That Son of the Judge Who Was Killed in New Jersey?

The story about the judge's son who was killed at their home in New Jersey by some masked stranger at their home was bad, horrible enough.

Gunman kills son, wounds husband of federal judge at their New Jersey home

It gets worse. Far worse.

According to CBS News:

"The AP says Salas is presiding over a lawsuit in which Deutsche Bank investors assert the bank made false and misleading statements about its anti-money laundering policies and didn't keep tabs on 'high-risk' customers including convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein."

Also from the Associated Press:

Son of US District Judge Esther Salas killed, husband shot

"More recently, (Judge) Salas has presided over an ongoing lawsuit brought by Deutsche Bank investors who claim the company made false and misleading statements about its anti-money laundering policies and failed to monitor 'high-risk' customers including convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein."

Could that get more complicated or indicting or suspicious-looking?

Update:  It has since been announced that the suspect in this case has been found dead.

Update:

Anti-feminist lawyer who 'shot dead federal judge's son and wounded her husband while posing as a FedEx driver before killing himself in his car'

Link:

Son of Federal Judge in Epstein Deutsche Bank Case Shot Dead

Republican Hypocrites of the Week

Today is Denim Day

More than five million people have registered for Denim Day USA, organized by an advocacy group called Peace Over Violence. It encourages people to wear denim today to raise awareness about rape and sexual assault.

KC Catholics in NY Times this morning

Actually the Kansas City-St. Joseph Catholic diocese, taking a hit:

Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph to Pay for Failure to Report Abuse

CHICAGO — A Roman Catholic diocese in Missouri has been ordered to pay $1.1 million to victims of sexual abuse for breaking its promises on improving the way it deals with abuse cases.

An arbitrator ruled that the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph is responsible for damages after concluding that, contrary to a prior agreement, it did not promptly report a priest who had taken hundreds of pornographic photographs of young girls, according to a filing in circuit court in Jackson County, Mo.

The case grew out of a $10 million settlement with abuse victims in 2008, under which the bishop, Robert Finn, promised that he would report those suspected of child abuse to law enforcement officials in the future. At the time, Bishop Finn said in a statement that he agreed to rules “that should assure our community, our congregation and our families that the diocese will continue in its exercise of vigilance and in its devotion to training and education so that we may be confident that there will never, ever be a repeat of the behaviors, the offenses or the claims that have been associated with this matter.”

But the 18-page court filing says that promise was violated in 2010 in the case of the Rev. Shawn Ratigan, a diocesan priest who was discovered with hundreds of photographs of girls, including so-called upskirt images, on his laptop. Although the presence of the computer images was reported to church officials, law enforcement authorities were not notified.

And here is where it gets good, at least to me and some of us:

In 2012, Bishop Finn was found guilty of one misdemeanor charge for failing to report Father Ratigan, who was arrested in 2011 and pleaded guilty the next year to child pornography charges. He was sentenced to 50 years in federal prison.

So, okay, sure, today we find the local Catholic diocese is fined another $1.1 million. Fine.

What seems the more important, bigger, still-pending issue is that one man, one Bishop Robert Finn was, as a reminder, found guilty in a public court AND HE STILL HAS HIS SAME JOB IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.

Is that a great organization or what?

In what other organization, what company, do you think you could be found derelict in the completion of your duties and still have your same job?

And it's not as though he was some lowly janitor or something. He was entrusted to protect the people of the diocese, especially and particularly the students, the children of that same diocese.

So I ask you, especially you Catholics out there:

Why does Bishop Robert Finn still have his job?

And why do you allow this?

Bill Maher on the Pope, Part II

And this is where it gets really funny.  And true:

Hopefully the new pope will emulate St. Francis of Assisi, at least in some aspects.

Having done like so many people today, no doubt, I've done Google searches on both this new Pope Francis by his birth name,  Jorge Mario Bergoglio, and his Papal name--Francis.

