Once upon a time and not so long ago there were various media codes which prohibited priests or ministers of religion, and even the church itself, being portrayed in any kind of negative way particularly on TV or at the movies. I suspect such was probably also the case in literature of all kinds.
Blasphemy laws would have been part of this arsenal of prohibition.

I am just old enough to recall Smiths Weekly in the late forties and its stories of young mothers-to-be being used as cheap labour in church laundries and other rather vile stories, then treated as unbelievable by the main stream newspapers.

To-day the SMH has an alarming story; "Diagnosis was 'smokescreen' to hide known paedophiles". One such was a teacher in no less than eleven schools. Why was he moved and how many victims has he left shattered and at how many locations?

The churches' assets need to be sold up and the funds distributed as compensation. The Ellis Defense which protects the church from paying just compensation in NSW needs to be legislated out of existence.

In the UK two cases have been decided that the church appoints and provides the education and facilities for priests and is therefore responsible for them and their activities in the community.

...Studies have shown that the population of the Catholic Church clergy harbors paedophiles at a similar rate to the outside population, which is around 4%. This does not excuse the small element of child molesters in the Church anymore than it excuses the small element of child molesters in the community.

...I find it hard to imagine any good will come from the “Royal Commission” which may change this “factor of evil” in the Church: So it appears to me that the huge expense of a “Royal Commission” will only benefit Lawyers, and add further harm to the victims of the cover-up in the end.

...The Catholic Church has made concerted efforts to address the problem of paedophile priests and is making progress; unfortunately not fast enough to meet community expectations.

...I think a “Royal Commission” into prostitution would be better value and unearth more child abuse than the RC Church is currently accused of smothering. I am also sure that an inquiry at the level of a "Royal Commission" would "blow the lid off" some "smug" preconceived ideas that prostitution harms nobody in our community. One can't help but notice the word prostitution and child abuse are never mentioned in the same breath by its majority supporters, interested ( as is the paeodphile), in their own sexual gratification at the expense of young women, and increasingly children. (Lets identify more accurately who are truly the paedophiles in our communities)!

Prostitution promotes paedophiles in our communities vastly more so than does the Catholic Church. Can one conclude then, the Catholic Church is being pursued for money...I think this is a real possibility, and closer to the truth!

DD I'm sure I,ve recently come across two or three presumably well researched articles that put the rate of sexual abuse of children among Catholic clergy as seven or eight time the population norm. Can you cite the studies that show them to be equivalent?
Also, you use the word "harbor" which normally means protect or shelter. Did you mean that?

Oh come now, Dan -- with all the recent exposures of priestly child molesters the acknowledged figure has risen to at least one in six, or 16%. And that's just the ones who have been revealed, while the 4% figure is an estimate of all perpetrators, discovered or undiscovered. Perhaps we should just turn the question around, and ask whether there are Catholic priests who can prove they AREN'T sexual abusers of children.

The Church has simply been criminally stupid. Once they could afford to recruit bright, competent people and turn a blind eye to their sexual peccadilloes; but that ceased to be possible at least fifty years ago, and since then they have been recruiting from an ever-dwindling pool of increasingly peculiar people. Now they're reaping the results.

The fact that they are a religion may have encouraged this bizarre policy, but as far as the effects are concerned it wouldn't matter whether they were butchers or real estate agents or merchant bankers. Make it a job prerequisite to renounce sex, and you instantly reduce your potential recruits to a tiny cluster of liars and the deluded. Cut that in half by picking one gender only, and... well, we can see the results.

Comprehensive studies of sexual abuse rates show Catholic priests are far less than mainstream. See below. The John Jay report was completed independently as a result of secular media pressure in United States and handled this problem in enormous detail.

http://usccb.org/issues-and-action/child-and-youth-protection/upload/The-Causes-and-Context-of-Sexual-Abuse-of-Minors-by-Catholic-Priests-in-the-United-States-1950-2010.pdf

Secondly, with admitted communist and homosexual infiltration of the priesthood during the 20th century. (e.g. Read the books of Dr Bella Dodd, Father Malachi Martin, Michael Rose and many others), you can easily see why things got out of hand. Not believing in Catholic sacraments and placing yourself in the face of extreme evil as Catholic priests do, is going to lead you down a bad path very quickly.

