I would like some excerpts from the original interview. If what this editorial says is true. This potential succesor to the Pope feels the pedophilia is not the real problem, it is the “witch hunt” of the media. I’ll let the rants proceed.
http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-vpdio122743454jun12.story?coll=ny-viewpoints-headlines
Er, it’s not an editorial–it’s a syndicated columnist.
The interview was evidently in the June 12 issue of Trente Giorni, which is Italian for “Thirty Days”. I don’t see it offhand on Google, and even if you did find it, it’d be in Italian.
I thought Kathleen Parker had a good take on it.
Oy…
“A persecution like that of the time of DIOCLETIAN”???
Where the heck did this guy learn his Church History?
Rodríguez Maradiaga’s statements involve so many things wrong with the way the RCC as a transnational organization is handling this. Like, letting everyone outside the USA view this situation as an “American” problem, one that does not affect them, and then attributing it to (a) the basically corrupt nature of American society and culture, because “as everybody knows” the USA is a one-country axis of vice, the modern Sodom (Hey, Jerry Falwell said that was why we got attacked on 9/11!); (b) the influence of the media and other “forces” in the USA in a tradition of anti-Catholicism and © that oh so unreasonable, unbelievable, nonsensical, incomprehensible idea that Americans have, that institutions should be accountable downward to the People!
It may also reflect a deep misunderstanding on what is happening. OKay, MAYBE where HE comes from it’s been standard practice for 100 years for newspapers owned by the Ruling Classes to start a massive smear campaign on institutions El Líder wants smashed, complete with staged rallies and death squads knocking your door in the middle of the night. Maybe they have read about their history throughout the 20th century having been a series of conspiracies by the CIA, the United Fruit Company and the local Army to overthrow elected governments and make bothersome indian-rights or labor union organizers “disappear”. So of course this cannot be a revelation of corruption within the church. It must be some plot to crush the church because they interfere with the Liberal/secular/Capitalist/globalist agenda of the media…
"The cardinal recently told a news conference that “it would be a tragedy to reduce the role of pastor to that of cop.” He went on: “I’d be prepared to go to jail rather than harm one of my priests.”
Anyone who persecutes a pedophile priest is obviously anti-Catholic?
Please tell me that he’s not under serious consideration to be the next Pope.
Another 2 cents from a conservative, American Catholic:
Suppose, just suppose, that my wife’s best friend was a nosy, gossipy old witch who hated me, for no reason. Suppose she was the type who constantly monitored my behavior, hoping to catch me doing something awful, so she could tell my wife about it.
Now, KNOWING that there’s a hateful person who’s just DYING to embarrass me and get me in trouble with my wife, wouldn’t you expect me to try extra hard to keep my nose clean? Wouldn’t you expect me to behave perfectly, to avoid even a HINT of scandal? Wouldn’t it make sense that I’d avoid giving the witch ANY ammunition against me?
If, knowing all this, I go ahead and make a crude pass at a lady down the block, and the witch tells my wife, I’M the bad guy! NOT the old witch, ME! Even if she initially hated me for no good reason, SHE’S not to blame for my misdeeds. All she’s doing is taking advantage of MY weakness, sinfulness, and stupidity.
Now, back to the Cardinal. Is there some truth to the charge that the American media are anti-Catholic, and eager to drag the Church’s reputation through the mud. Absolutely. So, on THAT score, and ONLY that score, the Cardinal is absolutely right.
BUT…
If I were a bishop, and I KNEW that the media hate the Church, and will quickly and gleefully publicize the Church’s crimes, great and small, I’d be all the more vigilant in monitoring my priests’ behavior! I’d set clear rules, and let all clergy know the penalties for violating them. If I heard that a priest was molesting children, I’d call for his immediate defrockment, AND notify the police.
Yes, many in the media are obnoxiously anti-Catholic. Many are eager to embarrass the Church. But it’s not their job to paint the Church in the best possible light. It’s the clergy’s job to do that. When they fail, they have no business blaming the media.