If further confirmation were needed of the existence of a Lavender Mafia within the Church, homosexual clerics who promote and protect each other, the abrupt resignation of Keith Cardinal O’Brien, primate of Scotland, should provide it. After news of the Conclave broke, O’Brien was accused of homosexual predation on three priests and one former priest. Interesting that this should all break now, and more than interesting that this comes amidst rumors that Pope Benedict resigned after receiving a secret report prepared by three cardinals alleging the existence of a ring of senior homosexual clergy at the Vatican. O’Brien after the accusations arose, abruptly resigned but contested the allegations. Now he has issued an “I’m Sorry!” statement which should be translated “I’m Sorry I was caught!”. Here is the text of the statement:
“In recent days certain allegations which have been made against me have become public. Initially, their anonymous and non-specific nature led me to contest them.
However, I wish to take this opportunity to admit that there have been times that my sexual conduct has fallen below the standards expected of me as a priest, archbishop and cardinal.
To those I have offended, I apologise and ask forgiveness.
To the Catholic Church and people of Scotland, I also apologise.
I will now spend the rest of my life in retirement. I will play no further part in the public life of the Catholic Church in Scotland.”
Notice the formulation: “standards expected of me as a priest, archbishop and cardinal.” Is this a left handed indication that his violating his vows was ongoing throughout his clerical career?
Prior to becoming a Cardinal, O’Brien was noted for a fairly “relaxed” attitude towards homosexuality. This changed when he became Cardinal and became a critic of the homosexual movement in Great Britain. Before this broke, out of the blue, Cardinal O’Brien suddenly said that he thought the Church should consider letting priests marry. Why did he say this? Was someone aware of his past history applying blackmail pressure on him?
How did he rise so far in the hierarchy? Clergy, in my experience, tend to be a gossipy bunch. With four men coming forward thus far, I find it hard to believe that his “proclivities” weren’t known to his superiors.
Questions, questions and more questions. Now O’Brien, having done his bit to tarnish the image of the Church, thinks that he will simply clam up and go into retirement. If the new Pope really wants to do something about this cesspool within the Church, he could do worse than to order the ex-Cardinal to Rome for intensive questioning.
Cardinal O’Brien’s belated and vague fessing up
Reads like a spin doctor’s dressing up
Until the mea culpa has a maxima added
Any apology is going to sound vapid
So come clean, beat your breast and quit messing up.
O’Brien didn’t break any criminal statutes…he hit on some priests. Obviously completely unacceptable and shameful, but there’s no reason he needs to publicly “come clean.”
I could care less about the criminal aspects of the case, although we might be merely at the tip of a very nasty ice berg in regard to this reprobate. What I want to know is why he received elevation to be a Prince of the Church and what did his superiors know about his activities when they recommended him for these positions. I of course also want to know why this all remained quiet until after the Conclave was announced and was all of this a factor in O’Brien’s sudden decision to call for priest’s being able to marry. None of this mess will ever be cleared up until Catholics begin asking these type of questions endlessly and demanding answers.
We need a Vatican III to seriously address the horrifying realities of the sex abuse crisis. I fear that the bishops and cardinals have allowed themselves to become to insulated from what is occurring on the ground.
Or hold the council in Ireland, the Ground Zero of the sex abuse crisis. The Catholic Faith is faltering in one of its former heartlands, much as German Catholicism never fully recovered from the indulgences scandal and ensuing Protestant Reformation.
Like the indulgence “crisis” I think the sex abuse crisis tends to be used as an excuse by and large by Catholics who were out the door anyway. Today the main reason why Catholics leave the Church is simple hedonism: the desire to extravagantly indulge in sins of the flesh without nagging guilt. At bottom I think that also plays a large role in the abuse crisis, with the added culpability of bishops more concerned with “scandal” than with protecting children and teenagers from priest predators who have bought into the sex-uber-alles mania of our time. No Vatican III is needed. Merely a heirarchy that is willing to do a thorough house cleaning and to act as if they actually believed what the Church teaches.
We don’t need a Vatican III. What we need is a laity and a clergy (including bishops) that know what Vatican II truly said and not what dissenters claim it says.
Donald,
Very true. The series of issues have given the critics more sense of “legitmacy” to their dissention. It is what drove myriad negative opinions I held regarding the Church for several years.
Phillip, something has to be done regarding the sexual abuse crisis. Saying “I’m Sorry” and doing some training is not adequate. To many wounded people in the Church, it appears to be more of a “sorry we were caught” then a heartfelt apology. The Church is not just the robed hierarchy, it is also the People (granted, those who are faithful to the teachings).