With that, I'm just hoping he does, in fact, emulate the best aspects of St. Francis of Assisi.  First, some background, in this case, from Wikipedia:

"It has been argued that no one in history was as dedicated as Francis to imitate the life, and carry out the work, of Christ in Christ’s own way.^[3] This is important in understanding Francis' character and his affinity for the Eucharist and respect for the priests who carried out the sacrament.^[3] He and his followers celebrated and even venerated poverty. Poverty was so central to his character that in his last written work, the Testament, he said that absolute personal and corporate poverty was the essential lifestyle for the members of his order.^[3] He believed that nature itself was the mirror of God. He called all creatures his “brothers” and “sisters,” and even preached to the birds and supposedly persuaded a wolf to stop attacking some locals if they agreed to feed the wolf. In his “Canticle of the Creatures” (“Praises of Creatures” or “Canticle of the Sun”), he mentioned the “Brother Sun” and “Sister Moon,” the wind and water, and “Sister Death.” He referred to his chronic illnesses as his “sisters." His deep sense of brotherhood under God embraced others, and declared that “he considered himself no friend of Christ if he did not cherish those for whom Christ died.”^[3] Francis's visit to Egypt and attempted rapprochement with the Muslim world had far-reaching consequences, long past his own death, since after the fall of the Crusader Kingdom it would be the Franciscans, of all Catholics, who would be allowed to stay on in the Holy Land and be recognized as "Custodians of the Holy Land" on behalf of the Catholic Church."

Imagine if he did, imagine if this new Pope "venerated poverty." He could rail with some authority over the wealthy and uber-wealthy and corporations taking such huge and ugly advantages of the working-, middle- and lower-classes.

Imagine if he emphasized nature as "the mirror of God." He'd likely come out strongly and squarely for living more responsibly and sustainably here on the planet. Who knows? Maybe, in the best case scenario he'd come out for recognizing man-influenced climate change and global warming.

Imagine if this new Pope Francis, like St. Francis of Assisi, worked to bridge the huge divide between the Muslim and Catholic religions. 

Imagine.

Of course, all that said, the first thing he has to do, no matter what, is demand that, worldwide, the sexual abuse and physical abuse of the Catholic children and students in the Church be ended and that no additional priest or leader in the Church be protected.

Hey, we can dream, can't we?

Then, along with that venerating poverty, he'd Sell The Vatican, Feed The World.

The atheist's take on a new pope

And they make good, valid points:

"Some of you are asking why we care about the papal election. The reason we care is that even though we are vehemently against the overall aims and practices of the Catholic Church, the Church does have a huge influence in the world for many, many people.

If the Church were to change its stance on condom use, for example, many people would be saved from death in AIDS-ridden regions of the world. If the Church were to change its stance on stem-cell research, much wonderful scientific research could receive more funding. If the Catholic Church were to change its stance on birth control, many abortions could be avoided. If the Church were to change its stance on abortion, access to abortion would be easier for everyone. If the Church were to change its stance that only men can become priests, this is step toward equality for women.

Not a single one of these issues is explicitly discussed in the Bible, and the Church's stance on them is completely dependent on papal interpretation. And these are just some of the issues we, as atheist activists, care about."

For anyone open to a different viewpoint than the more common and already well-known and accepted.

The Star gets some national/international exposure from NPR

It broke today, due to some Pope coverage, in this story:

5 Things About Popes And Their Names; Like, Why Do They Change Them?

It's not required, but it's almost surely going to happen:

The man chosen to be the next pope will choose a new name — one other than what he was born with.

So, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI. His predecessor, Pope John Paul II, was born Karol Jozef Wojtyla. And so on back through history.

How far back? That's one of the 5 things we'll try to explain.

1. Who started this tradition? The Kansas City Star reports in a story headlined "What's In A Name? A Lot If You're A Pope," that it apparently began with "Mercurius, named for the god Mercury," who in 533 changed his name to John II. "A pope named after a pagan god — that wasn't going to go over, PR-wise," Biagio Mazza, a church educator and historian in Kansas City, tells the Star

There's some good material in the piece, too, if you haven't already seen it.

The author and his article maybe got unintentionally, unknowingly prophetic with one of his observations when he said this:

"Choosing a name that has never been used would throw everyone for a loop. Surprisingly, there has never been a Francis or Joseph"  Dennis Coday, editor of the National Catholic Reporter said.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/03/11/4114513/whats-in-a-name-a-lot-if-youre.html#storylink=cpy

So kudos to the Star.  Keep up the good writing and reporting.

