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.

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

Quote of the day

 

Also applies to Catholics, the Vatican and the Pope, of course, besides governments and politicians.

ERMAGERD!! Pope blasphemes Capitalism!

Finally, finally, he takes an intelligent stand on a current day issue:

BBC News - Pope's new year address deplores rampant capitalism

While I applaud this stance of his, certainly, it kills me he doesn't see his own, gaping hypocrisy.

 

And then there's the whole problem with this it creates for most Americans but that's another issue.

 

 

Quote of the day

"The great moral questions of the present age are those about human rights, war, poverty, the vast disparities between rich and poor, the fact that somewhere in the third world a child dies every two and a half seconds because of starvation or remediable disease.

The churches' obsessions over pre-marital sex and whether divorced couples can remarry in church appears contemptible in the light of this mountain of human suffering and need. By distracting attention from what really counts, and focusing it on the minor and anyway futile attempt to get people to conduct their personal lives only in ways the church permits, harm is done to the cause of good in the world."

--A.C. Grayling MA, DPhil (Oxon) FRSL, FRSA is Master of the New College of the Humanities, and a Supernumerary Fellow of St Anne's College, Oxford.

Links: http://acgrayling.com/morality-and-the-churches

http://acgrayling.com

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

Yet another Catholic Church shocker

According to an online news magazine, Worldcrunch, the Catholic Church is not just another business but they also own a pornography distibuting company, too:

Catholic Church Makes A Fortune In The German Porn Business

"'Weltbild,' Germany’s largest media company, sells books, DVDs, music and more -- and also happens to belong 100% to the Catholic Church. Few people knew about this connection until this month when Buchreport, a German industry newsletter, reported that the Catholic company also sells porn."

But wait!

There's more!

There's much, much more!

The article goes on to point out: "The Church also owns a 50% share in publishing company Droemer Knaur which produces pornographic books, and so indirectly is also a publisher of pornographic material, titles including 'Nimm mich hier und nimm mich jetzt!' (Take Me Here, Take Me Now!), and 'Sag Luder zu mir!' (Call Me Slut!)."

So if you weren't disgusted before now by the Catholic Church's ability to sexually and/or physically abuse students, children and other members of their very own church--and then defend themselves against it, for centuries, all over the world, repeatedly--this might do it.

Link: http://www.worldcrunch.com/catholic-church-makes-fortune-german-porn-business/3995

Ladies and gentlemen, the Catholic Church

From the news last evening: U.S. priests accused in 700 sex cases in 2011: report. Forget, for now, conveniently, the Crusades and Inquisitions of the last 600 years and all the people tortured and/or killed by the Catholic Church. Let's focus, instead, right this moment, on the current state of the Catholic Church. In 2011 alone, 700 claims of abuse were put up before our courts in one nation--the US--alone. First, imagine how many more cases there are out there that weren't reported. Statistically, it's estimated that the people who do file charges are only 10% of those actually committed. Second, imagine what's out there in the rest of the world. It's long since time that the Catholics in the pews stood up and said they won't take this any longer, that they won't tolerate any further abuse. Link to original post: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/04/11/u-s-priests-accused-in-700-sex-cases-in-2011-report/#.T4Y4Z35as0g.facebook

Entertainment overnight

Too funny. And true, of course, at the same time.

Our institutions are failing us

When it comes to Americans and our government, it seems we share a great deal with Catholics and their hierarchy and leadership. That is, it seems the people are good and well-meaning and well-intentioned and hard-working but the leadership and so, the respective institution is failing the people, the followers, if you will, they are supposed to be leading and working for. In far too many states and in Washington, D.C. with our national Congress, there is divisiveness, demagoguery and stalemate instead of progress. In the Catholic Church, unfortunately, far too much time and energy and assets--money--have gone to first, sadly and shockingly, physically and/or sexually abusing children in their schools and then, to make matters worse, covering up those activities and defending the abusers. It's so tragic and unnecessary, unproductive and even ugly. What has happened? Why are both of these two institutions failing us, failing the people they are supposed to be serving? It seems one possibility is that both are victims of their own success. Maybe another is that we, the people, have become lazy and don't expect and demand enough of our leaders though I am always loathe to "blame the victim", as that 2nd possibility seems to bring. We need to take our institutions back, in each case. We need to be in charge. We need to speak up and make clear what should happen--and what must not. Links: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/13/us/catholic-church-pressures-victims-network-with-subpoenas.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all; http://kileyrae.tumblr.com/post/7961222388/ny-times-op-ed-a-deadlocked-congress-has-become

