Thursday, March 25, 2010

Archbishop Nichols Speaks Up for the Pope

I have just seen on Idle Speculation a link in today's Times under the heading of  The Church is not trying to cover anything up.
Addressing "secrecy" he says:

The relationship between the administration of church law and the criminal law in any particular state is a point of real difficulty and misunderstanding. Nothing in the requirement of canon law prohibits or impedes the reporting of criminal offences to the police. Since 2001 the Holy See, working through the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, has encouraged that course of action on dioceses who have received evidence about child abuse and which the diocesan authorities are responsible for pursuing. The canonical procedure is best put on hold until the criminal investigation is complete, whatever its outcome. This is what is needed. That it has not happened consistently is deeply regrettable.

.....................
What of the role of Pope Benedict? When he was in charge of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith he led important changes made in church law: the inclusion in canon law of internet offences against children, the extension of child abuse offences to include the sexual abuse of all under 18, the case by case waiving of the statue of limitation and the establishment of a fast-track dismissal from the clerical state for offenders. He is not an idle observer. His actions speak as well as his words.
I hope the Archbishop will appear on the BBC tomorrow, today it has been absolutely vicious reporting the Milwalkee cases.

14 comments:

georgem said...

Fact: The revolting abuse took place over a long period up to the 1970s
Fact: Archbishop Weakland was enthroned in 1977. He first raised the issue in a letter to Cardinal Ratzinger in 1996; the only letter he wrote to the Cardinal.
Fact: Cardinal Ratzinger acted immediately and designated his deputy to conduct the investigation.
Fact: The investigation was in progress when the errant priest wrote to Cardinal Ratzinger asking for mercy because he was dying.
Fact: Fr. Murphy died 7 months later.
Fact: Those in the diocese who had the power to act when the allegations began to surface did not very much.
It's all in the documents, which most of the hysterical anti-Pope brigade won't bother to read.
The former Archbishop Weakland when asked directly to confirm the Pope did nothing, merely said those in authority should have acted sooner. He added he should have acted sooner.
But then Fr Weakland's record on such matters doesn't bear much scrutiny.
The most troubling question is who released these internal church documents, knowing that they could and would be misused to injure the Pope?
Thank God that at last someone has spoken out for the Pope. Thank you, Archbishop Nichols.

On the side of the angels said...

I'm sorry but this is a very weak response - and it was proffered in the heartland of the most vicious mendacious virulent recent attacks on His Holiness

- in the Times -

Alongside, incidentally, the most vile anti-Papal assault by Ken MacDonald from Matrix Chambers of all places [Yes Cherie Booth's chambers - also where Daniel Lord Brennan - President of the Catholic Union - is head of chambers!!!]

His Grace makes no mention of the calumnous assaults upon His Holiness's reputation - nor does he display or relate any outrage at this systemic witch-hunt against not merely the Pope but the Church itself.

...and I'm sorry but where were they today ? When the BBC and ITN produce the most obscene stitch up and barrage of lies to out-and-out accuse the Pope of being guilty of a clerical abuse cover-up ? I can tell you the CCN was closed for business - all gone home !

I went ballistic at the BBC complaints department for this outrage.
Why isn't every bishop or diocesan media spokesperson and Catholic commentator in the land coming out - IN FORCE - to challenge this heinous misrepresentation and hatchet-job on His Holiness ?

Not enough , your Grace , and in the wrong place and way way way too late !

Sharon said...

The BBC and most of the other media around the world have no interest in protecting children they just want to bring down the one body which is proclaiming sexual morality - the Catholic Church.

The BBC journalists had only to go to the Zenit website to obtain the full story from the Vatican Press Office but they preferred this beatup.

Unfortunately too many will look no further for the truth than their newspaper of choice.

Full text of Father Lombardi's statement: www.zenit.org/article-28746?l=english

Sharon said...

The most troubling question is who released these internal church documents, knowing that they could and would be misused to injure the Pope?


The same people who leak all news that looks bad for the Church to the media - the Quislings within the Church.