We've already seen the back of most of these problems. I'm confident this is the case, based on what I have heard and seen. Where are these so called reports showing Catholic Priest Abuse rates are higher? I've never seen or heard of any whatsoever? Finally the Catholic hierarchy have the means the expunge the problem without being accused of another Inquisition by secular media.

The other key difference between today and the past, is no-one understands the sin of scandal today. It is a sin to scandalise others. Today no-one cares, and yet this sin is very damaging, as the secular media utilise it everyday to great effect AND WITH INTENT.

I'm also waiting for Secular Media to acknowledge Partial Birth Abortion as Child Abuse. Sticking scissors in a child's skull, sucking out its brains, and crushing the skull during birth, is supported by Obama, Hillary Clinton and many Emily's List types.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/01/AR2008040102197.html
http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/Hillary_Clinton_Abortion.htm

What about Infanticide which Peter Singer has promoted as well? Where is the outcry here? Deafening silence.
http://www.equip.org/articles/peter-singers-bold-defense-of-infanticide/

Is not this Child Abuse as well?
Watch the uncensored English Video at bottom of this website.
http://www.durarealidad.com/

Glen C:

Yep…Wikipedia. Results of a US study.

John J:

...Hiding a paedophile in a Church is unforgivable. Hiding a paedophile behind a prostitution racket is culpable (Government sanctioned under decriminalization laws) and equally unforgivable. Especially since the community has lost total control of prostitution in their communities because of decriminalization Laws, (which strip local councils of veto rights, among other things)!

...This law not only changes the face of prostitution for the worse, but allows the unchecked advances of paedophilia into illegal brothels. (Unlicensed brothels outnumber legal brothels by three to one).

...Prostitution is an “out of control” industry with calamitous consequences for children, which leaves the Catholic Church in the shade (as a comparison) for its “evil”!

Diver Dan, I thought the Royal Commision was supposed to be far-reaching in looking for paedophiles , and not just the Catholic Church? Surely underage prostitutes will be looked at as well?

Paedophiles are disgusting wherever they hide, but don't you agree that there is something just a little worse about paedophiles practicing under the cover of supposed 'men of God'?
These so-called 'chosen ones' are supposed to care for their flock's souls, but obviously that doesn't extend to these poor children.

Even worse is the undeniable fact that their superiors enabled them to keep on offending against children by moving them to different parishes.

Disgusting.

Isn't it fascinating, by the way, how the Catholic Church and its supporters have suddenly discovered all this OTHER child abuse going on elsewhere that they never got around to telling us about until now? I think the whole lot of them should be prosecuted for concealing evidence.

Perhaps the answer is after all, a sociopath's lack of empathy?
A sociopath's lack of empathy, is all that is required to become a Nazi, brutally murder and maim, engage in torture, gas non-combatant civilians/women and children to death; rape, rip and tear small girls, and bugger small boys, simply because "you" have, the self conferred power to do so, and an institution that literally covers up for; and protects "you" from any real repercussions!
Even where "you" are demonstrably, a repeating recidivist re-offender!
There are only six words that adequately convey my personal disgust!
Seig hiel, Seig hiel, Seig hiel!
Some of the abused girls, may never ever be able to conceive, given the permanent internal damage done to their tiny wombs; and therefore, suffer quite dreadful, whole of life consequences?
And the small boys, the most common and preferred victim, of the most heinous crime, are basically buggered for life, have trouble with normal sexual function/relationships, and all too often end their sad and tortured lives prematurely, due to the psychological damage done to them, by predatory psychopaths.
Cardinal Pell wants to see the evidence, that puts him in the same room with a predatory paedophile priest and his accuser, when allegations of rape were levelled?
Pell claims he was overseas at the time?
A claim, no doubt verifiable, by date stamps on his personal passport, which therefore becomes evidence, and ought to be handed over, now today! Least someone accuse Pell of having sympathisers in very high places, armed with official, [post dating,] stamps perhaps?
Rhrosty.