Please.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/03/11/4114513/whats-in-a-name-a-lot-if-youre.html#storylink=cpy

In response to Bottom Line Communications attack on the Star and Lee Judge

Normally, on all things media, I've found I agree with Bottom Line Communications. That is, when they stick to unbiased appraisals of media. But last week, they couldn't analyze the local paper, the Kansas City Star, without apparently having their own Catholic sympathies and affiliations thrown in:

KC STAR’S HATRED OF CATHOLIC FAITH CONTINUES 

John Landsberg

It seems as if when Kansas City Star cartoonist Lee Judge starts running out of creative ideas for his cartoons he falls back on old faithful:  the Catholic Church.

Just last month Judge was blasted locally and nationally for a cartoon that many people felt was horribly offensive that made fun of an American war hero who was killed at a gun range.  Navy Seal Kris Kyle’s death was used to extol Judge’s anti-gun agenda.

That cartoon caused so many  Star cancellations that the McClatchy-owned paper, which is fighting to stay in business, begged subscribers not to cancel. National talk show host Glenn Beck railed against the newspaper over the cartoon.

The national Newsbusters site called that Judge cartoon “wholly insensitive, and a craven attempt to smear an American hero who was tragically slain by a fellow veteran whom he was helping cope with  PTSD.”

Star editorial page editor Miriam Pepper was forced to try and defend Judge’s cartoon, insinuating that people simply weren’t intelligent enough to understand the cartoon and stressed “there was no intention to disrespect Kris Kyle.”

Star Readers’ Representative Derek Donovan took readers to task for their nasty responses to Judge’s cartoon.  “Most of them were profane and many directly threatened violence to Judge or his editors,” he noted.

However, while the newspaper is still reeling from the Navy Seal cartoon fallout, Judge has now taken aim at a familiar topic of hate: Catholics.

In December, he penned a cartoon that was clearly offensive to Catholics that made fun of the Pope and the fact he was opening a Twitter account.

Judge’s cartoon then asked: “Why did the man with archaic views on women, gays, birth control, sex, marriage, health care and child molestation open a Twitter account?” 

Underneath a picture of the Pope, Judge answered his own question with: “He wants to keep up with the times.”

On Saturday, Judge, whose children reportedly attended Catholic schools, compared the Vatican to the Mafia. Yes, in his mind, members of the Catholic church are no different than the mafia.

In one panel is a guy labeled as “Mafia” with the caption: “Name the organization known for back-stabbing, intrigue and scandal…” followed by a cartoon of the Pope labeled as the “Vatican” with the caption “Try Again.”

A local journalism professor, who happens to be Catholic, said Judge’s latest anti-Catholic cartoon has again crossed a line.

“I know it’s spitting against the wind, but it’s time to call out Lee Judge again for his offensive cartoon, comparing the Catholic Church to the Mafia,” he said. “I’m sure his defenders like Miriam Pepper believe such cartoons help launch the “painful but necessary conversation that leads to ‘healing’”(fill in the stock phrase issue).”

The professor has asked Facebook friends to comment on the cartoon.

“Let me know why it’s okay to compare the Church to the Mafia, in a most derogatory fashion,” he noted. “Yes, I love the first amendment, so save that response.”

With the Star’s notorious reputation for attacking the Catholic church over the years Judge knows he is on safe ground.  He pretty much knows he has a green light on that topic.

It’s not like he is defaming an American hero who won two Silver Stars defending his country. The Catholic Church is fair game.

Ironically, the Kansas City Star’s faith section featured two other major articles: One was critical of the Catholic faith and the other supported Wiccans and the fact that commentator Tucker Carlson had to apologize for his negative comments about that ”religion.”

The issue arose since the University of Missouri now allows Wiccans and Pagan students to use their beliefs to get out of taking exams. One would think that that issue would be fair game for a cartoon.
For Judge and the Star it is easier–and safer—to attack the largest Christian faith in the world.

The irony is that in a few years when the newspaper shuts its doors it will wonder how it happened.
______________________________________________

So, my response:

KC Star's hatred of Catholic faith my eye. That is pathetic.

They report the news. Fine. Shoot the messenger but how ridiculous.

You're blaming the Star, then, for reporting that one of their priests sexually abused children of the church.

You're blaming the Star for reporting that Bishop Finn and his office shipped him off to other parishes, to protect him.

You're blaming the Star for reporting that Bishop Finn was found guilty in a court of law.

Etc., etc.

It's the Star's fault.

Right.

Got it.

Except it's not the Star's fault for reporting the news and Lee Judge? Lee Judge is a political/social commentator--through cartoons and comics.

