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The Bishop of Motherwell, Joseph Devine, said in an article in The Herald’s sister paper, the Sunday Herald, that the impact of sectarianism was constant for most Catholics, and added: “The proper name for it is anti-Catholicism”. He described elements in the media as “hell-bent on depicting the Catholic Church as the paedophile empire of sexual abuse against children,” and he attacked as “scurrilous” attempts to smear the Pope in relation to abuse scandals.
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But he said some parts of the media had attempted to depict “the Catholic Church as the paedophile empire of sexual abuse against children”. He said: “Some of their more fallacious allegations betray something insidious about their agenda.”
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He also said families were the source of the majority of abuse, and claimed that fewer than half of one per cent of the clergy had any sexual allegations made against them. “Official statistics reveal that more than 75% of all sexual abuse of minors happens in the family, perpetrated by family members, mostly those who are married, and by others known to the victims,” he said. Abuse also takes place inside other institutions and professions, he pointed out. “Sexual abuse of minors is not a ‘Catholic Church’ problem.
He also said families were the source of the majority of abuse, and claimed that fewer than half of one per cent of the clergy had any sexual allegations made against them. “Official statistics reveal that more than 75% of all sexual abuse of minors happens in the family, perpetrated by family members, mostly those who are married, and by others known to the victims,” he said. Abuse also takes place inside other institutions and professions, he pointed out. “Sexual abuse of minors is not a ‘Catholic Church’ problem.
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Meanwhile Pope Benedict XVI is appointing inspectors in Irish Catholic Church abuse probe -even though Benedict is ignoring his own culpability and failure to protect children and youth from known sexual predators such as I commented about yesterday and in other prior posts. Reuters has highlights on Benedict's efforts to appear to be cleaning house despite the fact that he himself and others need to be removed from office:
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VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – The Vatican on Monday named prominent Churchmen to lead its official inquiry into sexual abuse of children by clergy in predominantly Roman Catholic Ireland. The wide-ranging inquiry, which will begin in the autumn, will be headed by two cardinals and three archbishops from England, the United States and Canada.
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Pope Benedict announced the inquiry, formally known as an “apostolic visitation,” last March in a letter to the Irish people about the sexual abuse scandal in their country, which has led to the resignation of three Irish bishops. A Vatican statement said the investigation will begin in four dioceses — Armagh, Dublin, Cashel-Emly, and Tuam — and then be extended to other dioceses.
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Pope Benedict announced the inquiry, formally known as an “apostolic visitation,” last March in a letter to the Irish people about the sexual abuse scandal in their country, which has led to the resignation of three Irish bishops. A Vatican statement said the investigation will begin in four dioceses — Armagh, Dublin, Cashel-Emly, and Tuam — and then be extended to other dioceses.
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It said the Vatican wanted “to respond adequately to the situation caused by the tragic cases of abuse perpetrated by priests” and help lead to “spiritual and moral renewal” in the Irish Church.
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PLEASE get me a barf bag now!!
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