The brave Australia victims of child sex abuse and Detective Peter Fox and the media news coverage are to be commended for having the courage to take action to expose the truth about the sex abuse and cover up within the Catholic church system.
And a big thank so goes to Australia's Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, for ordering a royal commission that will look at institutional responses to the child sex abuse by predator priests.

Child predators need to be kept far away from kids forever...
BUT, an even more powerful danger is when high ranking officials enable, empower, and cover up these crimes against kids. They need to be held accountable for allowing more innocent kids to be sexually abused.
Child sex abuse thrives in secrecy and secret systems that allow it to continue to this day. Hopefully there will be some healing and justice to all those who have suffered from such a massive betrayal of trust.
There is way too much at stake for us to stay silent, "the safety of our children today".

Judy Jones with Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests and Snap Australia
http://www.snapaustralia.org/
http://www.snapnetwork.org/

Suseonline

…If this country is to have a “pogrom” on paedophiles, “let’s get into it”. A Catholic Priest who is a practicing paedophile is no better or worse than a practicing paedophile who dances, semi-naked along William Street into Kings Cross, in a debauched exhibition of homosexuality, parading in the Gay Mardi Gras.

…What worries me about the exhibition of the Royal Commission, is how far reaching will it be. It is the “flavor of the month” to pick-off the RC Church, (which I am not a RC, if it appears that I am defending them for that reason, I am not).

…Statistically it appears to me, there is no greater incidence of paedophilia in the Catholic Church than there is in the greater community. Where the difference lies, is the nature of protecting the paedophile inside the RC Church, (a crime exacerbating the original crime).

…Well, if we are to attack the Church for protecting paedophiles as the priority, that is far too narrow a focus, and will not achieve any real outcome that will assist victims of the paedophile in the broader community, the point Cardinal Pell makes, and one I agree with. My contention is, paedophiles are wreaking more havoc generally in our broader communities than the high-profile Catholic Priest.

…A Royal Commission presents the golden opportunity to “knock” on every front door in Australia and unearth paedophilia “per se”, in all its hiding places; in all the “back yard” brothels across our country where “all” are free to practice prostitution unobserved, ably assisted by laws of “decriminalisation” which have normalised and legitimised prostitution in our communities, where it is much more likely you will find underage children coerced into prostitution and abused, than in the RC Church.

An excellent article in regard to an overdue process. I am however, most shocked by the obfuscation of the issue by some of the previous posts, whom I presume to be followers of the catholics church. Given their attitude of blame shifting it makes the royal commission most timely and reinforces the observations in the article.

BTW... The John Jay Report was NOT an independent study. It was paid for by the bishops, and the info given to the John Jay researchers was from the bishops.

Nothing the church officials do is independent. That is why out side law enforcement or a royal commission is so important to get to the real truth about the cover up of sex crimes of innocent children. Otherwise nothing changes.

Judy Jones, SNAP Midwest Associate Director, USA, 636-433-2511. snapjudy@gmail.com,
"SNAP (The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests) is the world's oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. SNAP was founded in 1988 and has more than 12,000 members. Despite the word priest in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, teachers, Protestant ministers and increasingly, victims who were assaulted in a wide range of institutional settings like orphanages, summer camps, athletic programs, Boy Scouts, etc."

http://www.snapaustralia.org/
http://www.snapnetwork.org/

Dr Courtney has driven to the core of the issue with an elegantly written, well-argued piece. It ought to generate deep reflection across a society that seems unable to focus on anything and has a government that is strategically keen to fragment it by purposively blending public policy with political expediency.

The Royal Commission must focus on the children first and the damage being done to them by institutions that should protect them

Family Law decisions and processes would have to form an integral part of any such inquiry and must be included in the ToR. Child protection services must also be examined.

As you probably know, judicial officers of the Family Court – including judges, magistrates and ICLs (Independent Children’s Lawyers) are NOT mandatory reporters of child abuse. They also lack professional qualifications and expertise relating to childhood development, children’s sexual development and the very complex subject of child sexual abuse. Because of this they have made decisions that are anything but sensible to the person in the street; eg. removing them from the protecting parents and handing them over to paedophile parents .. convicted and otherwise. Judges accept the advice of ICLs who are not independent despite their nomenclature.

