished reading Chrissie Foster's book "Hell on the way to heaven".

I need a shower.

Musica delenit bestiam feram.