Come on, you cover media and communications. Even though, apparently, you're Catholic, you should still get that. Shame on you. Be an adult. Grow up. The Catholic Church is wrong. They're wrong now, here, on the whole Bishop Finn situation and mocking the pope, now, is beyond fair.

For instance, as just yet one more example of ugly, ugly developments in the news about and from the Catholic Church, this is hitting only this morning:

Following Resignation, Top British Cardinal Acknowledges Sexual Misconduct

So, what? Is the Star not to report on these things? That seems to be Bottom Line's take on it all.

BL doesn't want to own up to the Catholic Church's sexual abuses, across the planet, in nation after nation, and for centuries but those are the facts.

We're all tired--very tired--of it, too.

So if you want to push for some change, push for your own Catholic Church to change and own up to their responsibilities, especially to their children, their students, and to the parents and families of their own churches.

As for Mr. Landsberg's issue with Mr. Judge's cartoon about the American soldier getting shot, he clearly never heard of "Live by the sword, die by the sword" and doesn't know what it means.

The only thing as bad as BL Communications petulant Catholic rant here are the comments afterward.

I happen to know that the responses to the post were edited to take out at least one that strongly disagreed with Mr. Landsberg's positions. He wouldn't even post mine, therefore, this post.

As for Muslims and the Star's reporting on them?

Uh, they do. They report bombings of Muslims on Muslims all the time.

Seems anyone should be able to read that, too, and notice it.

The long and short of this is that, for all the Catholics out there who feel they're being victimized from the outside because of the sexual abuse scandals--the world over, for centuries--and the criticisms of them, especially since the Catholic Church repeatedly covered them up and protected the male hierarchy instead of the children, we have to only say, to Catholics, clean up that mess, demand that your leaders within the Catholic Church stop the abuse and cover-ups and the criticisms will go away.

Not soon enough, of course, but they will go away.

Finally.

Catholics: Remember the upheaval of Vatican II?

I was a child in the early 60's when Vatican II took place and I'll never forget the effect it had on our Mother at the time.

She and our Dad were both huge, faithful Catholic followers at that point. Everything that was the Catholic Church, they had been taught and they bought off on, hook, line and sinker--and I'm not mocking it here, let me be clear.

For everything you have ever known and believed in and for everything you've ever been told was solid ground, so to speak, all of a sudden to be knocked out from under you, it was very disorienting, first, for her, as I understand, and second, I think she felt, believed and/or found out that all this that was supposedly so "in concrete" was, actually, arbitrary and man-made.

And the thing is, she was far, far from alone.

Great numbers of Catholics were disoriented by Vatican II, as we discovered.

Why do I bring this up?

Well, I bring this up now because I think that, if Catholics the world over are paying attention, there is actually a great deal--a great deal--of change going on with and in the Catholic Church, most especially pertaining to the Pope and his role in the last 8 years.

But it's also change and changes and disillusionment due to the Church's worldwide sexual abuse scandals, both in these nations around the world, separately, but also right there in and at the Vatican and Rome.

What I'm saying is that there are huge changes going on in and coming to the Catholic Church and this is almost the worst kind because they aren't planned in any way, far from it, they're out of control, if even half of what is written about the Church lately is true and finally, because it is change that is being forced on the Church again, from outside, by governments and other bodies.

So stay tuned, folks, because it already is a bumpy ride and it's going to be far, far more than just "a bumpy night."

I will say this, tough--one way the Catholic Church could somewhat--somewhat--vindicate itself is if, from this list of potential candidates for Pope, according to CNN just now:

 

Wouldn't it be incredible if the Catholic Church elected a black Pop?

 

Talk about change.

 

Wow.

The Pope's boyfriend and more huge Catholic developments

From the "It's What They've Said All Along" file, people are saying the Pope has a boyfriend.

Don't look now but that's rather what's being at least suggested:

Two Popes, One Secretary

This writing, above, is from Andrew Sullivan at his blog The Dish.

He's getting his information from yet another writer, lest we dismiss this just because it is, after all, Andrew Sullivan, for those who would dismiss him. One critic, Colm Toibin, writing on Italian Angelo Quatrrochi's book. Seems his book was published back in 2010 and Mr. Sullivan wrote on this situation some time ago. It's news to me. his book:

Actually, the discussion of the Pope and his assistant and whatever their relationship is, has been going on since at least 2010. Mr. Sullivan's latest writing just filled out the story a bit more.