This means that Family Court personnel are just as unaccountable as priests hearing confession.
We do not know whether this is the fault of the law or the fault of paedophile supporters but the Chief Justice admits that the Family Court was never created for doing this work.. and it is doing it badly as we know from the hundreds of clients that we have had who have lost their children simply because they reported father-child incest.

In addition to physical, sexual and other types of abuse - Justice for Children Australia believes that removal of a child from a loving caring parent who has done them no harm is child abuse and must be included in this inquiry.

Ariel Marguin
Justice for Children Australia
www.justiceforchildrenaustralia.org
0411 852 452
fixingflaws@gmail.com

...There is a very good reason paedophiles are classified as “rock spiders”! There is no doubt the Catholic Church must stop treating Paedophile priests as “detritus” to be moped-up by old Father time!

...The diversity of posts here alone highlight the need for a broad ranging Royal Commission of inquiry into “Paedophilia”, and all child care agencies must be included as a consequence.

...Every rock and stone must be lifted to expose child abusers and their “rackets”!

...It is high time to “reinvent the wheel”.

Could I please ask the likes of Sheleyah Courtney and any others who decide to write on matters of the Christian Church to please be definite about their definitions and/or understandings of the Christian Church.

The word "catholic" means "universal". Whilst it cannot be doubted that the Roman Catholic denomination sees itself as the one true universal church, there are many more - i.e. members of other denominations - who disagree. Most denominations of the Christian Church would agree with the words of the Apostle's Creed: "I believe in the holy catholic church" but yet would in no way want to associate themselves with the Roman Catholic Church.

Please, when talking about the denomination of the Christian Church that subjugates itself to the pope in Rome, use the correct terminology ROMAN Catholic Church.

It may upset many Roman Catholics - which you may not want to do in these days of political correctness. But, spare a thought for those of us who are also offended by being associated with that with which we do not want to be associated. Your political correctness is forcing you into a politically correct dilemma.

Revdek wants any reference about Catholic Christians to be preceded by the word Roman, because he doesn't want his Christian church 'tainted' by the Catholics.

Are you suggesting that only Roman Catholic Christian clergy and organizations sexually abuse kids Revdek?
Sadly, no.
Paedophiles are quite happy to infest any organization that gives them access to kids.

Mind you, I watched 'Lateline' on ABC tonight and was horrified to watch a Patrician Priest make a complete fool of himself and his order after allowing a convicted paedophile member of his order to change his 'holy' name and return to the fold after 4 years in jail for child abuse!

http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2012/s3641458.htm

My desire to be able to describe myself as being a member of the Catholic Church without being identified with the Roman Catholic Church has nothing to do with the paedophilia question, but a desire to be able to describe myself as such without being associated with Roman Catholic dogma or theology or practice.

I in no way suggest that other denominations, including my own, may not have been involved in child abuse - any more than I would claim that ANY organization dealing with children is not liable to have indulged in this despicable practice.

Please, do not ascribe to me ideas that I in no way implied in my message. Do not put words and concepts into my entry which are not there.

Please accept the words as written as meaning what they say.

It is often the ascription of meanings outside of those expressed that gives rise to enmity that need not exist.

Take my words as they are written!

>>Please, when talking about the denomination of the Christian Church that subjugates itself to the pope in Rome, use the correct terminology ROMAN Catholic Church.<<

Catholic is the correct terminology for a Church in communion with the Pope: the Catholic Church includes all the Eastern Catholics.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Catholic_Churches

Most Catholics in Australia are Roman Catholics but we do have Eastern Catholics. So far I haven't seen widespread accusations of pedophilia and cover-up within these churches. They don't have the same rules regarding clerical celibacy which might have something to do with it.

Cheers,

Tony

...And…why divorce the subject of homosexuality from its close relative paedophilia when discussing the RC Church.

...I subscribe to Tony Lavis’ personal theory that the sexual depravity inherent in the Catholic Church is a consequence of celibacy: Rules of celibacy must create a fertile environment attractive to sexual deviants.

