George,

Reading further into the story, it would appear that the head master's "openness" was primarily due to the fact that the xxx was going to hit the fan anyway. The staff had knowledge of the abuse for decades,

http://www.rational-skepticism.org/christianity/catholic-church-protects-paedophile-priests-germany-t780.html

http://www.traditioninaction.org/bev/120bev03-05-2010.htm

Shadow Minister,
Thanks for the links. Those writing on the website called “rational skepticism” are entitled to their point of view the same as those on the www.vatican.va/. Both sources can be used as providers of information and opinion as long as one is aware of their a priori bias.

Your second link contains the following:

“The facts follow. Last December five alumni went to the principal of the Jesuit-run Canisius School in Berlin, Fr. Klaus Mertes, and told him that they had been sexually abused by priests of his institution. In January several more told him the same. On January 28 headlines appeared in the press about the continuous pedophile abuse in that school.”

The open letter by the Canisius College headmaster is dated 20th January, and according to your source, “headlines appeared in the press” on 28th January, which confirms my point that the media got hold of the story and published it only AFTER the headmaster notified the world.

I think this is essentially the only point concerning FACTS where we two disagreed (in distinction to when and what the headmaster knew, and when and what he should/could have done about it before 20.1.2010).

[On the other hand, your source also mentions “five” alumni who contacted him “last December”, which was what I said. However rereading the letter I see that it starts with “During the past years a number of you have contacted me as victims of sexual abuse by individual Jesuits at Canisius College …”, no figure five, no December. I tried in vain to find on the internet an English translation of the open letter which is almost two A4 pages long. ]

Severin..."Why do religious people expect exemption for religion from behaviours that are either immoral or outright illegal?"

Well, auld chaps, that is very simple.

Christians believe that God sits above our Parliaments, and guide the hands and minds of our glorious politicians to do His work.

But Catholics believe that the Pope is actually the Voice of God, on Earth, and can say and do no wrong, on the basis that he is inhabited by Him.

How can God's word be wrong?

Ever?

So, it goes without saying, that when the Pope utters a word, it is direct from God, and therefore The Truth, not to be challenged at all, and least of all by our politicians, who serve God's will (God swill?) and are therefore unable, incapable even, of questioning anything concerned with 'religion'.

Some of us have read the Golden Book series of fairy tales, particularly the hilarious one concerning the oafish emperor and the fast talking tailor, but clearly many on OLO have not quite reached that high level of awareness, and still hanker, deep in their hearts, for a solid stoning to be meted out to that horrible child who spoke up.

(No doubt his cousin was the Dutch boy who fingered the dyke).

The world would be so much better off, if little boys stopped seeing through the glorious myths of adults.

we are unique,

"All of the catholic family, friends and colleagues I communicate with regarding paedophilia in the catholic church do not expect exemption for religion in relation to paedophilia."

Yet, would the said (lay) catholic family, friends and colleagues, really get in the face of the Bishop and parish priest about these crimes, telling them to be whistelblowers to the police? Say, would Carndial Pell cooperate with Crime Stoppers, so quinine priests could dob in their leaders and peers?

In 1955, an African Amercian women, Rosa Parkes was arrested in Montgomy, Alabama, for not letting a white person take her seat. A Baptist Minister, Martin Luther King, insisted there must be a "protest". Subsequently, it was decided that the Afican-American community should boycott the buses. An even that spear headed race reform in the US.

Herein, if those same family, friends and colleagues of yours' boycotted Church services (or not giving donations), until the paedophiles and their minders are thrown to wolves, we might get somewhere.

There is no biblical justification for only clergy presiding over Communion. (Although, baptised a Catholic), I put an argument along these lines to then Anglican Archbishop of Sydney and he agreed.

There must be a protest against the Catholic Church until such time as it acts, really acts. No secular amesties as regretably happened with Royal Commission into the NSW Police. If 50% of the Catholic clergy have been silient over 1% of bishop-priest paedophiles, then 51% of the Catholic clergy should be behind bars.

we are unique... "They were the most down to earth humorous outgoing people who did not hold the priests and catholic fraternity on a pedestal. These catholics never took religion seriously as they were out the door before the priests concluded the masses on sundays. They would prefer a beer and chat or recommence their week breaking the commandments"...

Hmm, seems that these people you refer to are not the least bit serious about 'being a Catholic'. They are really 'secular' people with a cultural connection to some vague notion of 'religion' and 'faith' who attend the Sunday gatherings as social events to assist in the social life within the community in which they live.

In fact, this can be done without pretending to have it attached to 'religion'.

You assume that only those with 'the faith' work in jobs that offer a public service, a very narrow minded view indeed.

How would you know whether there was any sex scandal going on in your gloriously peaceful Catholic country town anyway?

We all know, from a long and painful history, that these things are covered up, by the Catholic church, by the police, by the local town leaders, by teacher colleagues, by the victims and their families.

You are kidding yourself when you say that Christians are beyond being 'easily led'..."assume that people with christian faith are dimwitted or easily led."

The German nation fell for the 'perfidious Jews' line, as espoused by the Vatican for two thousand years and gave us the Holocaust.

US Christians are praying for the end of the world and 'guiding' American politicians to bring this about.

Look at the Teaparty mob of faith-seeking Xtains to see how stupid, dangerous and easily led Christians can be... or would you suggest these people are in fact filthy atheists?

Or better still, the old standby line 'not real Christians'?

Let's face it... people are easily led by powerful voices, religious ones or not, so it's just a little bit daft to pretend that, somehow, Christians, particularly Catholics, are immune from this very human failing.

@we are unique

What Oliver and TBC said.

Perhaps you could consider that if your "down to earth humorous outgoing people who did not hold the priests and catholic fraternity on a pedestal" took action against the excesses of the Catholic Church none of us would be here now disgusted and horrified by the actions of your church's leaders.

Not so bloody unique.