Those crazy Catholics crack me up

I mean, if they aren't busy sexually abusing children in their schools or enabling others--mostly church hierarchy to do said same, Catholics can be one great source of humor. I didn't see this last Fall when it came out but it seems the Vatican came out against a Hollywood movie on Vampires, of all things: The Vatican vs. 'New Moon'

The Catholic Church objects to the newest "Twilight" film This is the part that really made me laugh: "Ahead of the weekend's blockbuster opening for the teen vampire fantasy Twilight: New Moon, a Vatican official condemned the movie as a 'deviant moral vacuum.'" I mean, come on, it's a movie, from Hollywood, naturally, that's about vampires. How seriously can it be taken? Of course, this complaint is from the same group that not only believes in exorcists and exorcisms but keeps a practicing, "official" exorcist on staff. Come to think of it, if they believe in exorcisms as real, it's easy to see how they just might take turning into a wolf once a month literally, too. No wonder they got they're panties in such a twist. Link: http://theweek.com/article/index/103245/the-vatican-vs-new-moon

Yet more from the consistent, abusive Catholic Church

This out today on the AP wire: Report slams Dutch Catholic church over sex abuse THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — "Thousands of children suffered sexual abuse in Dutch Catholic institutions over the past 65 years, and church officials knew about the abuse but failed to stop it or help victims because they feared sparking scandals, according to a long-awaited report released Friday. The report also estimated that one in 10 Dutch children suffered some form of sexual abuse more broadly in society." Here's hoping that if we shine enough light in these dark corners, it will eventually, one day soon, stop. Link to original post: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ivqYsOO4KtmmFr_RSMAR6Gdo_h3g?docId=57ad53e693704ac0b3f056615c416552

Two more Catholic sex scandals

Fortunately for Kansas Citians, they're not in our area. Here's the first (both links below): Pennsylvania priest arrested, accused of possessing child porn And the second: Spanish priest arrested over '21,000 child porn images' It seems to me the world is yelling "STOP! STOP!" to the Catholic Church but no one from within the organization is listening. From the 2nd article, there's this: "since 2002...the church has paid out some $2 billion in settlements to abuse victims." To the Pope, Vatican and Catholic Church hierarchy--for the love of God, when does this end? Heck, for the love of the kids, once and for all, make it stop. At what point are you finally, finally going to be ashamed enough to put an end to this abuse of your own children? Links: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/11/us-crime-priest-idUSTRE7BA0UK20111211; http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11748428

I said this a long time ago here: SELL THE VATICAN

I wrote and said this a long time ago, right here. I wrote this on my blog. Sell the whole freaking Vatican, the whole thing--all the jewels, everything! Seriously! Sell it to some international conglomerate, they rent it out and have tours and all that kind of thing. They'd get BILLIONS for that complex. Then, downsize, big time, as they ought and they could start FEEDING, CLOTHING, HOUSING, TEACHING AND NURSING the poor, hungry, starving and sick. (Just don't teach 'em Catholicism). How 'bout it, Pope Benedict?

The Vatican stonewalls again, some more

The Kansas City Star came out with a terrific opinion column in the last couple days, calling for Bishop Finn to resign and thank goodness, this blog and blogger and many others, along with the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priets organization, more importantly, (SNAP) have been calling for his dismissal by his superiors or by his own removal, especially in light of his lack of oversight, at least, in the Shawn Ratigan scandal. All that is well and good but, check this out--the Vatican is doing the same and worse right now, regarding Ireland and the abuse that took place there for at least decades: "The Vatican on Saturday vigorously rejected accusations it had sabotaged efforts by Irish bishops to report priests who sexually abused children to police and charged that the Irish prime minister had made an "unfounded" attack against the Holy See. The Vatican issued a 24-page response to the Irish government after Prime Minister Enda Kenny and the Irish parliament publicly denounced the Vatican following the publication in July of a government-mandated investigation into priestly sex abuse in the diocese of Cloyne in southern Ireland. The report found that the Vatican had undermined attempts by Irish bishops to protect children by warning that their policy requiring abuse to be reported to police might violate church law. The Cloyne report, and Kenny's unprecedented dressing down of the Holy See that followed, prompted cheers from Irish Catholics who have grown increasingly disgusted by the colossal scale of priestly sexual abuse and cover-up in Ireland and the Vatican's consistent claim that it bore no blame." So if the Vatican itself sees no harm or use in being pro-active about protecting the members of the church--particularly and especially the children--why would this Bishop Finn see fit to do the right thing, either, and resign? Or why would his superior see fit to dismiss him? It's just more "business as usual" for the "Holy Catholic Church." How disgusting. Once again, it vindicates Sinead O'Connor and her protest on Saturday Night Live, all those years ago, unequivocally. Link to original post: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/09/03/3118396/vatican-rejects-irish-criticism.html