Feownah wrote: » Happy to see the Belgian authorities are taking the kind of action that needs to be taken across the board http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/vaticancityandholysee/7852125/Child-sex-abuse-raid-on-Belgian-Catholic-Church.html
Vatican Dismay Over Breach of Victims Privacy in Belgium (25 Jun 10 – RV) Below is the English translation of the text of the Declaration issued by the Spokesman of the Belgian Bishops' Conference, after a police search of the residence of the Archbishop of Malines-Brussels, on 24 June. * * * The bishops of Belgium were gathered at the residence of the Archbishop of Malines-Brussels at about 10.30 this morning for the monthly meeting of the Episcopal Conference. At about 10:30, police and court officials entered and referred that there would be a search of the archdiocese, following complaints of sexual abuse within the territory of the archdiocese. No explanation was given, but all documents and mobile phones were confiscated and it was referred that nobody could leave the building. This situation lasted until approximately 19:30. Everyone was interrogated, members of the Episcopal Conference and staff. It was not a pleasant experience, but everything was done correctly. The bishops have always affirmed their trust in justice and its work. This search was greeted with the same confidence and therefore, for the moment, the [bishops] shall refrain from making further comments. Instead, they, along with Professor Peter Adriaensses, chairman of the committee for handling sexual abuse as part of a pastoral outreach, regret the fact that during another search, all files of this committee were seized. This goes against the privacy rights of which the victims who have chosen to turn to this committee should benefit. This action gravely affects the much needed and excellent work of this committee. Eric de Beukelaer Spokesman for the Episcopal Conference * * * In publishing this statement, the Secretary of State reiterates its firm condemnation of all sinful and criminal acts of abuse of minors by members of the Church, and the need to repair and face such acts in accordance with the requirements of justice and the teachings of the Gospel. It is in the light of these needs that the same Secretary of State also expresses great surprise at how some searches were conducted yesterday by the Belgian judicial authorities and its indignation at the fact that the tombs of Cardinals Jozef-Ernest Van Roey and Léon-Joseph Suenens, deceased archbishops of Malines-Brussels, were violated. Added to the dismay over those actions, is regret for some breaches of confidentiality, owed to those very victims for whom the searches were conducted. These feelings were expressed personally by HE Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, Secretary for Relations with States, SE Mr. Charles Ghislain, Ambassador of Belgium to the Holy See.
Michael G wrote: » I agree completely. Some priests were vicious perverts and some bishops tried to hide them, not because they were perverts themselves but because they wanted to conceal the scandal. )
pitkan wrote: » Hi Michael G, my statement was a play on words. The faithful in my statement are the people who, like myself, have been regular church goers and who, for whatever reason in connection with the child abuse scandals- whether it be because of the overall situation (the whole damned affair warts and all) or latterly on separate issues such as Bishops refusing to resign or the Pope stalling all or any inquiries or in handing over documents (the list goes on), have left the mass attending part of the Catholic religion. I have stopped going to mass this year but I have been more than aware of the decline in church goers in my own parish in the last few years since the revelations began to gather pace.
Wicknight wrote: » Friend A - It is really sad what is happening in Haiti, really upsets meFriend B - How about we get a cheap meal tonight and donate what we would have spent on food to a campaignMe - Yeah I'm on for thatFriend A - Ah maybe, but i was sort of looking forward to dinner out tonightFriend B and Me - You t**t Basically sums up my feelings on feeling sad about something but doing virtually nothing productive or helpful to actually stop or deal with it. Actions speak louder than words has never meant more than the context of the RCC's handling of sex abuse scandal, the current Pope included.
Fanny Cradock wrote: » Why censor the word sex from the article? Very odd! Anyway, it's not necessarily a question of the Pope's guilt. It's the view amongst many people that he hasn't gone the extra mile. Is there any reason why this shouldn't be merged with the megathread?
Fanny Cradock wrote: » Your last link, "Here’s a crazy idea...". For whatever reason the author replaces sex and sexually with s-x and s-xually. Bizarre!
here is the copy of the email I sent to all the addresses on the aforementioned board.
: Dear <insert name here>, I have followed with great interested the media explosion in recent years
: resulting from the coming to light of the various heinous acts towards children that have peppered our countries history for longer than any have expected.
: Following the release of “Our Children, Our Church” it seems the safeguarding.ie website and board were established to assist in the creation of procedures to ensure such events are prevented as much as possible in the future. And you have been shown exactly where such procedures are for each parish! They are called the Child Protection Policy for that parish.
However of greater concern to me is how or even whether such policies are being implemented, enforced and policed.
: How is it being ensured that we are not just producing an array of policy documents to satisfy a hungry media and an angry public.
: but that these policy documents are making a difference and are being noticed and adhered to.
: Since August of 2009 I have attempted to write to various parishes around Ireland,
: most notably those local to the areas where I myself live, have lived or currently have family and friends living. As such much of my mail went to Cork city, Sligo city, Offaly and Dublin North.
: As a “Safeguarding Delegate” of safeguarding.ie therefore I wonder if you could answer these concerns and give me your experience and knowledge on the subject of whether anything more is actually being done other than the simple producing and printing of policy documents.
: Also I am concerned at how these documents are produced at a parish level. It seems each parish that has such a document on line has produced their own version and policies.
: Is there no centralized standards board or authority that reviews these documents, or has produced an updated modern central Policy Document that should apply to all parishes and delegates concerned.
