Deliver us from evil

Suffer the little children... at the hands of Catholic priests.

I just watched the documentary 'Deliver Us from Evil,' and never have I been to glad that I am no longer Catholic.

This particular documentary (not to be confused with 'Our Fathers,' which dealt with this same issue on the East Coast, in the Boston area) concerns the 30 year pedophile career of Father Oliver O'Grady, who was moved from parish to parish even while his superiors knew of his ongoing abuse of parish children. He now resides in Ireland, out of reach of law and justice, but well within reach of Irish kids.

And of course -- as the documentary testifies -- there is never any justice for the victims. Occasionally after a huge court battle, the Church coughs up some cash. But it never admits culpability, apologizes for the endless, lifetime of pain; or changes its approach to the way it handles its own priests once they are found to be child molesters.



I am sickened that the Church has persisted in harboring pedophiles and is even now refusing to meet with and acknowledge the children from California who were victims of O'Grady.

This problem seems to exist all over our country, and apparently around the world. 100,000 victims have already come forward in the United States alone. And experts say that over 80% of abuse victims never even report the crimes to authorities.

Absolute power truly corrupts absolutely.

The most telling moment for me was in the final few screens of the documentary, when these words scrolled across the screen:

Pope Benedict XVI was accused of conspiracy to cover up sexual abuse in the United States.

At the Vatican's request, President Bush granted the Pope immunity from prosecution.

May God have mercy on their souls; for I would not. We're talking about little kids being raped by priests. It doesn't get much more horrific than that.

And isn't it precious how these heartless power-brokers stick together, at the expense of the people -- even innocent children. It's no wonder Christ always seemed so angry whenever he was in the Temple.

O'Grady was sick. These other men -- the men who protected him in order to save their own careers -- are on the hook for his crimes; knowingly on the hook and guilty.

How can any self-professed 'man of God' allow children to be molested - for years - and in unsuspecting parish after unsuspecting parish, just to advance his own career?

Ask California's Cardinal Mahoney. He has apparently done just that.

I believe it was Jesus himself who said:

"But anyone who is the downfall of one of these little ones who have faith, would be better thrown into the sea with a great millstone hung round his neck."

Still looking forward to the Rapture? It might prove interesting.

A question for the Pope

Your Eminence, I have a question:

As an ex-Catholic, I don't quiver and shake at the threat of excommunication, but I realize there are many who still belong to the Church, and view it as their only avenue to salvation.

You are apparently quite aware of your power in this regard, and seem to believe that using your status to influence politics around the world is 'fair game.' Nothing new here: your predecessors did this for centuries.

Catholic officials have been debating for some time whether politicians who approve abortion legislation as well as doctors and nurses who take part in the procedure subject themselves to automatic excommunication under church law.

The pope was asked where he stands on the issue during the flight to Brazil, in his first full-fledged news conference since becoming pontiff in 2005.

"Do you agree with the excommunications given to legislators in Mexico City on the question?" a reporter asked.

"Yes," Benedict replied. "The excommunication was not something arbitrary. It is part of the (canon law) code. It is based simply on the principle that the killing of an innocent human child is incompatible with going in Communion with the body of Christ. Thus, they (the bishops) didn't do anything new or anything surprising. Or arbitrary."

In light of your recent statements in Brazil, concerning the excommunication of Mexican lawmakers who passed abortion legislation - and I do realize that you later flip-flopped on this statement - I have to ask the question that has been burning in my soul for years:

Why do you protect unborn children, and yet refuse to excommunicate your own priests when they repeatedly molest, terrorize and traumatize (often for life) real, 'walking and talking' children who have been entrusted to their care?

I consider the molestation of helpless children by priests who had absolute power over them - not to mention of the trust of their parents and the community - to be one of the gravest crimes ever committed by representatives of the Church. Crimes against helpless children. A human being can't sink much lower than that.

The way the Church behaved in the aftermath - calling in lawyers, trying to buy off the victims and to cover up the crimes, moving predator priests around from parish to parish without telling anyone of their past behavior - this demonstrates complicity in the crimes themselves.

You protected these pedophiles - for years - allowing them to continue preying on children in community after community. You knew of their crimes, and yet you never excommunicated a single one. Not one! You even allowed them to continue saying Mass!

It appears you are in favor of protecting the rights of children... right up until the moment they are born. In this you have a lot in common with the Religious Right, but perhaps not so much in common with Jesus himself, a great advocate and protector of children and of their innocence.

"But anyone who is the downfall of one of these little ones who have faith, would be better thrown into the sea with a great millstone hung round his neck."

Hmm.

With this hypocrisy fresh in everyone's minds, you might consider staying out of global politics and the 'judging' game.

Thank you.