Pope faces fresh wave of child abuse scandals in Italy

[babsbunny]

Pope faces fresh wave of child abuse scandals in Italy

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/28/pope-paedophile-priests-italy

The head of the Catholic church is bracing himself for a new round of allegations by victims of paedophile priests — in Italy

Tom Kington in Rome and Henry McDonald in Dublin

Pope Benedict XVI is facing growing pressure over his handling of paedophile priests as new cover-ups come to light in Italy, the country with the greatest concentration of Roman Catholic clerics.

After the latest allegations – that Benedict took no action in the US when he was head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican's enforcer – the church is now "terrified" as more victims stand up to be counted in Italy, according to Roberto Mirabile, head of La Caramella Buona, an Italian anti-abuse group. "With the scandals erupting abroad, we will see a huge growth in victims' groups in Italy in coming weeks," said Mirabile yesterday. As Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Benedict handled abuse cases at the Vatican for 24 years before he became pope in 2005.

[vaberella]

1. At this point Interpol needs to do a raid to arrest a whole mess of people at the Vatican.

The Pope first, then just dismantle the Catholic church. Just get rid of him as well.

[Possumpoint]

2. You Forget

The Vatican is a country unto itself. There is more power there then appears on the surface.

[DaveinJapan]

3. You'd have better luck sending an Interpol raid in to take down Washington D.C.

The Pope, first of all, is the Supreme Leader of the Holy See, which means he's the Emperor of the Vatican. Anyone who enters against his wishes will be subject to his whims.

He can not be displaced, he can not be fired, he is the most supreme of all supreme dictators, in terms of Vatican City.

And that's just his tiny little piece of real estate. If anyone even ATTEMPTED to attack the Vatican or the Pope, we would find ourselves in the holy war to end all holy wars, since there are still about a zillion devout catholics out there and at least 30% of them would respond in kind (so a third of a zillion).

I would LOVE to see the Catholic church dismantled (pretty much ALL "big religion" could disappear tomorrow and I'd do a heck of a celebration dance!), but it ain't gonna happen. They are FAR too powerful...one of the predominant powers on the planet as a matter of fact.

[kywildcat]

5. Note of appreciation for your post. nt

[ensho]

9. I bet the Nuns could take over the vatican

nt

[scarletwoman]

12. I've had that very same thought. Just clear out all those misogynist paedophile assholes and let

the women take over. If any of the male clergy want to stay in, they'll have to undergo castration first.

I've become convinced that the sexual abuse of boys is a practice deeply and historically imbedded in the entire culture and tradition of the male priesthood in the Roman Catholic Church. It's no random "bad apple" thing, it's simply a heavily guarded secret practice that's finally outlasted its ability to remain concealed.

[Odin2005]

10. And the RCC is deeply insinuated with the Global Corporate Elites.

Tony Blair's and Newt Gingrich's conversion to the RCC being an example, as is Opus Dei.

[tonysam]

13. Interesting little piece here about papal resignations

The writer apparently writes about atheism, etc.:

What’s important to understand about the papacy is that the pope is far more important for who he is than for what he does. It is true that a pope does quite a lot, both in administrative matters and as a cleric, but he doesn’t actually have to take action in order to be pope. His importance as pope lies in being a symbol of Christian unity. Thus, as long as he is breathing, he continues to fulfill some of the primary duties of his office.

Typically when we read about papal resignations, media “experts” tell us that the only pope to ever resign was Celestine V in 1294. This is untrue in many ways: Celestine was not first pope to resign, nor was he the last. Celestine is, however, the pope who created the official procedure by which a pope can resign, so singling him out is somewhat justified.

...

If a pope wishes to resign today, there are official steps that can be taken. According to the 1983 Code of Canon Law (Canon 332.2), “If it should so happen that the Roman Pontiff resigns his office, it is required for validity that he makes the resignation freely and that it be duly manifested, but not that it be accepted by anyone.”

What this means is that a pope merely needs to make his desire to resign clearly known and that it cannot be due to outside pressure or fraud, but it isn’t necessary that anyone “accept” his resignation. Ideally the resignation is given to the College of Cardinals, since they elected him in the first place and they can determine if the resignation is submitted freely. Regardless of who’s around, though, once he does it, it’s finalized.

link

I have a better chance winning the Powerball jackpot than the pope resigning from his job.

[LiberalFighter]

4. Keep the allegations coming. More pressure the better.

[fasttense]

6. Seems to me with these multitudes of child sexual abuse allegation

That the Catholic church was running a ring of child abusers. They seemed to spend more time in protecting the pedophiles than in protecting the children. It's sounds like one vast child sexual abuse criminal conspiracy.

[SpiralHawk]

7. VatiCronies using classique Republicon strategery in this matter

Blaming the victims, blaming the press, claiming that they are 'elite' and above being questioned. Just like the Republicons, the Pope and his Wide-stance VatiCronies are THE Latter Day Pharisees.

