In the confessional: priests and altar boys
The never-ending news about the South Florida priest, Rev. Doherty, is sickening. Here's a guy who was trusted by his Broward congregation, who had the lives of malleable children in his hands -- and now he's been accused by about a dozen men of drugging and raping them when they were boys.
Granted, he is innocent until proven guilty, and he has steadfastly denied accusations. But if he is convicted of the charges brought against him, he should be thrown in a dungeon with no key. So should those in the Archdiocese of Miami who didn't act to solve the problem and simply transferred him and other priests from parish to parish, even as complaints of abuse continued to come in.
I'm a Catholic, went to Catholic schools most of my life, and this breaks my heart. I wonder if there are sins that are simply unforgivable.
Granted, he is innocent until proven guilty, and he has steadfastly denied accusations. But if he is convicted of the charges brought against him, he should be thrown in a dungeon with no key. So should those in the Archdiocese of Miami who didn't act to solve the problem and simply transferred him and other priests from parish to parish, even as complaints of abuse continued to come in.
I'm a Catholic, went to Catholic schools most of my life, and this breaks my heart. I wonder if there are sins that are simply unforgivable.
posted by Ana Veciana-Suarez at 8:24 AM
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5 Comments:
There's only one unforgiveable sin in the Bible that Mr. Doherty ostensibly read his homilies from...even Jesus never spoke against the sins Mr. Doherty's accused of committing.
(Doesn't mean that, from other words of Jesus, that the former priest's sins/crimes aren't still heinous...it just means that in the long run Mr. Doherty is no worse than the rest of us, and no less loved and wanted in Heaven (even to this moment) by the God Who created him and whom he rebelled against.)
Otherwise, very powerful blog entry.
It's probably true that Jesus did not speak about the sin of adult men preying on young boys, betraying the trust of parents and the entire community. He did not speak either about the Church hiding these sick individuals and moving them from parish to parish - making it possible (and easy) for them to find new victims.
I was also raised Catholic and went through the Catholic school system. The Church has let us down - in an attempt to protect their sick priests (no one knows how many - but this case is by no means isolated), they allowed harm to be done to children. This is a sin of the greatest magnitude.
The hypocracy of the organization baffles me -- on one hand they tell people that if their marriages are not performed by a priest they are not really married and are, therefore living in sin. On the otherhand, they cover up and allow their priests to prey upon innocent children. Then they protect them from prosecution and move them so that they can do it to more children. OUR children!!
It may not be written in the bible, but I am sure that Jesus did not want the innocent children abused.
This is why MANY people that were raised as Catholics no longer want to be associated with the institution. I am one of them.
I agree. The Catholic leadership need to step up and make it clear that this activity will not be tolerated and pedophyles will be turned in to authorities for prosecution.
If these guys were facing prison time -- they would have reason to think twice before touching a child.
Thoughts of sharing a prison cell with Bubba -- who would do to them what they like to do to boys -- might deter those impulses.
It's all a business decision -- and I believe that the chose incorrectly. People have lost faith and respect for the institution...and unlike what they want people to believe -- God is here for everyone - not just the Roman Catholics.
He is mostly here for the victims of abuse -- not for the abusers.
Believe it!
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