Catholic Church must reform confession, abuse survivor says

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Billyd

Senior Member
May 8, 2014
5,048
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#2
Does it please God when we allow someone to hide behind a priest to escape civil punishment for a crime? I believe that God will hold the priest hearing the confession responsible for every act that the perpetrator commits after the priest fails to report the crime.
 
R

ROSSELLA

Guest
#3
Catholic Church must reform confession, abuse survivor says - BBC News

An Australian child abuse survivor has called on the Catholic Church
to reform its laws on confession to ensure crimes are reported to police.
I have to say I agree. The Bible never gives the indication that forgiveness by God means not dealing with the consequences. As scary as it may be, if someone is truly sorry for one's crimes, one needs to be prepared to make some atonement for the victims (in some cases; there's a vast difference between going a few miles over the speed limit and murdering or abusing someone). The lack of serious consequences is part of what allowed so many priests to rape child after child.

It's sad, but this reminds me of the Constance Kent case. It took place in the 1800s. As a teenager, she murdered her little brother. Years later, she confessed to a priest, who helped her come forward. However, in the courtroom, he declared that he had to withhold some information as her confessor. Since she was confessing anyway, it didn't make much difference, but as you can imagine people took offense to the idea that someone could murder a child, confess it to their priest, and potentially have it kept silent. Over a hundred years later and we still haven't gotten very far...
 
M

Miri

Guest
#4
I agree, sin has consequences even if it is forgiven.

In the OT they had to make restitution. If these people confessing crimes
to the priest were really genuine, they would hand themselves in.
 
S

Siberian_Khatru

Guest
#5
From the article:
The issue of mandatory reporting has split Australia's Catholic Church, with archbishops differing on whether information given by a child victim during confession should be relayed to police.
Unbelievable.
 
Mar 21, 2017
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#6
Those men who place the teaching of popes, cardinals, and jackasses, while claiming they believe the bible - the word of God - are fleshly minded and are most likely bound to commit heinous crimes against their followers.
None of what has been going on among the pool of those men should come as a surprise, though it is detestable.
 
Dec 17, 2013
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#7
You guy's obviously don't know catholics, they think that they are above all law's even God's.

The reason that they don't say this isn't because they are hiding it from the world it's because any non catholic is that inconsequential to where you are beneath them even communicating that to you.
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#8
Catholic Church must reform confession, abuse survivor says - BBC News

An Australian child abuse survivor has called on the Catholic Church
to reform its laws on confession to ensure crimes are reported to police.
Back when I was a bookkeeper for a couple of factories, (1990s), one of my coworkers/lunch partners/friends had a son who was a priest. The parish he worked for/in had 2-3 priest "plus 1." The "plus 1" was a pedophile priest. The other priests were tasked to watch him (so he wouldn't abuse again) and take care of him (because that's what the RCC promises their priest, that they will be cared for for the rest of their lives.)

Think about it -- do the work you have to do every day, sleep, relax, and watch one other guy 24/7/365. 2-3 priest had to do that for that one priest. What is the likelihood they enjoyed this task?

What are the chances they could pull that off? Each priest has to say one mass per day and hear confessions every day. They have to take care of the church and visit the sick. They have to be there for whoever needs them, whenever. And add to that "take care of one pedophile so he never abuses again."

Seems kind of moronic to me.

BUT it beats what they did for priest when I was a kid. The rules back then were there were no rules.

It does amazes me that what some priests do has become a news story now and again here and there. It's been happening ever since there were Catholic priest, and yet no one made this newsworthy since the 1990s? Equally as moronic.
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#9
You guy's obviously don't know catholics, they think that they are above all law's even God's.

The reason that they don't say this isn't because they are hiding it from the world it's because any non catholic is that inconsequential to where you are beneath them even communicating that to you.
Actually, I know Catholics intimately. I was one for the first 20 years of my life. My family still is.

A couple of days I told you that you had a weakness. You weren't very good at insulting. Got to say, that wasn't supposed to be a challenge to up your game. It was supposed to be a compliment.

Thanks for the insult!
:mad:

Soooo, really you meant Catholics were beneath you?
 

tanakh

Senior Member
Dec 1, 2015
4,635
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#11
Catholic Church must reform confession, abuse survivor says - BBC News

An Australian child abuse survivor has called on the Catholic Church
to reform its laws on confession to ensure crimes are reported to police.
I feel this is a rather naive view of the situation. If someone is a child abuser do you really think they will confess to a Priest if they knew that there was a possibility of being reported? Even with the present situation I doubt that one would tell a Priest about it. People who commit serious crimes only confess them in films and TV series.
 
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M

Miri

Guest
#12
I feel this is a rather naive view of the situation. If someone is a child abuser do you really think they will confess to a Priest if they knew that there was a possibility of being reported? Even with the present situation I doubt that one would tell a Priest about it. People who commit serious crimes only confess them in films and TV series.

Its about the abuser and also about the one who does not report the abuser
and seeks to hide their crime. Covering up for someone is a crime in most
circles.
 
Dec 17, 2013
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#13
I know of a whole community that covered up this exact crime,where do you think that they are going for ever and ever and ever?
 
Dec 17, 2013
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#14
For the record I will not answer back to comments that are obvious ploys trying to draw me into confrontation and nothing more.

Not because im ignorant not because I don't disagree.

I left that foolishness behind in the school yard.
 
J

JESUSGOSPEL

Guest
#15
ezekiel 18:24But when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die.
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#16
For the record I will not answer back to comments that are obvious ploys trying to draw me into confrontation and nothing more.

Not because im ignorant not because I don't disagree.

I left that foolishness behind in the school yard.
I left the school yard before you were born. I can still tell when someone makes a comment that's sole purpose is to be confrontational and arrogant about a whole group of people as if they are all like that. And as if everyone must agree with it simply because the commentator is more knowledge and must teach the poor sheltered ignorant children.

Here is such an example:
You guy's obviously don't know catholics, they think that they are above all law's even God's.

The reason that they don't say this isn't because they are hiding it from the world it's because any non catholic is that inconsequential to where you are beneath them even communicating that to you.