Knights of Columbus Betray Founder's Vision

As a former 4th Degree Knight of Columbus, I am well familiar with the vision of the Order's founder: to support, protect and care for the families of members and to support the preaching of the Gospel with humility and compassion. In the intervening 125 years, the leadership of the Knights of Columbus have lost their way. While the Order still does many good charitable works, too often, the principal mission would appear to be a sycophant for the Church hierarchy, with little regard for truth and genuine morality and regard for the weak and less powerful. The sexual abuse scandal truly showed how the leadership of the Knights put servile pandering the the Pope and bishops ahead of children and families.

*

The fact that bombastic and super hypocrite Bishop Thomas V. Daily was allowed to remain as Supreme Chaplain for several years after the scandal errupted in Boston - Daily had been one of Cardinal Law's lieutenants that intimidated victims and families into remaining silent - was bad enough, but even 6 years later and over $2 billion in settlement payments later, the Knights still refuse to open their eyes to the truth about the Church hierarchy. In fact, at the 125th Anniversary Convention, the principal speaker was Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of State of Pope Benedict XVI. Rather than confessing the Church's sins and errors, Bertone depicted the Church as a victim of the media in the USA. Here are highlights from his comments:

*

First of all, I would like to say the Church in the United States has suffered deeply because of this situation, has responded with great dignity, and invites everyone to truly commit themselves to a reversal of this situation. While I was still at the Congregation of the Doctrine of Faith and as the Archbishop of Genoa, I accompanied the Church in the U.S. through the period of trial and, I repeat, they faced this trial with dignity and courage. I would like to make two concrete observations:

*
First, the business [lawsuit and settlements] which has accompanied the sex scandals has nothing to do with respect of the human person, with helping the victims, nor with the recovery of the guilty – whom we cannot abandon to hell. The business created in the United States around this scandal is really unbearable.

*

Secondly, I hope that other institutions and social agencies will face this same problem with their members, with an equal degree of courage and realism as the Catholic Church has done. I wonder if the other agencies or institutions have also provided financial consideration for victims as the Catholic Church has done; if they have taken care of the victims and those who are guilty. We must keep in mind that of the 44,000 priests here in the Unites States, the percentage of those who have been involved in this in these scandals is very small. According to the information, it would seem as if the Catholic Church is the only organization that has been affected by this problem. This is unacceptable.

*

Obviously, if the Church had done the right thing in the first place, lawsuits and surrounding media coverage would never had occurred. Bertone conveniently ignores this fact. In addition, many in the media continue to provide coverage of sexual abuse scandals in other denominations. However, in those denominations, there has never been evidence linking the cover up all the way the the Vatican equivalent. As far back as the 1960's the Church's policy with the Pope's knowledge was to hus things up and engage in coverups. The Church hierarchy continue to refuse to admit its guilt and the leadership of the Knights continue to have their noses so far up the hierarchy's ass that it's a wonder they do not suffocate.

*

P. S. Here's what Bishop Daily had to say about gays (we are evil while covering up the abuse of children, apparently is not):

*

As with all sexual disorders the condition of homosexuality is the result of original sin. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith made clear that "although the particular inclination of the homosexual person is not a sin, it is a more or less strong tendency ordered toward an intrinsic moral evil; and this the inclination itself must be seen as an objective disorder." The homosexual orientation violates a person's natural harmony in regard to the proper purpose of his or her sexually and inclines the person toward "acts which are contrary to the natural law" The medical and behavioral sciences have not been able to determine what factors of genetics, hormones or variation in psychosocial upbringing cause a person to be homosexual. It is not my intention to enter into this complex area but to emphasize that the condition is ultimately the result of original sin, not normative, and may not be acted upon in the moral order.

*

I cannot overstress that while an objective disorder, a homosexual orientation is not morally wrong in and of itself. It is deliberate homosexual desires and acts that are gravely evil and immoral. . . . legislation can never be enacted which seeks to legitimate homosexual activity or even gives the impression of doing so. Such legislation is of itself immoral and an injustice is the natural rights of all men and women. Likewise,: any educational curriculum which seeks to instill in our children the belief that the homosexual lifestyle is acceptable is to be considered as an immoral affront to the natural rights and dignity of our children.