Perhaps it is because the Roman Catholic Church wielded power on a scale never seen in the USA, but with the staggering sexual abuse reports in Ireland, it appears that Irish Catholics are waking up to the Church's true dictatorial and foul nature on many levels. Would that more U.S. Catholics would open their eyes to what they continue to subsidize with their weekly collection contributions. Of course, the Church in Ireland is trying to pretend that it has changed its ways and that its role in society should not change. The truth is that the rot within the Church hierarchy extends all the way up to the current Pope who seems to have no true concept of the horrors that have been visited on so many thousands of abuse victims. Frankly, I don't think he cares at all for the victims and the sole concern is trying to save face for the Church. Perhaps I am wrong, but in my book crocodile tears mean nothing - particularly when abuse enablers and conspirators in cover ups like Cardinal Law continue to hold plum positions in Rome, despite their wrong doing. The Irish Independent looks at the changes occurring in Ireland. Here are some highlights: *
61 per cent of people polled by MRBI for the Irish Times during the week believe the Church should give up the control it now exercises through Boards of Management in the primary school system. Twenty eight per cent were not in favour, which is roughly two to one in favour of kicking them out.
*
Sadly, 11 per cent had no opinion. Presumably that 11 per cent have never thought what it must be like to shiver in the darkness, not knowing when the predator will strike again. That, let us not forget, is what is at the root of the belated and latent surge to take control of the primary school system from the Catholic Church: the destruction of innocence, leading to the possible emotional and sexual crippling of entire lives.
*
The Church, in the persons of the bishops and priests who controlled the schools as "patrons" and "managers", behaved like dictators for generations. The Catholic Schools Partnership proves that they plan to continue, refusing to allow their dictat to be questioned, devising and imposing the syllabus under the mantle of "consultation" with the "Catholic ethos" controlling all subjects.
*
That was in the "good old days", the days when that blind acceptance of the power of the Church allowed its wicked, perverted officials, of which we now know there were (and presumably are) hundreds, to destroy children's lives: unhindered, and unchecked, protected, supported and winked at by their power-obsessed superiors who cared and seem still to care, only for their own supremely arrogant reputation and authority.
*
[I]n Ireland the State paid the Church handsomely for that education, filling the Vatican coffers so generously that Ireland was a "favoured child" of the Church. And the men and women queued up meekly each September to enrol a new generation in these autocratic institutions, trustingly and unthinkingly handing over total control of their children's moral and educational welfare.
*
But we're starting to think straight at last. The Christian Brothers' version of morality that asks no questions is crumbling before our eyes. At least, it is for two-thirds of us. Our legislature are products of the old system . . . But now they are being pushed to see things differently, because "ordinary" people are starting to ask the sort of profound questions that were beaten out of them for generations.
*
You can push humanity just so far. And the point too far for normal decent human beings is when they see a child suffering needlessly. That is why 60 per cent of people surveyed last week said they believed control of the primary schools should be taken from the Church. They are no longer prepared to be grateful to the institution which protected the torturers of their children.
*
The wonderful Diarmuid Martin, the only beacon of hope in the morass of duplicity and arrogance that is the Irish Catholic Church, is in favour of it handing over control of many of the primary schools. . . . he is increasingly a hate figure within the Church, proving that his fellows have learned nothing and will learn nothing. They still believe in their own divine right, and will spit, scratch and kick to preserve it.
*
If we are to move on, we must start by taking control of primary education back into the hands of the State, and away from these people with their blunted moral sense and breathtaking definition of their power platforms as a "light for every generation".
61 per cent of people polled by MRBI for the Irish Times during the week believe the Church should give up the control it now exercises through Boards of Management in the primary school system. Twenty eight per cent were not in favour, which is roughly two to one in favour of kicking them out.
*
Sadly, 11 per cent had no opinion. Presumably that 11 per cent have never thought what it must be like to shiver in the darkness, not knowing when the predator will strike again. That, let us not forget, is what is at the root of the belated and latent surge to take control of the primary school system from the Catholic Church: the destruction of innocence, leading to the possible emotional and sexual crippling of entire lives.
*
The Church, in the persons of the bishops and priests who controlled the schools as "patrons" and "managers", behaved like dictators for generations. The Catholic Schools Partnership proves that they plan to continue, refusing to allow their dictat to be questioned, devising and imposing the syllabus under the mantle of "consultation" with the "Catholic ethos" controlling all subjects.
*
That was in the "good old days", the days when that blind acceptance of the power of the Church allowed its wicked, perverted officials, of which we now know there were (and presumably are) hundreds, to destroy children's lives: unhindered, and unchecked, protected, supported and winked at by their power-obsessed superiors who cared and seem still to care, only for their own supremely arrogant reputation and authority.
*
[I]n Ireland the State paid the Church handsomely for that education, filling the Vatican coffers so generously that Ireland was a "favoured child" of the Church. And the men and women queued up meekly each September to enrol a new generation in these autocratic institutions, trustingly and unthinkingly handing over total control of their children's moral and educational welfare.
*
But we're starting to think straight at last. The Christian Brothers' version of morality that asks no questions is crumbling before our eyes. At least, it is for two-thirds of us. Our legislature are products of the old system . . . But now they are being pushed to see things differently, because "ordinary" people are starting to ask the sort of profound questions that were beaten out of them for generations.
*
You can push humanity just so far. And the point too far for normal decent human beings is when they see a child suffering needlessly. That is why 60 per cent of people surveyed last week said they believed control of the primary schools should be taken from the Church. They are no longer prepared to be grateful to the institution which protected the torturers of their children.
*
The wonderful Diarmuid Martin, the only beacon of hope in the morass of duplicity and arrogance that is the Irish Catholic Church, is in favour of it handing over control of many of the primary schools. . . . he is increasingly a hate figure within the Church, proving that his fellows have learned nothing and will learn nothing. They still believe in their own divine right, and will spit, scratch and kick to preserve it.
*
If we are to move on, we must start by taking control of primary education back into the hands of the State, and away from these people with their blunted moral sense and breathtaking definition of their power platforms as a "light for every generation".
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