Dutch Roman Catholic Church Castrated Boys to Rid Homosexuality

The utterly warped nature of the Roman Catholic Church leadership never seems to cease being revealed. The worldwide criminal conspiracy the cover up likely hundreds of thousands of case of sexual abuse of minors continues to be revealed in nations literally around the globe. Now, Dutch reporters have discovered that some the Church's anti-gay jihad even has at times involved castrating boys to "rid them of homosexual tendencies." Sadly, many in the Church leadership who deserve to be behind bars are now deceased. But many others continue to walk about freely even as the victims of their conspiracy continue to be haunted by abuse that should never have happened. The sickness of the Church leadership is beyond disgusting. Yet even now, rather than clean house and dismiss those in the hierarchy who are accessories to child abuse, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has launched disingenuous lies about threats to "religious liberty" and declared war on contraception. The Daily Telegraph looks at the horrors discovered by Dutch journalists. Here are highlights:

At least 10 teenage boys or young men under the age of 21 were surgically castrated "to get rid of homosexuality" while in the care of the Dutch Roman Catholic Church in the 1950s.

Evidence of the castrations has emerged amid controversy that it was not included in the findings of an official investigation into sexual abuse within the church last year.

The NRC Handelsblad newspaper identified Henk Heithuis who was castrated in 1956, while a minor, after reporting priests to the police for abusing him in a Catholic boarding home.

Joep Dohmen, the investigative journalist who uncovered the Heithuis case, also found evidence of at least nine other castrations. "These cases are anonymous and can no longer be traced," he said. "There will be many more. But the question is whether those boys, now old men, will want to tell their story."

Two clergymen were convicted of abuse but Mr Heithuis, a victim, was nonetheless transferred by police to a Catholic psychiatric hospital before being admitted to the St. Joseph Hospital in Veghel later that year.

There, court papers confirm, he was castrated "at his own request", despite no submission of his written consent. Sources told Mr Dohmen that the surgical removal of testicles was regarded as a treatment for homosexuality and also as a punishment for those who accused clergy of sexual abuse.

Cornelius Rogge, 79, a well-known Dutch sculptor whose family knew Mr Heithuis in the 1950s, reported the castration to an official inquiry into abuse within the Catholic Church. But his evidence was ignored.

Evidence emerged on Monday that government inspectors were aware that minors were being castrated while in Catholic-run psychiatric institutions.

Minutes of meetings held in the 1950s show that inspectors were present when castrations were discussed. The documents also reveal that the Catholic staff did not think parents needed to be involved.

"I am shocked that boys were being castrated in the 1950s," said Khadija Arib, a Labour MP. "I want an independent investigation. We must find out how many cases there were, who knew about it and why the government did not act."

Despite stories like this, some are shocked that I left the Catholic Church. I would argue that what is more shocking is that anyone with a shred of moral decency can remain in the Catholic Church. Coverage of these crimes against children and youth need to be flung in the face of the Catholic bishops every time they open their mouths to spin lies and attack the civil rights of others who recognize them for the moral monsters that they are in fact.