Culture: Vatican Rules - Women priests crime same as paedophilia
From one sexual abuse scandal to another, we in Ireland are not at all averse to the so-called 'catholic' misdemeanour's of the church and its messengers, for it has had devastating ramifications for our society, our culture and our people.
Of course I don't mean to tar every priest/bishop/clergyman with the same brush (because there are some good ones, we would hope) but unfortunately there has been such an abundance of serious and cruel offences deliberated over the years by these trusted religious reps, what are people to think? Especially when these crimes have been perpetrated on the vulnerable.
On July 15th last, the Vatican released a document responding to the worldwide clerical abuse scandal with new
rules that crack down on priests who prey on children and the mentally
disabled. Yes, appallingly true.
They extend from 10 to 20 years the statute of limitations on abuse and
also codify for the first time that possessing or distributing child
pornography is a canonical crime. However, this document did not discuss the need for bishops
to report abuse to police or include any “one-strike and you’re out”
policy, as demanded by victims' groups.
Even more disturbing is that it also lists the attempted ordination of a woman as a "grave crime", as
sexual abuse is! Have you ever heard such rot in your life?!
According to the new Vatican rules, a woman who attempts to become a priest (a new sacramental crime) will get the same punishment as a paedophile (a new moral crime) and she will be ex-communicated!! Surely including both crimes in the same document implies
equating them? Eh hello? If a woman wants to put a cloth around her neck and pray to an immortal almighty God, whether you agree with her beliefs or not, she's not hurting anybody. Sexual abuse is a 'legal' crime which causes the victim years of indescribable hurt and anguish and tears families apart. And I would surmise you wouldn't find many women priests abusing their power like that too!
But under cannon law, a woman is still a second class citizen which has always been the case in my opinion. "Eve did it your honour!" It seems to me that Catholicism has always been a boys club - an ancient power structure that instils fear in people and attempts to demonise women and children. Absolute patriarchal ludicrousness in this day and age to still be making these laws, their laws, and even more ludicrous is the fact that they expect people to actually listen. Who cares, quite frankly? Is there anybody out there?! I would love to hear their argument on these issues and on what actual use they are to us today in the 21st Century. Brendan Smyth?