It seems that, in a very unusual move, the Pope's "right hand person"--a man--his "personal secretary", will serve the eventual new pope in the daytime and be with Benedict XVI in the evening, at night.  Or so Mr. Sullivan and the others describe it.

In the meantime, there is some good--no, great news that just broke today on the Catholic Church's worldwide sexual abuse scandals:

Vatican Summoned Before UN Committee on Rights of the Child

From the above article:

February 28, 2013, New York and Rome – Today, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) and the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) filed an alternate report to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child documenting the ongoing worldwide sex abuse crisis in the Catholic Church. The UN committee has summoned the Vatican to report on its record of ensuring children are protected from sexual violence and safeguarding children’s well-being and dignity, the first time the Holy See will have been called to account for its actions on these issues before an international body with authority. The first meeting will take place in Geneva in June. 

This is some HUGE news and quite a development, folks, whether you're aware of that or not. That takes some of the Catholic Church's age-old ability to keep their sexual abuse cases under their own wraps and out of their own control.  The world is finally,  finally dragging this out into the public square where it needs to be and where it should have been long, long before now.

The Catholic Church is at an extremely turbulent time in its history, clearly:

Troubles for the Holy See Ahead of Papal Elections

As the author of the famous, international blog Whispers in the Loggia  said, this is going to get crazier and crazier for the Pope--and Catholic Church--no doubt.

But no, there's nothing to those rumors about the Pope and his sudden resignation

The Pope resigns, suddenly, rather shockingly--the first time one has done so in what? 600 years and there are rumors of accusations and scandals but no, no, there's nothing wrong or going on behind the scenes, no, certainly not.

Except again, very suddenly and abruptly, there's this shocker this morning:

Cardinal Keith O'Brien Resigns Amid Sexual Misconduct Allegations

So, the 85 year old Pope resigns, suddenly, shockingly, all of a sudden, going against deep set, very long term, centuries old Catholic rules and law and tradition, even though he looks pretty darned healthy and after all, it's got to be one of the cushiest jobs on the planet and now, as the entire Catholic Church is gearing up for one of their most important jobs, internally, that of electing a new Pope when, again, all of a sudden, a Cardinal--one of the few people on the planet who are supposed to do this oh-so-important task YET HE HAS TO RESIGN, ABRUPTLY, JUST BEFORE THIS CONCLAVE? 

And nothing's wrong inside the Church?

Nothing's going on?

We're supposed to believe that?

And he's not the only Cardinal of the Church, either, who's beset with or by some scandal--sexual, at that, oh, no.

The BBC says that:

"The resignation of Britain's most senior Roman Catholic cleric in the wake of allegations of improper behavior creates a crisis for the Church in Scotland, and represents a heavy blow to the wider Church as it battles to shore up its reputation ahead of the papal election or 'conclave.' The conclave is already expected to be difficult in the circumstances created by Pope Benedict's unprecedented resignation. The Vatican is also struggling to deal with reports of internal corruption and mismanagement."

Then there's Cardinal Roger Mahoney and his sexual abuse cover up. This article from a Catholic media outlet:

Cardinal Mahony hit hard by document release

And these, also from Catholic media sources, not "outside attackers":

Catholics urge Cardinal Mahony to "Stay home" during Papal Conclave next month

 

Italian prelate hopes Cardinal Mahony will stay home from conclave

 

And then there's also this Cardinal and his problems: 

N.Y. cardinal questioned in Milwaukee sex-abuse cases  

 

Finally, at least here, today, lest anyone think this is rather "small potatoes" within the Church, this is how bid a deal this is:

Pope changes Church law

 

To react to this seeming scandal, The Pope is having to change internal, centuries-old Catholic law, just to get done what he and his no doubt closest advisors feel needs to be done so they can get beyond the scandals as quickly as possible and sweep everything under a figurative rug.

It very much reminds me of the line from "The Wizard of Oz":

 

"PAY NO ATTENTION TO THAT MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN!!"

Anyone who knows me, at least anyone who knows me closely (or follows me on Facebook, heaven forbid--no pun intended) knows I think we should Sell the Vatican, Feed The World!

The latest on the Pope--and possible scandal

From Slate magazine on an Italian media source:

You know what the sudden, surprising, once-every-700-years story of the pope’s resignation needed? What every dramatic story line does: a gay blackmail twist. And so the Italian daily newspaper La Repubblica this week reports on a very tangled web that claims to have brought down a pope, under the irresistible headline “Sex and career, blackmail in the Vatican: Behind the resignation of Benedict XVI.” It’s like “Pretty Little Liars” for octogenarians.