“…something has to be done regarding the sexual abuse crisis. Saying “I’m Sorry” and doing some training is not adequate.”
That may be true. But that doesn’t mean a Vatican III.
In particular, my reference to reading and following Vatican II is that it was significantly misinterpreted (or deliberately distorted) by many. Not that this is a sufficient explanation for the sexual abuse crisis. However, I think many have been led by the misinterpretations following Vatican II down a road that they would not have otherwise taken.
Ben in SoCal:
Most of these old pedophiles are retired to grand nursing homes and villas. Let them work for a living in their not so innocent old age. Let them be laicized, stripped of their garments and flung into the street. Have they done anything in their ministries except soil the church that they might deserve care? Does the hierarchy expect their victims to support them in their sex sodden old age? Why they could become billionaires in the pornography industry, or even just write a dirty book.
If the failed their vocation, they deserve nothing, and they will be lucky if they do not end up in hell.
There should be a council of some sort, and it should be located in Dublin. Ireland is a veritable “Ground Zero” of the sex abuse crisis.
The Church hierarchy should wear sackcloth and ashes for these sins. I don’t know why penance only seems to be mandatory for sinful laity. As someone who has served as an enlisted man in the armed services, you can see those with the “brass” on their shoulders as having a particular mindset and higher view of themselves, especially in the face of a humble corporal.
The culture of secrecy surrounding the cover-ups had and still affects a corrosive impact on the Church. It needs to change, or it could happen again. No faithful Catholic is calling for dotrinal changes. Obviously some leftists have found a renewed push for expanded abortion or acceptable of homosexual marriage in the wake of the crisis, and that simply will never be tolerated.
But openness is needed. Laity should have more of a say in the selection of their priests and bishops. More partnership in the Church, which is both the hierarchy and the people.
There should be a council of some sort, and it should be located in Dublin. Ireland is a veritable “Ground Zero” of the sex abuse crisis.
The Church hierarchy should wear sackcloth and ashes for these sins.
While they’re at it, they should also stick pens right into their hearts and spill it all over the stage. Would it satisfy you, or slide on by you?
Somehow the proposal sounds as meaningful as “merely” saying “I’m sorry.”
I’m just a regular layman. I am honestly still in the process of rediscovering my Catholic faith after years of spiritual hiatus and wandering. There are folks far more qualified and knowledgable than me on complex matters of church polity and governance. But an average Joe and Mary Catholic can see some changes needs to occur. Rational ones that don’t regard immutable doctrine.
The hierarchy owes the people a few “Olive branches.” Simple apologies expired long ago.
Paul, the hierarchy brought this on their own heads. They have themselves to blame. This wasn’t a secular “MSM” conspiracy. NBC didn’t elect or appoint these men to their holy offices.
God bless, sir.
Paul, the hierarchy brought this on their own heads. They have themselves to blame. This wasn’t a secular “MSM” conspiracy. NBC didn’t elect or appoint these men to their holy offices.
Literally none of what you just said indicates that the Church needs to call a Council to, as you suggest, make some changes.
Cdl. Gearge Pell of Sydney Australia for Pope.
He knows how to sort out the rainbows and gays!
I can’t comment.
I’m a worse sinner than any of those, or you, people. I think that excoriating someone does not count as doing penance for my sins; or help me to amend my life.
What I want to know is why he received elevation to be a Prince of the Church and what did his superiors know about his activities when they recommended him for these positions.
Do you mind a guess? I will wager the Congregation of Bishops knows very little about the esoteric aspects of the lives of prelates half a world away. The Holy See employs only a few thousand people; the number in any given dicastery is likely not to make it out of three figures. (If I understand correctly, bishops are appointed consequent to endorsements from various proximate parties, e.g. the nuncio, the metropolitan, and bishops of neighboring dioceses).
Phillip, something has to be done regarding the sexual abuse crisis.
What you gonna do, Ben? Very few of those identified as having been accused of sexual molestation were ordained in the last 25 years. Accusations seldom refer to current events. Accusations referring to events more than 15 years past, which are difficult to assess, are quite normal. The inclination of laymen to make their complaints to the hierarchy and not to law-enforcement (or the newspapers or ambulence chasers like John Aretekis) has to be just about nil by now. (Cdl. O’Brien, by the way, was accused of hitting on seminarians, not molesting youths). You cannot repair what happened 25 years ago, you can just remove identified offenders from ministry and hope for the best; one has to be very skeptical that there are many unidentified offenders as we speak.