Finally, can you comment on any conflict of interest that might exist given that your website and board appear to have been established by the church itself. Is it enough to have someone with the history we know of to be essentially producing it's own policy documents and policing itself.
: How are such conflicts of interest dealt with and their effects allayed?
I look forward with much interest to your reples. Yours, <My Name Here>
My post wasn't off topic, I said I didn't like the increase in the numbers of possible priests because of the increase of paedophilia it will bring. What I was was about the number of priests enrolling therefore relevant to the topic
gigino wrote: » Its difficult tio imagine how the survivors / ex slave residents of these institutions feel. Or indeed the 5.8% of all boys who were abused by clergy / religous in this country.
According to http://www.drcc.ie/about/savi.pdf ( see page 88 / 89 ),"Combining religious ministers and religious teachers they constituted the largest single category of authority figures as abusers of boys; 5.8 per cent of all boys sexually abused were abused by clergy or religious"..
Only an abuser or friend or defender of those abusers could defend that level of abuse.
The RCC elsewhere has'nt done much better.
Across the Atlantic, looking at the situation in America, according to http://www.newsweek.com/2010/04/07/mean-men.html , a Wall Street Journal-NBC News poll found that 64 percent of those queried thought Catholic priests "frequently'' abused children.
Thats a shocking statistic considering everyone knows Catholic Priests / Catholics.
ISAW wrote: » The laundry has NO BOYS and NO PRIESTS! It was run by nuns and had a 100 % female workforce.
ISAW wrote: » The 5.8 % figure is a lie you keep saying.
ISAW wrote: » http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056294141 Quote: Originally Posted by gigino View Post No I am not. I am quoting directly from the statistics. According to http://www.drcc.ie/about/savi.pdf ( see page 88 / 89 ), Word for word at the top of page 89 : "Combining religious ministers and religious teachers they constituted the largest single category of authority figures as abusers of boys; 5.8 per cent of all boys sexually abused were abused by clergy or religious".
ISAW wrote: » Which lists "Minister" as a percent of authority figures! There were 6 cases of "Ministers" in n=66 cases of boys abused authority figures and this was of and overall figure of 308 cases of boys and (there are another 430 girls). i.e. 6 ministers in 308 cases . Also of these six not all are under 12 and not all by catholic Priests. But even 6/308 =1.9 per cent
ISAW wrote: » All off topic and for a different thread. The point is you stats on MINISTERS are wrong! You are lying about them.
gigino wrote: » Of course the laundries were run by nuns and not priests. Of course it had a 100 % female "workforce" ...The RTE documentary implied 100% of the women held in those institutions by nuns were abused, though not sexually.
The 5.8% is the percentage" of all boys sexually abused who were abused by clergy or religious". ( the surveys words, not mine ).http://www.drcc.ie/about/savi.pdf
If you were to include all forms of abuse its possible the figure would be higher.
As regards the sun orbiting the earth or vise versa,thats the subject of a different thread or forum.
Certainly peoples experiences cannot be disregarded. I remember many many years ago people talking about the priest...
Its not the same thing as saying that 64% of priests " frequently" abuse children.
There are many priests who never did and never will abuse children.
Festus wrote: » Compared to religious at 9.1% statistically you are better off getting a priest to look after your kids rather than a baby sitter ...
Festus wrote: » The text is copied from SAVI report so let's press on.
Thank God someone is using their brain and actually querying the presented table. So refreshing.
So, ministers... Is that Catholic or Protestant, or Other ?
Actually SAVI is lying or misrepresenting. giginio is meerly promulgating an error.
Clearly the text is not representative of the table so lets take a look shall we. Teachers 24.3% Ministers 9.1% hmm, not looking good for teachers. Baby sitters - 19.7%. Compared to religious at 9.1% statistically you are better off getting a priest to look after your kids rather than a baby sitter or a teacher.
Other authority figures 34.7%. This does not include baby sitters, religious, teachers, coaches or employers. So who are they. Who else has access to young people on their own and can be considered an authority figure?
The statement ""Combining religious ministers and religious teachers they constituted the largest single category of authority figures as abusers of boys; 5.8 per cent of all boys sexually abused were abused by clergy or religious"" is both mathematically incorrect and categorically erroneous and makes a mockery of the entire study.
Malty_T wrote: » August Last Year, to June this year that's gotta be one of the biggest thread resurrections I've ever seen.
gigino wrote: » And if you get a Priest to babysit then I wonder what would the statistic be ? Forget it, almost nobody ever would.
(considering that 5.8% is the percentage" of all boys sexually abused who were abused by clergy or religious",
What about the RTE documentary last Tuesday evening ( Prime Time, 9.30 pm ) which more or less stated 100% of the women held in those institutions ( Magdalene Laundries ) by nuns were abused, though not sexually ?
I wonder if a http://www.newsweek.com/2010/04/07/mean-men.html , a Wall Street Journal-NBC News poll was done here, would it also find, like it did in the united states - that 64 percent of those queried would be of the opinion that to the best of their experience and knowledge Catholic priests "frequently'' abused children ?
ISAW wrote: » Dont forget none of this is proved it is just 3000 phone interviews at random. But let us accept they all told the truth.
ISAW wrote: » It does look like a stitch up . Considering the girls number in some cases was Zero. and considering the penchant to link priests to boys and promulgate a myth one might be aghast as to why this beefing up the 6 "priest" figure was done.
ISAW wrote: » If some people with anti christian and atheistic agendas are ......
Festus wrote: » If SAVI is to be believed a baby sitter is more than twice as likely to abuse as those in the "Religious - minister" category