The paper says that Benedict made his decision to step down on Dec. 17, just one day after he received a revealing 300-page dossier from a trio of elderly cardinals. He’d assigned them to investigate last year’s scandal involving a slew of leaked confidential Vatican documents and letters that purported to show corruption and internal conflict within the Holy See.  The “Vatileaks” mess was just another of the embarrassments the church has faced during Benedict’s reign — including a money laundering investigation and record-breaking settlements in sex abuse lawsuits. But the leaks were a particularly personal humiliation to the pontiff — the documents in question had allegedly been stolen by his own butler Paolo Gabriele. Gabriele later told investigators he released the documents “for the good of the Church.” “I was sure that a shock, perhaps by using the media, could be a healthy thing to bring the Church back on the right track,” he explained in his earnest pretrial testimony.

Now, La Repubblica says that the trio of cardinals, who’ve been looking into the matter since last year, revealed to the pope a faction within the Vatican “united by sexual orientation” that had been subject to “external influence” of a “worldly nature.” (The paper helpfully explains this is Vatican-speak for blackmail.) A source it says is close to the cardinals who prepared the report told La Repubblica, with equal poetic obscurity, “Everything revolves around the non-observance of the sixth and seventh commandments.”

The Vatican has neither confirmed nor denied the newspaper story, though skeptics in the more pro-Benedict camp have been quick to question it. Writing in the Irish Independent, Gerard O’Connell said the conspiracy accusations made “Dan Brown look like an amateur” – even while acknowledging that rumors of “the existence of a gay lobby and blackmail” have swirled around the Vatican for years.

It just keeps getting juicier and juicier.

The Pope is lucky, that's for sure.  All he'll have to do is stay within the marble mansion that is the Vatican and no government, authorities or police should be able to touch him.

It will interesting to see if the world ever really learns the truth and if so, the sooner the better.

More links:  Money, Sex Scandal May Be Linked to Pope's Resignation

Papal resignation linked to inquiry into 'Vatican gay officials'

 

Vatican scandal cited in Pope resignation

 

Italian Paper: Benedict Quit Amid Cardinal Scandal

That Feb. 15 announcement from the Vatican and Pope

I had written here, earlier, that there was expected to be an announcement this past Friday, February 15 from the Vatican, regarding the Pope, after his resignation. The ITCCS, the International Tribunal into Crimes of Church and State, made the following announcement, after the Vatican's:

Exclusive Breaking News: Friday February 15, 2013
12 midnight GMT

An Urgent Update from the International Tribunal into Crimes of Church and State (ITCCS) – Brussels

Rome:

In a statement to Reuters today, Vatican officials announced that Joseph Ratzinger will remain a permanent resident of Vatican City after his resignation. Doing so will offer him legal protection from any attempt to prosecute him in connection with sexual abuse cases around the world, Church sources said today "His continued presence in the Vatican is necessary, otherwise he might be defenseless".

This startling admission of guilt by the church is also a direct obstruction of justice, and lends more weight to the charge by the ITCCS and others that the Vatican has arranged with the Italian government to shield Ratzinger from criminal prosecution, in violation of international laws ratified by Italy.

Commentary:

The Vatican decided today to give permanent sanctuary to a proven war criminal by allowing Joseph Ratzinger to obstruct justice and evade prosecution for crimes against humanity. And the government of Italy is colluding in this abrogation of international law.
This decision validates our claims about the criminal conspiracy surrounding Ratzinger and his Vatican co-conspirators. It also makes it clear that the Vatican is a rogue power that is flaunting every law to conceal its own criminality.

In response, the ITCCS calls upon its affiliates and all people of conscience to use our upcoming Easter Reclamation Campaign to converge on Rome and the Vatican to force the extradition of Ratzinger from Vatican City, and place him and his accessories on trial for crimes against humanity.

Commencing Sunday, March 24, 2013, our activists and others will begin an escalating series of Catholic church occupations and seizures of church property to bring about Ratzinger's extradition and reclaim stolen wealth from the criminal corporation known as Vatican Inc. – in the name of the legion of their victims, both living and dead.

.. and from Kevin Annett – The Rat Scurries Back to Vat!