“I will wager the Congregation of Bishops knows very little about the esoteric aspects of the lives of prelates half a world away”
Oh I agree Art. They rely almost entirely on recommendations from the local Church. Who from the local Church in the UK recommended this bozo and what did they know about his “lifestyle choices” when they recommended him.
This is funny. The following is the first paragraph from John Edwards’ 2008 apology for his affair and lies:
“In 2006, I made a serious error in judgment and conducted myself in a way that was disloyal to my family and to my core beliefs. I recognized my mistake and I told my wife that I had a liaison with another woman, and I asked for her forgiveness. Although I was honest in every painful detail with my family, I did not tell the public. When a supermarket tabloid told a version of the story, I used the fact that the story contained many falsities to deny it. But being 99% honest is no longer enough.”
Compare it to the first paragraph of O’Brien’s. It’s the exact same ploy.
Compare it to the first paragraph of O’Brien’s. It’s the exact same ploy.
Why not tell us what he’s supposed to say. Do you want him to draw pictures?
Maybe we nees Pope SOB after all:
http://takimag.com/article/desperately_seeking_conservative_pope_james_noel_wardutm_source=Taki%27s+Magazine+List&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=e3cba62932-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN#axzz2MG03HD3F
“While they’re at it, they should also stick pens right into their hearts and spill it all over the stage. Would it satisfy you, or slide on by you?”
Getting Jagger/Richard into the act are we Paul?
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5007x_rolling-stones-its-only-rock-n-roll_music#.UTU_GaWf_ww
Let me try that first link again:
http://takimag.com/article/desperately_seeking_conservative_pope_james_noel_ward/print#ixzz2MLAttKtM
Well, given the fact that there is a Lavender Mafia entrenched in the Vatican itself, as the Vatileaks revelation shows, the Congregation of Bishops has to at least suspect that it is going on a “half a world away” and that some of its local Dons become bishops. Furthermore, there was the whole Fr. Macial scandal. One has to ask if highly placed Vatican Cardinals like Cdl. Sodano knew something was up with that given that Sodano used his position as Secretariat of State to block a CDF/Ratzinger led investigation into the whole affair. Beyond that, according to the article linked below, Cdl. Sodano led the effort to block Ratzinger’s election in 2005 conclave and the Sodano faction lost its influence over the Sec. of State when Bendict XVI tapped the non-diplomat Bertone as Sec. of State, which Sodano never got over.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/old-establishment-cardinals-hope-for-quick-conclave/
Another thing is that perhaps the next pope needs to take a stronger position in demanding that bishops be stricter in not accepting candidates for the priesthood who have same sex attractions, even if they are leading chaste lives. In my view, there are obvious practical and spitual reasons for this. Given the fact that priests are celibate, the development of strong fraternal bonds is essential. Add sexual attraction inot that mix and the result is disastarous for both the individual man suffering same sex attraction as well as the other priests as well. It puts such a man in the position of a serious near occassion of sin.
Perhaps, and I say perhaps, this may have been the case with Keith O’ Brien. He gave in to the temptation, felt ashamed, and sought to cover up his behavior. And this snowballed over the years and got worse as he climbed up the eccesiastical ladder. This certainly is no excuse but a possible explanation.
[…] Ignitum Today Bp. Vasa’s New Contract: Good for Students & for Teachers – Dr. E. Peters Cardinal O’ Brien and the Lavender Mafia – D. McClarey, The American Cthlc New Atheism is Dead – Ed West, Catholic […]
You can have as much “of a say” as the Ratzinger and Dolan families, Ben, any time you’re up for it and ready to get to work.
The hierarchy owes the people a few “Olive branches.” Simple apologies expired long ago.
Ben, any novus ordinary parish is shot through with laymen who…
1. Have not been to confession in ages.
2. Are hopelessly confused (or indifferent) on questions doctrinal and moral, do not read the catechism, and do not instruct their children.
3. Do not integrate the faith into mundane life in any way, i.e. by abstaining from shopping on Sunday, or by periodic fasting and abstinence, or by periodic abstinence from sex, or by family rosary.
4. Are implicated in the wretched audible greeting-card mess that is contemporary Catholic worship.
Can I get an olive branch from the twits who volunteer – in defiance of clear instructions from the Congregation for Divine Worship – to be eucharistic ministers, perform their task in Saturday afternoon goin’-bowling attire, and allow queues of people to self-communicate? How ’bout the music director with an allergy to anything composed prior to 1966 and anything that isn’t sentimental pap? How ’bout the folks who ply their children with coloring books and Cheerios during Mass? How ’bout the parish priests who accept or encourage this? I attended one parish where the pastor was transferred according to schedule and was replaced with an administrator with other responsibilities; 30% of the congregation left in a huff, as if Bp. Moynihan could grow priests in flower pots or as if ministry to no other corpus of Catholics in the Diocese mattered. Can the 70% who remained get an olive branch from these solipsistic fools?