...It’s a very close step from consensual homosexual acts onward to the "buggery" of young boys!

I don't agree Diver Dan that celibacy, paedophilia and homosexuality are related in any way.
If that were the case, paedophiles would not target young girls, nor would they marry and still carry on with their disgusting abuse of children.

How often do you hear of stepfathers and fathers molesting their children ... both boys and girls?
Gay men are no more likely to be paedophiles than straight men.

I believe that the paedophiles seem to target the Catholic Church because they are such a huge organization that has many children within it's fold.

This is not about being homosexual or heterosexual, this is about "child predators"
Some are true pedophiles, (attracted to children) but most are child predators.

It is not so much about sex. it is more about the abuse of "power"

I know of many, many girls who have been sexually abused by clergy.

Judy Jones, SNAP "Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests"

The John Jay Report was an independent study done by a US Secular Criminal Law College (i.e John Jay) attached to New York City University, who had the right to objectively question the evidence, probe it and verify it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Jay_College_of_Criminal_Justice

If one is complaining about separate surveys done for every diocese of the United States, then you either do not understand Catholic governance, or you are accursing every diocese and Catholic lay administrative official of the United States of a giant cover up, which is not only patently ridiculous, but impossible to engineer. What faithful Catholic wouldn't want this cleaned up anyhow?

As for obsuring the issue, and mentioning the patent obvious previously. Like I said, the silence is deafening isn't it?

I favour no political party, but it is clear this Royal Commission is not fundamentally about abuse victims. More is the pity. It is about a certain political party's very survival, and the Catholic Church is the scapegoat via which a divide and conquer is being engineered.

Watch this You Tube video to see what happened in the US Election and draw the obvious conclusion. Watch the lot if you want the whole picture, or at 13.04minutes on to see what was engineered by Obama, and the persecution of the Catholic Church now starting in the US
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62by0wn66uc

Rubbish aga.
This Royal Commission may well be partly politically motivated, but any previous political party could have started one years ago, but they didn't.

The problem is not the Catholic Church as a whole, but is about the paedophiles still working amongst them, and the hierarchy that continues to hide them.

Of course the Catholic Church hierarchy are saying it is the nasty Australian Government who is against the whole Church faithful, in order to take the heat off themselves.

Church members should be angry with this...

Jehovah’s Witnesses hit with $28 million sex abuse settlement Oakland,Calif.-Google it.

Jehovah’s Witnesses have many issues with sexual molestation of children.The religion and its members are more concerned about protecting the group image than the victims.

TWO WITNESSES required.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses require ‘two witnesses’ to a crime or it didn’t happen,you are supposed to ‘leave it in
Jehovah’s hands’ wait on the lord.
How many pedophiles allow an eyewitness?
These people engage in a door to door ministry, possibly exposing children to pedophiles.
The Watchtower corporation has paid out millions in settlement money already.
--
Danny Haszard *tell the truth don't be afraid* FMI http://www.dannyhaszard.com

.

Dear Sheleyah,

.

According to the Australian Government web site:

"Under the Constitution, the reigning British monarch is also the Australian monarch, and therefore Australia's head of state. The Constitution grants the monarch - currently Queen Elizabeth II - certain governing powers that place them above all other levels of the government":

http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/our-government/australias-federation

The British Monarch is also the Supreme Governor of the Church of England:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supreme_Governor_of_the_Church_of_England

In the Commonwealth Realms, the head of state is required to take the 1688-enacted Coronation Oath, swearing to defend the Anglican Faith. The Queen, at her coronation, was asked “Will you, to the utmost of your power, maintain in the United Kingdom, the Protestant Reformed Religion established by law?” to which she replied “All this I promise and do.”

She was crowned by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Fisher, with the crowd shouting "God save the Queen!"

The United Kingdom also maintains positions in its advisory revising chamber for 26 senior clergymen of the established Church of England known as the Lords Spiritual, spiritual peers or Bishops in the House of Lords.

Australia's status is similar to that of the UK, i.e., a non-secular state.

.