Those whom the gods destroy, they first drive insane. Especially, it seems, in Rome.

Why would the oldest and wealthiest institution on our planet deliberately prove what its critics say about it, by first tossing their leader, a proven crook, out of his office after he's threatened with arrest, and then giving him shelter to avoid prosecution? That's the kind of panic and illogic displayed by a junior document-shredder, not a credible or wise body of men.

And that gives all of us hope.

Rome's incredible admission that they can't have the Pope stand trial has strengthened our cause and legitimacy enormously,  proving that no matter how big is your guilty opponent, provoking him for long enough will cause him to destroy himself by his own fear and stupidity.

Protecting Ratzinger within the walls of the Vatican may halt justice for a moment, but it violates a basic rule of warfare, which is to never give your enemy a permanent focus for their attack.

Ratzinger, the evil Emperor, now a permanent fixture in the Vatican? The absurdity of offering such an ongoing focus to the civilized world's hatred of catholic criminality is also a sign that the church is adrift and improvising. But it also shows how genuinely worried is the Vtaican about the legal offensive mounted by our affiliates, lawyers for torture survivors, and the International Criminal Court.

The Vatican is pulling out all stops to keep Ratzinger out of court. Their loyal, one-man owned Italian media is assaulting the crap out of yours truly and our ITCCS these days, playing the "Deny, Distract and Discredit" strategy of any damage-controlling corporation.

Tottering Liz Windsor, aka Queen of England, is making a special and unprecedented trip to Rome on March 6 to kiss the ring, or other parts, of the new CEO of Vatican Inc. And Italian President Napolitano is meeting with President Obama today in Washington to undoubtedly line up more American backing for the Pontiff – not that Obama needs much encouraging, having stood loyally behind Ratzinger's claim of "diplomatic immunity".

But all to no avail, ultimately. When the Bloody Emperor stands naked, only our illusions keeps him protected and immune from the final accounting that is coming.

The tornado that followed my first exorcism outside the Vatican in 2009, and the lightning that struck it on the day of Benedict's resignation, were not accidental. Joe Ratzinger should know from the history of his own former SS buddies that criminal institutions can run, but they can't hide – even behind all the wealth and pomp in the world.

Link:  http://itccs.org/

More rumblings of scandal with the Pope

Links to some of the stories:

Did child sex abuse scandals end a papacy?

On Monday, February 11th, Pope Benedict XVI informed the world he would be resigning his papacy effective February 28th, 2013 citing declining health as his reason for stepping down. This highly unusual act of abdication has only happened five times in history and only once has failing health been cited as the reason as all Pope’s generally die in office. (Pope Benedict’s resignation brings end to paradoxical papacy)

But another possible reason has surfaced; the unprecedented number of cases of child sexual abuse by priests that have hit the Vatican since Pope Benedict XVI became pontiff in 2005. Speculation abounds on this possibility after the February 2nd airing of a documentary on HBO by filmmaker Alex Gibney; Mea Maxima Culpa.

from-conspiracy-theory-to-fact-pope-seeks-immunity

In Did Child Sex Scandals End a Papacy?, I outlined a long list of evidential information regarding child sex abuse scandals within the Catholic Church specifically related to being under the jurisdiction of then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger/soon-to-be-ex-Pope Bendedict XVI.

The information painted a twisted, sordid trail and seeming cover-up all the way to his desk.

Some claimed it was an interesting ‘conspiracy’ theory, however, as of February 14th, a new report has emerged out of the Vatican that Pope Benedict is seeking immunity from the Italian government from prosecution for complicity in those child sex abuse cases and more.

AllVoices.com reports that the International Tribunal Into Crimes of Church and State cites a letter directed to the Italian President Giorgio Napolitano referencing the Pope’s scheduled meeting with him set for February 23, 2013 where he will formally request protection from prosecution and immunity for what the ITCCS calls “his proven complicity in concealing child trafficking in his church and other crimes against humanity”.

Why did the pope really resign? Child sex crimes, lies and pleas for immunity (video

When I heard that the pope was resigning because of failing health, I almost laughed out loud but this laughter was not one with mirth -- rather, it was loaded with heavy sarcasm.

You see Pope Benedict, the Catholic Church and I go way back, for I have long been in awe of their power and high hypocrisy — so much in awe, that I’ve written several articles on their massive, wide-reaching cover-up on child sex abuse, their stance on birth control, abortions, HIV-AIDS and capitalism.