The present appointment process for the selection of bishops is fatally flawed, and as long as second-rate bishops are allowed to recommend candidates, the process will not improve. It is highly unlikely that an unsuccessful bishop will nominate someone to replace him who has the leadership capacity to out-shine him. We are drowning in mediocrity, because we allow the blind to recommend the blind. Only bishops with proven track-records as evangelists and administrators should be allowed to nominate candidates for the episcopacy, and these candidates should have proven track records as well.
Solution:
Live out your Catholic faith to the fullest.
Your son’s are the answer!
They will help usher in an era of authentic lively faith that will shine so brightly that the current dark days will have seem like a bad dream. If we spend energy building gallows for the fallen what good are we?
If we nurture virtue in our son’s and daughters we are building an ark that will help to save neighbors from the flood of indifference.
This in my very humble opinion, will be the answer to the filth that had crept into our Holy Church.
Art-
You’re welcome to have a Mass where little kids are not distracted by cheerioes, but you’ll end up hearing even less of it than I do. Small kids just don’t do “sit down quietly” very well– especially when friendly, well-meaning older folks smile at them for being there and not being hellions.
Try the folks who give their kids video games to play during Mass… (that may be a bit of sour grapes, I get really tired of the crying room not having any speakers AND being full of teens with video games or phones.)
I’ll be happy with religious education that doesn’t teach anything actually harmful, forget about false. I’m in Washington state– hoping for something sensible is worthless. (There’s a reason I spit fire at the idea of illegal aliens being OK because they’ll revitalize the Church. Try living it.)
Foxfier, I attend novus ordinary parishes for convenience. At eastern-rite parishes, you do not see this behavior. You do not see it at indult masses either.
It looks like we’re beating up on Ben a little bit. From his comments, he’s in the process of re-Catholicizing himself, which is something we should all be encouraging. And he’s right, that in our current culture of insincere apologies, saying “I’m sorry” doesn’t seem like much.
Students of Church history realize that we’ve always been plagued by lousy leaders. But most people aren’t students of Church history. I suspect that Americans are particularly sensitive to hypocrisy, because we don’t trust anyone putting himself on a pedestal, but no one likes hypocrisy. Hypocrisy about sexual matters is particularly delicious, because it entertains the animal in us that resents those particular commandments more than most. I don’t think there’s a need for a council, but then again, the world may be well-served by the Church getting together and speaking clearly against sin. They say that the generals always fight the last war, and we may be “fighting” the last council, worried about vagueness and confusion. This group of bishops may speak a lot clearer on matters of faith and morals.
Hypocrisy is the tribute vice pays to virtue.
The only men who are not hypocrites are those who choose to conform their conscience to their actions. These men are sociopaths or worse. Those of us who choose the reverse route live every day with the awareness of our own hypocrisy.
It makes me sick and breaks my heart. I just have been such a pollyanna! I guess Father Mannion was right! “Jeanne Rohl, you’re more Catholic than the Catholic Church!” Hmm, also now I understand why one of my kid’s teachers in the “Catholic” school called me in one day and told me I was ” raising my kids too idealistic and that they would NEVER make it in the real world”. I didn’t know that it was so out of line to expect example and moral conscience from our Church leaders Our “Prince’s and Bishops. Drats, what should I do now? I have 6 kids, 6 converted kid in laws and 21 Catholic grandkids. Native American Spritituality Anyone? I will receive my sacraments and say my 10,000 Acts of Contrition every day and continue in the teachings of what I know is the true Church. God Help Us One And All.
Do not despair Jeanne. Christ had Judas among His Apostles, and Judas has had those who have followed in his footsteps among the clergy and laity from that day to this. We live in a Fallen world and it is our duty to follow Christ faithfully and joyfully no matter what others may do. Let despair and gloom be among the Devil and his disciples!
T Shaw,
Best comment on the site. Article full of innuendo and most comments even worse.
Thanks,
Declan
There is only one scandal in the church. This scandal involves every member of the church. This is your scandal.This is my scandal. I am not a saint. You are not a saint. We have not conformed to the grace that God has given us to be saints. Our virtue is not heroic. Our actions and opinions, including those in this site, are filled with pride and self-righteous. All have sinned. All have fallen short of the glory of God. Is there any good man? No. not one! The scandal in the church is that we are not scandalized by our own sinfulness. It is so much easier to cast stones. Shame on all of us for our jumping to condemn. You want a scandal? Just look in the mirror!
