Ending clergy abuse

THE VATICAN

Published: 15 Mar 2013 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

As the world absorbs the news of the appointment of the new pope, it is time to ask how the new Supreme Leader of the Catholic Church can meet its most urgent challenge, of stopping its priests from sexually molesting small boys.

There have been, on a realistic estimate, over 100,000 such victims since 1981, when Joseph Ratzinger became head of the Vatican office which declined to defrock paedophiles and instead approved their removal to other parishes and other countries.

These widespread and systematic sexual assaults can collectively be described as a crime against humanity. The church cannot atone just by paying compensation. Unless the new pope installs a policy that minimises danger to children, he, like pope Benedict, will become complicit in ongoing but avoidable abuse.

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zulu
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Discussion 9 : 15 Mar 2013 at 16.289
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@D7 khun bew. no i can't read thai, and rely basically to BP concerning any news about thailand. but what you write is good news. point for thailand!
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bew
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Discussion 8 : 15 Mar 2013 at 16.208
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To #6 'What kind of insanity allows the rules (they're not laws) of a church to negate the law of the land?' This was the reason why Japan's Tokugawa regime banned Catholic church in 17 (Christian) century. This was the reason why Phra Petraja was able to mobilise people against the Catholic church in Siamese revolution in 1688. This is the reason why China has to organise its own Catholic church. Many Asian leaders cannot let people in their countries to follow the rule from Rome instead of their countries' law.
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bew
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Discussion 7 : 15 Mar 2013 at 12.107
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To Khun Zulu#4 To your question 'does child abuse behind temple walls in thailand not exist, only because nobody dares to speak out?' I think you can't read Thai. There are some cases in Thailand, but they are solved more quickly because Thai society doesn't tolerate such abuse especially by the monks. In many cases Thai villagers raid the temple to find the abusing monks, then arrest and send them to the police, and finally the monks are disrobed. Recently, the Buddhist Sanga & university (MCU) dismissed the abbot for molesting. We're clear to separate between the bad monks and Buddhism.
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witawat
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Discussion 6 : 15 Mar 2013 at 11.596
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What kind of insanity allows the rules (they're not laws) of a church to negate the law of the land? The Catholic Church has committed enough sins to warrant the intervention of lawful authorities.
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CMfarang
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Discussion 5 : 15 Mar 2013 at 09.105
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Indoctrination into this belief works well at a young and impressionable age when young people become aware of their mortality,hence everlasting life beyond death is a good gimmick.
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zulu
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Discussion 4 : 15 Mar 2013 at 08.304
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it's absolutely awful what is going behind churches walls. but at least it's coming to light, and despite the church is still trying to block investigation, it can't stop the discussion and prosecution. my question now: does child abuse behind temple walls in thailand not exist, only because nobody dares to speak out?
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Oldbald
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Discussion 3 : 15 Mar 2013 at 07.453
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The Catholic Church has always hidden the depth of child abuse among its clergy. Abuse scandals in USA, Ireland (95% Catholic country, church attendance down to 4% of the population), Italy and most of Europe prove that. Church scandals will emerge in the poorer countries where the only growth of the church is taking place. "Mea Maxima Culpa, Silence in the House of God" would be a could place to start your re-education. Individual Clergy and lay persons are good, the Church is rotten from the top down.
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spiceman
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Discussion 2 : 15 Mar 2013 at 07.332
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Khun Musashi #1, I do agree with you that there are many good Catholic priests whose reputation is forever tainted by a small number of their children-raping counterparts. However, if the Catholic priests are allowed to marry and have families of their own, this sort of thing would disappear naturally, don't you think? Remember that God said "It is not good that man should be alone.." That's why He made woman to be his "helper comparable to him." (Genesis 2:18, 20) Then, God said, they "..shall become one flesh."
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musashi
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Discussion 1 : 15 Mar 2013 at 05.211
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The Catholic Church do have a small number of paedophile priests, whose acts were hugely magnified by the media, given the conservative nature of the Church.

But we must not forget that the Catholic Church have a huge number of good clergy who started and serve tens of thousands of charity organizations, serving hundreds of millions of poor people around the world.

The Confederation of Gabrielite Brothers is but one tiny example of their contribution in Thailand - setting up schools like ABAC and providing aid and assistance to numerous poor students for many years.
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Ending clergy abuse | Bangkok Post: opinion