As the general media blanketed televisions, newspapers and the Internet with wall to wall coverage -- almost canonizing the Pontiff and showing faithful followers weeping at their infallible leader leaving — I started digging.

The Catholic Church has over a billion in its fold, with the Vatican wielding incredible power and wealth. For centuries Vatican City has been above the law and child molesting priests, untouchable. Until recently, when the angry roar of victims started to rumble across the globe, which some law makers couldn’t ignore anymore. A few child molesting priests started facing prosecution instead of the usual solution of "reshuffling" the church had previously used — moving those criminal monsters from parish to parish, where they continued to hurt children.

So when a pope suddenly resigns with a 600 year gap between the last, we know health doesn’t have anything to do with it. If the Catholic Church upholds nothing else, they cling to tradition religiously. (Pun unintended).

For additional links from this article, just above:

Pope Secrets Come To Light After Resignation Bombshell

Pope accused of crimes against humanity - Telegraph

This one from NBC News:

'Woefully inadequate' or a 'great reformer': Child sex abuse

Then, on top of all that, another, different scandal broke today:

German appointed to head scandal-hit Vatican bank

(Reuters) - The Vatican appointed a German lawyer to head its bank on Friday, but the bid to turn the fortunes of the scandal-hit institution was clouded by his business links to a military shipbuilder.

We shall see what we shall see, in all cases.

The Pope's last mass? Already?

The Pope quits on---what?--the 12th of February, suddenly, announcing he'd be out a the end of the month, February, 2013--two weeks later, roughly. The first pope to do so in 600 years. 

Wow.

Then, he gives his last Catholic service, his last mass, on the 13th.

He still has two weeks to go to the end of his service.

Another wow.

I have to think he's either terminally ill with a very short time fuse on it or something fishy--terribly fishy--at the Vatican.

This is what bears watching:

Pope Benedict Resigned to Avoid Arrest, Seizure of Church Wealth by Easter

Supposedly, there may be an announcement tomorrow, Friday, February 15.

We shall see.

In the meantime, in the development of this whole story, there's this:

 

Pope's Resignation May Make International Prosecution Easier

 

As Alice said, it keeps getting curioser and curioser.

Link: Pope Celebrates Last Public Mass as Pontiff

Excellent documentary tonight on HBO on the Catholic Church & their sexual assault and abuse cases

The trailer:



Besides spelling out what happened here, with over 200 children, it also apparently implicates now Pope Benedict XVI, formerly Cardinal Ratzinger.

These are stories that need, desperately, to be told.

Catholic sexual abuse case: here we go again

Breaking news today:

Abuse Case Announced in Mo. Catholic Diocese

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau says it has received a credible complaint of sexual abuse against a minor that allegedly occurred in the early to mid-1960s. The diocese says the accused priest, the Rev. Walter C. Craig, died in 1971. The Springfield News-Leader reports that the diocese has notified civil authorities of the allegation. Further details were not released.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/01/01/3989786/abuse-case-announced-in-missouri.html#storylink=cpy

But do anything about this, internally, in the Catholic Church? Learn lessons? Try to stop it?

Are you kidding me?

Catholic Church protest this Sunday morning

From one David L. Biersmith on the "Bishop Finn Must Go" Facebook page:

"I have not visited this site for a few weeks, trying to get over my anger with what has happen concerning Bishop Finn.

It seems like it never happened.

Bishop Finn has not resigned, nor is he gong to resign, and the Vatican has not moved him, nor are they going to move him.

And we laity have not done a damn thing about any of it.

We are reacting just like the Diocese thought we would, with apathy.

I have marched in front of the Cathedral for the last four weeks before the Sunday 11:00 a.m. Mass protesting the situation and create interest for change.

Would you join me on Sunday Oct. 28, 2012 @ 10:45?"

Yes, Mr. Biersmith, by all means, lets.

KC Star's site still doesn't work

Note to the Kansas City Star:

The internets are the thing of the future.

Really.

I went to the Star's site today, after having seen an article in the paper this morning about a billboard that was put up in town, saying that the Catholic Church's Bishop Finn should be dismissed.

I searched for it online, sure.

No article.

What I did get, instead, was an add for Kohl's department store that not only came up but, when "closed"--three times--would not go away, instead.

Clearly, the folks at the Star just don't get it.

Maybe one day they will.

If the Star makes it that long.