July 17, 2008

Dwelling crankily on old wounds. That's the criticism of the bishop organising World Youth Day to being asked about the Catholic Church's treatment of the Foster family.

The Foster's two daughters were repeatedly raped by a Catholic priest while they were in primary school. One has since committed suicide and the other requires permanent medical attention following a car accident. It is now reported that the bishop mis-spoke. The chief operational officer of World Youth Day, Danny Casey, has defended Bishop Fisher after the event coordinator yesterday expressed disappointment the issue had been raised during celebrations. "If Bishop Anthony made particular comments about how some in the media seek to portray the church during abuse matters, he's a man of deep compassion, I know he feels great compassion and sympathy for the victims and for all those who have been hurt through abuse," he said.

posted by polychrome 16 years ago
  • I wish these Catholics would just fuck off back to the 16th century.
  • I don't think they ever left, Hank.
  • Fuckers. Literally.
  • Amazing really how very bad at repentance and humility the church turns out to be.
  • Well, maybe not amazing exactly.
  • But you know what I mean. Christianity is supposed to be really big on this kind of thing. You'd expect the Pope to put on a tremendous show, you know, tears and self-abasement, wearing sackcloth, being scourged by the Swiss Guard, eating dirt, having himself trampled by scores of lepers, that kind of thing. Being celibate shouldn't mean you don't give a fuck.
  • Well played, sir.
  • Heh. I saw a BBC article today in which the Poper attacked consumerism. Has he not cast an eye around the Papal Palaces / Sistine Chapel / Church jewellery box lately? Conspicuous consumption or what?
  • No, it's alright for them, because.. because.. um
  • I loved the episode of father Ted where Ted reminds Dougal of their visit to the Pope, and Dougal answers, "What, you mean that auld feller who lived in the art gallery?"
  • > Church jewellery box lately? The Vatican ran a deficit last year, I think, because donations from the U.S. faithful are no longer as valuable with the dollar's long-sufferingness.
  • I'm pretty sure it could cover any unexpected credit card bills though, what with the assets it holds. Like its own freaking country. And the odd Buonarroti.
  • I also think it could sell a few gilded mirrors and not be running a deficit.
  • Catholic church: Has a priest molested your kid? Gedoverit. Hey, it's not like those priests are committing the sin of birth control! The bishop's a serious asshole. He would have shown himself to be somewhat lacking in compassion had he said they shouldn't be "dwelling on old wounds" but saying "crankily dwelling" implies such a wealth of scorn and trivialization of this family's pain it takes my breath away. Grieving parents could be described as (righteously) angry, maudlin, overwhelmed--but cranky? The man has no empathy whatsoever. Total ego. One of God's representatives here on earth, eh? Pretty typical of what I grew up with. Many of the average priests I knew were wonderful, compassionate, humble men, but any of them with power, even petty power like a monsignor, were dicks. Had he been any kind of decent human being, he would have said something like, "Let us pray for the Foster family in their grief and use this World Youth Day to make the world a better place for our children." That's all it would have needed, then move on. Double-dipped, dyed-in-the-wool asshole. Just what the church has been promoting into power for centuries.
  • Perhaps he meant to insinuate that their dwelling on old wounds was due to their use of low-grade methamphetamine.
  • BlueHorse - that is JUST how I felt about it. That choice of words, whether directed at the family or at the media, spoke volumes. And Plegmund? Being celibate shouldn't mean you don't give a fuck. Yeah!!
  • I was raised Catholic. I've always felt that one of the biggest mistakes they make is to educate their own followers in the history of the church. cause now I am an atheist. seriously. break yr vows. be gay. do whatever you want, but do it with other consensual adults. fuckers indeed.