[UTUSN]

8. Here's the old wink-wink

*************QUOTE**********

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1728239,00.html

The Heartthrob from the Vatican

By Jeff Israely/Rome

When Pope Benedict XVI touches down for his first papal visit in the United States next week, you may notice that he doesn't have the same onstage flair as his predecessor, John Paul II. But you may also begin to notice a very handsome man of the cloth never far from the pontiff's side. That would be Monsignor Georg Gänswein, the Pope's personal secretary, responsible for everything from deciding who gets to see Benedict, to keeping His Holiness on schedule, to discreetly handing him his papal reading glasses just before a homily or other public discourse. While he is the paradigm of discretion, others have taken liberties with his image. Fashion designer Donatella Versace said her Spring 2007 collection was inspired by Gänswein, confessing: "I was thinking of an austere, severe and ethical man. I find Father Georg's austerity very elegant."

Italians have taken notice of Gänswein, and nicknamed him "Bel Giorgio," which Americans might translate as: Gorgeous George. Paparazzi have snapped photos of him playing tennis in his tennis whites, while the Roman and Bavarian press eagerly report his bravura on the ski slopes and appearances at evening Church functions. Nevertheless, despite the glamour imposed on him by the celebrity press, the tall, athletic and dirty-blond Monsignor in his clerical black, concentrates on his pivotal but quiet job choreographing papal appearances. And that is how Americans will see him, in a supporting role buoyed by his scene-stealing good looks. ....



http://disembedded.wordpress.com/2006/11/18/pope-benedict-issues-formal-vatican-decree-a-smile-is-not-a-sin/

Pope Benedict Issues Formal Vatican Decree: A Smile Is Not a Sin

November 18, 2006

POPE BENEDICT AND MSGR. GANSWEIN, THE POPE’S DEVOTED PERSONAL SECRETARY

The New York Times published an article today that disclosed some of the jokes making their rounds about Pope Benedict and his secretary, Msgr. Georg Ganswein. This brief extract from the Times article describes some of those satirical moments:

Perhaps it is his good looks, or his work in the ever-so-serious Vatican, but for whatever reason, Msgr. Georg Gänswein, Pope Benedict XVI’s secretary, has suddenly found himself the butt of jokes in the Italian news media. ....

In a curious “non-response” to this growing wave of satire, the pope’s secretary told his radio audience that “the Vatican was not offended.” “We’re convinced that smiles bring religion closer to the people,” he said, “because a smile is never a sin.”

Pope is Wrong: This One’s Very Sinful.

In response to the Times article, Andrew Sullivan published this irreverent, biting criticism of the article (and the Pope) today on his Time Magazine blog, The Daily Dish:

“The NYT runs a very curious article today about Italian humor about the current Pope. None of the jokes cited seem to me to be very risque or even funny. The entire argument of the piece is undermined by lack of any real evidence that this pope is subject to any more ridicule than has historically been the case. Except of course for that photograph (see above, seated with Msgr. Georg Ganswein). It shows the actual source of the jokes circulating in the Vatican and elsewhere about this Prada-preferring, Gucci-wearing, high-drama German intellectual (Pope). The actual jokes – which the NYT won’t print – are about how good looking so many of the men are who surround Benedict, especially his personal assistant, Msgr. Georg Gänswein, shown holding the large phallic microphone in front of Benedict’s face. The Vatican gossip merchants call Georg 'Gay-Org.' He is inseparable from Benedict. And he surely is easy on the eyes. There is no evidence that Benedict has ever broken his vows of chastity; but there is no evidence that he is heterosexual either. Hence the gossip; hence the jokes. When you’re a Pope who declares that even closeted, chaste gay men cannot be priests, it’s pushing your luck to clothe yourself in Prada, bedeck your Pope-mobile with luxurious Natuzzi Italian white leather, and surround yourself with assistants who look like they strayed from the pages of 'L’Uomo Vogue.'

"Butch it up, sister. Or the jokes will only get louder.”

******************UNQUOTE************

Padre Alberto CUTIE:

Video of beach romp: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf6rXBnLc3Y&feature=rela...

Him preaching Prodigal Son: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyAww8sol5I&feature=rela...


And then there's THIS creepazoid:
************QUOTE***********



http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/legion-christs-father-maciel-father-mexican-men-molested/story?id=10009430

Father Maciel Is Our Father, Say Two Mexican Men, And He Molested Us

Two Men Claim That Founder of Catholic Order Legion of Christ, Already Disgraced by Pedophilia Charges, Used Fake Name in Long Relationship With Their Mother

*************UNQUOTE***********

[lunatica]

11. Sooner or later church sanctioned pedophilia will be exposed in Latin and South America too

The Catholic Church has a death grip on these countries because most of the Catholics are peasants which might make the issue even worse because in third world countries true corruption flourishes. I hope it happens soon. The sooner it happens the faster it stops. The Catholic Church should not be allowed to harm one single generation more!