Paul 1405,

You are another ignoramus. Sexual abuse is not "systemic" in the Catholic church.It 'occurs' in the Catholic church, just as it occurs in other religious and non-religious organisations. Don't use words you don't understand to express your ignorance of Catholicism and Christianity in general. It merely shows you up as an fool, attacking religion for political reasons.

As for the absolute crap about celibacy, the latest priest caught out in SA was a MARRIED Anglican priest who switched to the Catholics. Claiming that celibacy has anything to do with pedophilia is another pointer to the ignorance of the loudmouths who screech their rubbish on OLO.

ttbn,

When is something considered..."systemic"?

When there is an ongoing and updated canon law dedicated to accommodating the practice...like the "pontifical secret" of the Catholic Church.

http://www.theherald.com.au/story/2340393/opinion-pontifical-secret-allows-abuse-to-go-unpunished/

"Canon law from the 12th century decreed that he should be dismissed from the priesthood and handed over to the civil authority for punishment in accordance with the civil law.

A commission set up by Pope Pius X in 1904 drafted a uniform code of canon law by discarding papal and council decrees that were no longer relevant, modifying others and creating new ones.

The 1917 Code of Canon Law discarded the decrees requiring priests who sexually assaulted children to be handed over to the civil authorities.

Five years later, Pope Pius XI issued his 1922 decree, Crimen Sollicitationis, imposing the “secret of the Holy Office”, a “permanent silence” on all information the Church obtained through its canonical investigations of clergy sex abuse of children. There were no exceptions allowing the reporting of these crimes to the civil authorities.

In 1962, Pope St. John XXIII reissued Crimen Sollicitationis. In 1974, Pope Paul VI, by his decree, Secreta Continere renamed ‘‘the secret of the Holy Office’’ ‘‘the pontifical secret’’, and it continued to apply to the sexual abuse of children under the new 1983 Code of Canon Law.

In 2001, Pope St. John Paul II confirmed the pontifical secret under some new procedures, and in 2010, Pope Benedict XVI expanded its reach by applying it to allegations of priests having sex with intellectually disabled people. In 2010, the Holy See allowed a restricted form of reporting to the civil authorities but only where the civil law required it."

"Canon law required bishops to try and reform such priests before dismissing them. In his 1983 Code of Canon Law, Pope John Paul II imposed a five-year limitation period that effectively meant there would be no canonical trials of sex-abusing priests.

It also gave such priests a Catch-22 defence: a priest cannot be dismissed for paedophilia because he is a paedophile.

The more children a priest abused, the less likely it was could he be dismissed."

ttbn,

May I remind you that you informed me that "ttbn" was an acronym for "try to be nice".

Ergo - the rhetoric in your last two 'short" posts doesn't appear to be living up to your intentions.

"You are another ignoramus..."

"...It merely shows you up as an fool..."

"...another pointer to the ignorance of the loudmouths who screech their rubbish on OLO."

Charmed I'm sure...

Paul1405:

“What has been exposed in Australia is the tip of the iceberg, many instances of criminal behavior by clergy has never, and most likely never will be, reported.”

What is the point of such an assertion if it has not been reported? Our justice system deals only with crimes that are reported. What should the royal commission do with your assertion that what we have seen is the tip of the iceberg? What we are discussing is the responsibility of George Pell and in this country you are innocent until proven guilty based on the facts. Should he be held responsible for what occurred or for the iceberg which is below the surface?

Such an assertion just shows that you do not have respect for one of the most fundamental values in society which is the presumption of innocence or else you have some personal bitterness and resentment towards Pell himself or the church. I don’t think the forums exist for you to work out your own personal issues.

phanto,

The "pontifical secret" is designed to guarantee that the tip of the iceberg is the only part apparent...and if the Catholic Church had its way, not even the tip would be visible.

Pell's "Melbourne Response"....

"The Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne's process of assisting people sexually abused by its priests or members discouraged victims from contacting police, according to a study by the federal government's Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
The commission noted several problems with the Melbourne Response – a program set up by Cardinal George Pell in late 1996 when he was Archbishop of Melbourne – in a report released on Monday.
The case study identified 12 systemic issues, including the role of the Catholic Church in determining its own redress, and the "relationship between those delivering or coordinating counselling and pyschological care and those making decisions about the abuse and compensation".

In particular, the commission expressed concern that the church's own law firm was instructing both the independent commissioner and the archdiocese about the same cases, noting "Corrs' position as lawyers responsible for the Melbourne Response, as well as solicitors for the Archdiocese, raises a clear potential for conflict. It also raises difficulties with confidentiality."

The commission was also concerned that the independent commissioner who has run the Melbourne Response since 1996, Mr O'Callaghan, QC, gave victims advice about whether or not it was worth telling police about the abuse with a view to laying criminal charges."

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/catholic-churchs-melbourne-response-criticised-by-royal-commission-20150914-gjm1l2.html#ixzz42MX5V5Bf

"...identified 12 'systemic' issues..."

What does this mean?:

" I don’t think the forums exist for you to work out your own personal issues."