The Bones said...

At last...Has he woken up!?

Hippolytus said...

I have just seen a dreadful interview on the BBC with their "Rome Correspondent" David Willey. He seemed determined to blacken Pope Benedict and silver-tongued gave a most misleading account. He ended by smuggly saying that the Pope 'needed a spin doctor'. It seems to me that all the Pope 'needs' is accurate reporting and not the biased, factually inept slurs of David Willey.

The Raven (C. Corax) said...

I an glad that ++Nichols has spoken so clearly, but the BBC's coverage this morning on the Today programme was simply vile: two speakers, neither friendly to the Pope, the counter case put very weakly and Sir Ken MacDonald was allowed, unchallenged to repeat the calumnious assertion that the Pope had lead a cover up in the Milwalkee case, repeatedly claiming that a failure to report to the civil authorities had occurred (when the civil authorities had looked into the case and failed to act in the 1970s).

I am exceedingly glad that I do not own a television and do not have to pay a licence fee to listen to this vile perjuring of the Church.

GOR said...

First of all, the release of the documents was on foot of a court order in a civil case against the archdiocese of Milwaukee. The archdiocese opposed their release and of course that is now seen as more evidence of 'cover-up'.

Ab. Weakland's letter to the CDF in 1996 asked a question of jurisdiction: should the case be dealt with by the archdiocese or the CDF. The reason: it had only recently been discovered that the crime of solicitation (in the confessional - Canon 1387) was involved, which would normally be reserved to the CDF.

Milwaukee went ahead with an ecclesiastical trial and this decision was endorsed by the future Cdl. Bertone (secretary of CDF)in March 1997.

Paolo Rodari of the Palazzo Apostolico blog points to an article in Avvenire (the publication of the Italian Bishops Conference) by Riccardo Cascioli which lays out the whole case in detail.

He points out that the New York Times had all the information from the released documents that he details. Predictably with the MSM, the NYT slanted its reporting to cast the Holy Father and the Church in the worst light through innuendo and selective reporting of the facts.

It is the NYT article that has been picked up and disseminated worldwide and, unfortunately, that is what most people will see and believe.

In his blog today Paolo Rodari blasts the NYT - and American journalism in general - for the scurrilous way they selectively edited this story and sought to involve the Holy Father in a cover-up.

All credit to Rodari - but every Cardinal and bishop ought to be doing the same!

nickbris said...

This horrendously loud screaming from USA ( middle America) was to be expected after Health-Bill vote.The ABORTIONISTS are apoplectic with rage.

Only Catholics can stand up against the UNCIVILISED,they conveniently forget that Jews and Muslims are also against MURDER of the unborn.

Dominic Mary said...

Although it may be hard to believe, the BBC does take complaints seriously : especially if they are made loudly, at high level, and/or by a great many people.

If every scandalised Catholic complained formally to them about this - and any other similar episode - then something might get done; because editorial standards are, whatever it may appear, influenced by the results of their internal enquiries into complaints.

So . . . please complain : TODAY !

Vincenzo said...

Father,
I was bored today and experimented with some header ideas:

1. http://i41.tinypic.com/6716pf.jpg - this first one just fills in more of the space and might be a bit easier to read.

2. http://i40.tinypic.com/1zwitxs.jpg - and a completely different direction for this one.

Discreet Observer said...

Thank you Dominic Mary for the wake up call. I have written to the Director General of the BBC today.
We shall see.

Fr Ray Blake said...

Thankyou Vincenzo

Discreet Observer said...

I turned to BBC Radio 4 at five to nine this morning and the usual story was being discussed. The interviewer asked his guest why there were not stories coming from other religions and it seemed only clergy in the Catholic Church were involved. The guest began to explain quietly that the problem was actually worse in other denominations and started to give details. What happened next? The interviewer cut him short and said unfortunately they had run out of time. How surprising.

The Lord’s descent into the underworld

At Matins/the Office of Readings on Holy Saturday the Church gives us this 'ancient homily', I find it incredibly moving, it is abou...