In Support of What?

“More than 100,000 people filled St. Peter’s Square on Sunday in a major show of support for Pope Benedict XVI over the clerical sex abuse scandal.”

They are supporting “what”, exactly? The Pope’s well thought out plan on how to tackle the issue? Cause there doesn’t appear to be one. The Pope’s courageous actions when faced with child rape cases? He not only did nothing in most cases, but in the case of Cardinal Law he allows him to stay in the Vatican where he can avoid extradition. Why does this man deserve support?

So, 100,000 people filled St Peter’s Square to show support for a man that did worse than nothing when children were being raped. Great.

Like Dr Doom, the Pope sits in his private country to avoid prosecution, and he gets supporters coming to him.

Ye Old Child Abuse Scandal

there’s an excellent article at the Huff Pro called The Catholic Church: A Safe Haven For Criminals? It has a few good summations of the recent scandal, including this one:

… those who themselves are engaged in a criminal conspiracy are in no position to blame their accusers of a conspiracy.

No truer words have been said. I for one am hoping Pope-gate gets all the way up to Joseph Ratzinger, not because I particularly want to see the church hurt, but because I do not see any hope of action on his part. I see excuses and evasion at every turn at the expense of children. People below the Pope have made steps to do the right thing, suggesting those involved to not be hesitant to involve the authorities (it’s a shame they even have to do that), but Ratzinger himself seems to have a history burying scandals at the victim’s expense.

Bishop Bopping the Bishop To Babies

I wonder how Catholic’s that just gave money to their church feel knowing that their donation just went to pay bail for a pedophile?

Bishop Raymond Lahey was released on $9,000 bail after turning himself in to Ottawa police on Thursday afternoon to face charges of possessing and importing child pornography.

The Roman Catholic cleric, who resigned his post in Nova Scotia on the weekend before news of the charges broke, has been ordered to stay away from parks and from children. He is not allowed to use the internet, and while he is free he is to stay in Rogersville, N.B. The town is the site of a Trappist monastery.

I’m sure it was “wholesome” child porn, though. Lots of angels in the background. Maybe some of those “Putto” pictures. Those are wholesome, right?

Or, maybe it’s all part of that “God’s Plan” I hear so much about.

Chaplain Steals Painkillers

To kill the pain of belief, no doubt:

A Liberty University chaplain is facing drug and burglary charges. Last week, a homeowner caught Scott Ray on surveillance video breaking into a home to steal painkillers. Ray, who is the chaplain for the men’s basketball team and the Director of Convocation, is also suspected in other Campbell County break-ins. In 2005 he was arrested and charged with the same thing. Ray has been suspended by the school and it’s believed he’s checked into a rehab program. Investigators also say Ray has not yet been arrested but additional indictments are pending.

One would think that the rush he gets from Jesus would be enough – the thrill of serving the Lord – the high of the holy ghost – the daze of deus.

Prostituting Pastor in Prior Lake

The pastor for LifePrint Church in Prior Lake MN was arrested today in a prostitution sting.

The pastor of a new church in Prior Lake that has cultivated both a physical and online presence was arrested Tuesday in an undercover prostitution sting on St. Paul’s East Side.

The Rev. John K. Erbele, 35, was one of 16 “johns” arrested after they responded to an ad placed on the Internet, police spokesman Sgt. Paul Schnell said Wednesday.

Why does he need to go to a prostitute? You would think the head of a successful church wouldn’t have any problem finding tail. Maybe he’s shy, but if he flashed that collar around around a bit and shouted out a couple of “hallelujahs” he could get a date. Women love that shit.

Million Dollar Priest

Rev. Michael Jude Fay, a priest from Newport Connecticut that pleaded guilty the theft of a million dollars to maintain his extravagant lifestyle has died. I see these sorts of things occasionally and I always wonder how a priest lives an extravagant

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport says a Connecticut priest who pleaded guilty to stealing more than $1 million from a Darien parish to support a lavish lifestyle has died.

Fay set up secret bank accounts and spent the money on international travel, expensive gifts and a Florida condominium.j

The book keeper that turned him in is, of course, being harassed for doing the right thing. Apparently people justify harassment of a do-gooder if the felon involved had at some point paid to receive an education in theology.

Bridging The Gap

Joe Panaia Jr.,pastor for Bridging the Gap Ministries (Tea, SD) has bridged a few gaps in his life:

• 2000, bigamy charges
• 2001, exposing himself to a woman, 30 days in Jail
• 2005, “social services fraud”, 2 days in jail, $6,357 restitution
• 2006, theft from a Christian music festival, 60 days in jail
• misc other pending sex crimes between 1992 and 1999
• oh yes, and there is still a warrent out for his arrest

And now … he wants to open a youth center. You know, for the kids.

Isn’t this the type of person we’re trying to keep away from children?

When interviewed for his local newpaper, Joe said:

“Ask yourself, before you trash me in the paper, ‘What would Jesus do?’.”

Yes, what would Jesus do? I’m not sure. I don’t remember him being an exhibitionist thief, so I’m not sure if it would ever come up. Maybe he’d go preach on a hill, somewhere. Or have oil rubbed on his feet.

The thing is, if this guy were anything other than clergy, it would be a no brainier that we don’t let this guy run a youth center. But, people let that little white square in a collar cloud their judgment. That collar does not imply good behavior. It only implies that they passed a few tests. The best predictor of behavior is past behavior.

Priests Steal $8 Million From Their Church

Yes, Jesus likes that.

Two Catholic Priests from the St Vincent Ferrer Church of Delray Beach, Florida have been sentenced for stealing $8 million dollars from their church. John Skehan, 81, was sentenced to 14 months in prison and Francis Guinan, 66, was sentenced to 4 years, even though he was only found guilty in the theft of $100,000.

Judge Jeffery Colbath said:

The crime of the defendant was pure greed unmasked. There was not a shred of moral necessity to excuse the defendant’s crime

And Judge Krista Marx was quoted saying:

No matter how many good works you have performed in your many years as a priest, your legacy will always be one of thievery and deceit

Skehan had really been living the high life for the last 50 years. He owned a pub in Ireland, a penthouse, and other properties. Colbath was his successor in both the church duties and embezzlement duties.

Vatican Sex Abuse Doc: Keep It Secret

An oldie but a goodie? A 1962 Vatican document, sealed by the Pope and marked confidential, instructing bishops around the world to keep sex abuse cases internal to the church, asking victims to take a vow of secrecy, and threatening excommunication of anyone that speaks out. Not real moral, is it?

Guardian Article

PDF of entire document