Disgusting. Sickening. Profoundly alienating. Disturbing. There aren't enough words, really...
Since the publication of this article, other bishops have contradicted Harpginy's call for a public mea culpa, e.g. the influential bishop of Antwerp (Johan Bonny), who today stated (my translation): "It is not in our mentality to make a big spectacle. We ought to ask for forgiveness by means of small gestures...the Flemish way is not one of big statements. We are even allergic to it."
You've got to be joking me. If this were any layman, people would be in the streets buring effigies of these guys. Instead, other clerics come in and say things like (literally):
"I think some the victims have a very rich imagination".
"This behavior was rampant in practically all institutions of society, as the culture of the time was very different."
"Even though [insert priest name] has committed this atrocity, my respect for him has not wavered because of his loyal service to the Church."
Unfathomable, how shameless this all is.
Thank you for providing an opening for my rant. :-)
Here's a clickable link to the story. For those not wanting to click through, Immanuel and I are gaping because Archbishop Leonard of Belgium thinks that retired priests should not be tried for their past crimes. It would be inhumane, apparently.
6 comments:
Disgusting. Sickening. Profoundly alienating. Disturbing. There aren't enough words, really...
Since the publication of this article, other bishops have contradicted Harpginy's call for a public mea culpa, e.g. the influential bishop of Antwerp (Johan Bonny), who today stated (my translation): "It is not in our mentality to make a big spectacle. We ought to ask for forgiveness by means of small gestures...the Flemish way is not one of big statements. We are even allergic to it."
You've got to be joking me. If this were any layman, people would be in the streets buring effigies of these guys. Instead, other clerics come in and say things like (literally):
"I think some the victims have a very rich imagination".
"This behavior was rampant in practically all institutions of society, as the culture of the time was very different."
"Even though [insert priest name] has committed this atrocity, my respect for him has not wavered because of his loyal service to the Church."
Unfathomable, how shameless this all is.
Thank you for providing an opening for my rant. :-)
That is a superb rant. Thank you for posting it.
I need a Catholic Church tag - "politics" isn't quite the right tag.
It gets better.
Today, the Belgian arch bishop decided to divert attention from the child abuse case by stating:
"De aidsepidemie is geen straf van God: hoogstens een soort van immanente gerechtigheid."
Literal translation:
"The AIDS epidemic is not a punishment of God: at the most a type of immanent justice."
Class act.
Oh my GOD. So to speak.
You may have long lost interest in this story, but it just keeps getting more and more painful, for everyone involved.
http://www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.english/news/101028_Leonard_retired_priests
Oh, my GOD.
Here's a clickable link to the story. For those not wanting to click through, Immanuel and I are gaping because Archbishop Leonard of Belgium thinks that retired priests should not be tried for their past crimes. It would be inhumane, apparently.
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