Scandal

The Catholic bishop scandal is exploding again. Ho Hum. I lived in Altoona diocese...

I have a long article on my "bitch blog" here about that scandal, which by the way, overlaps the "Penn State/Sandusky" scandal. link2
there was even a gag order on the "problem".

When I was in medical school, we were assured most of these accusations were not true, merely psychological projections (and indeed, some were, and some were also induced false memories, and some conveniently remembered stuff to get money).

But in the late 1960s we were also told by psychiatrists teaching us that all mental illness was due to sexual frustration (Freud's idea) so that girls who said "no" but were forced into sex was okay, because she really wanted it or needed to lose her "inhibitions. But what was worse was that back the, some people were pushing the idea that it might be a good thing if a child was initiated into sex by a "loving" adult.

I saw 3 or 4 cases of sexual abuse each month when I was in private practice, or heard about it from my adult women patients (because the majority of my patients were women, but also because I evaluated most of the abuse of young girls, being the only lady doc in town).

the abuse was usually by a family member or a friend of the family......and often they coped but used alcohol, drugs and were promiscuous...

So I don't think the Catholics are alone in this, as the "#me too" movement shows: the public schools just keep it quiet too.

the problem is that bishops are supposed to be shepherds: and up to now it seemed they felt more compassion for the wolf than the sheep they were supposed to care for.

Catholic author Michael O'Brien, who suffered ostracism when he refused to be groomed, has written on the problem and suggests false compassion and sympathy for the "nice" sociopath combined with a weakening of the idea of right and wrong might be part of the problem :LINK

While it is true that an individual committed these gravest of sins, it is also true that he found a welcoming, sympathetic environment that allowed him to go on to become the “pastor” of souls. Such is the madness that has infected many dioceses and the national bishops’ conference of the particular church in my country, and in other countries as well.

Professor Podles, who has written a book on the problem, has questions about one famous priest writer whose history predates Vaticacn II...

The reason for the coverup, aside from the hestitation to help put a friend in jail, can be hinted at by the deformation of theology:

The priest attacked moral theology, “at least as it existed from Trent to Vatican II,” as a “stingy, pettifogging science,” that is “act-centered” rather than person-centered. Salvation lies in the “fundamental option” not in “individual acts,” he insisted.

hmm... sounds like the bishops who release wordy statements of high falutin gobbleygook and emphasize ecology and "help for the poor/migrants" by doing political lobbying for more money, and supporting other trendy causes...


(That is the USA. Here it is condemning the drug war to stay on the  good side of the international elites while getting photo ops with corrupt "catholic" politicians... and Duterte only rolls up his eyes and asks why they aren't preaching against drugs and the corruption of the politicians who get rich off of bribes to look the other way? He then  hints that the abuse scandal here will soon explode here too, and curses them out, but only his foul language hits the headlines).

but who is preaching how to serve God in the duties of our daily lives, which for most of us is caring for the family being faithful and loving to our spouses and children, and doing an honest days work?

There is a lot of evil out there folks.

Oh well: Jesus had eleven cowards and on traitor in his followers. Nothing new here, folks, alas.

and we lay people can only pray for the cure.

Sackcloth and ashes, bishops?

but I will stay Catholic: Because of the sacraments and the dogma that helps me serve Jesus, and because there are so many good priests who are serving the Lord, but get no respect.

But I mourn for the good people who lose their faith. Sigh.