“Shame on all of us for our jumping to condemn. You want a scandal? Just look in the mirror!”
I will tell you Jim that I have done a lot in this life that I am not proud of. That does not include betraying sacred vows and perhaps sexually abusing subordinates as is the case with Cardinal O’Brien. In regard to this type of clerical abysmal conduct I think there has been insufficient condemnation by the laity of it for far too long. We have assumed, in too many cases, that our clergy are living saints while all too many have proven quite the reverse. The Church needs to do a much better job of policing the conduct of the clergy, and that does not include rapid reassignments for priests involved in perhaps criminal conduct. Nor does it include covering up for them for fear of “scandal”. We should never forget that Christ Himself was but a layman when in the Gospels he took to task the Pharisees who provided the rabbis for His people.
The word “scandal” does not mean what you seem to want it to mean. Lame variations on the theme of the poplar mis-quote and mis-interpretation of “judge not” do nothing to improve the world– and make it a good bit worse.
I agree that clergy are pretty gossipy. And they say women talk too much. These guys at least tie us if not beat us in “news sharing.”
2284 of the C.C.C……last sentence reads; “Scandal is a grave offense if by deed or OMISSION another is deliberately led into a grave offense.”
Mr. McClarey has a good point.
How many new appointments we’re made as solutions to a problem priest? Did they inform the new parishes?
What about our role?
Responsibility on the laity’s part?
I think so. As members of the body did we make sacrifices, pray and fast for our leaders?
Some may have.
Majority did not.
Yes James Hoder and T. Shaw. We, all of us have fallen short of our calling to be ambassadors for the Truth.
May God continue to have Mercy on us.
What is it with homosexuality and Roman Catholic church leaders? There’s obviously a correlation. Are they like that before entering the orders, or do they become that way because the orders share a culture of gayness? Or is there a kind of interaction at work?
No there is not. Protestant churches have similar problems as indicated by some of the culprits linked below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_scandals_involving_evangelical_Christians
http://blogs.denverpost.com/hark/2010/05/25/scandal-creates-contempt-for-catholic-clergy/39/
We live in a sex drenched time and too many people cast all morality aside to act out sex fantasies.
I think you’re right, Donald. I’m not singling out a denomination. I’m just wondering if homosexuality as a type of sexual misconduct might be more prevalent in orders, and if so, I’m wondering why that is.
I think you’re right, Donald. I’m not singling out a denomination. I’m just wondering if homosexuality as a type of sexual misconduct might be more prevalent in orders, and if so, I’m wondering why that is.
For latent homosexuals, less is sacrificed in terms of salutary social connections by entering celibate orders. You get there, however, and there are a lot of men around, some of whom entered as you did with a particular motivator。
I’m just wondering if homosexuality as a type of sexual misconduct might be more prevalent in orders, and if so, I’m wondering why that is.
There’s a long tradition of homosexual school teachers in English stories– I’ve been told there’s some truth to it.
My guess would be that folks who feel like outsiders will gravitate to positions of authority, like religious leader or teacher.
OK, that makes sense. Some bring it with them. Some of it’s already there. It’s interactive, then.
So it seems they have the proclivity and it goes with them into the order. Orders attract people with proclivities and as their numbers increase, an atmosphere of acceptance may arise. People may look the other way.
<i>My guess would be that folks who feel like outsiders will gravitate to positions of authority, like religious leader or teacher.</i>
Positions of authority where they have weak operational measures of competence and do not exist in an actual hierarchy that engages in co-ordinated action。
If you think about the clerics life: generally, clean hands, vestments, verbalization, maintaining a somewhat ’therapeutic’ relationship with people。 I am remembering a mft movie I saw 30-odd years ago which starred Tony Randall。 The title was <i>Sidney Schorr: a Girl’s Best Friend</i>。 One might speculate that these aspects create some unfortunate tendencies in who is attracted that in the wrong circumstances can create a feedback loop as who is attracted is compounded by who is retained is compounded by who is the gatekeeper。 Fr。 Paul Shaughnessy offered that an emphasis on asceticism in formation and daily discipline was important。 One might suggest that formation which emphasizes the capacity to articulate the doctrinal and moral teachings of the Church and act as a Father and not a therapist would also be crucial。
Using a word processor, Art?
Teacher and Priest do have the “easy job if you aren’t trying to put your heart in it” jobs.