Catholic journalist: Buffalo sex-abuse scandal is a 'perfect storm of horrible things'

I think you can count the good bishops in America on one hand.

Markie Boy said:

I think you can count the good bishops in America on one hand.

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Almost all cardinals and bishops want to serve Christ and His Church. They wake up every day aware of their responsibilities and their own faults.

Snoder said:

Almost all cardinals and bishops want to serve Christ and His Church. They wake up every day aware of their responsibilities and their own faults.

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I don't know. It seems the vast majority suffer from lack of action. Why do we still have the problems that we do in the Church, and they have yet to really stand up and admit there is a problem.

It's not that most are criminals (although some are), it's that they are not moved to action to admit the problem and root it out.

Recently when one bishop spoke out against pride month and was attacked for it, it seems only one other bishop in the country came to his help - Bishops Blasted for Denouncing Gay Pride Month.

Let me ask - has your local bishop asked that all tabernacles be moved back front and center?
Has he launched any type of campaign to educate people about the faith?
Has he taken a stand leading your Church that marriage is between one man and one woman?
Or that you can not support pro-abortion politicians for any reason?

Or do you even know how he'd answer these questions?

Not everyone who calls him Lord, Lord, will enter the Kingdom, but only those that do the will of His Father.

I'm just too tired of the lack of action to give them the benefit of the doubt.

Those are some articles Michie. What stands out is the Bishop saying he could be forced to resign.

He wouldn't doing it because of his conscience, just because he would have no choice. That's how the Church seems to operate. They'll only do what they have to.

Markie Boy said:

I think you can count the good bishops in America on one hand.

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No. You would need at least all your fingers and most of your toes.

But it does seem that a lot of abusive priests of a certain cohort who haven't been found out have been promoted to bishop. Which is the essence of the Lavender Mafia mutual promotion thingie.

I've heard that we actually are getting much less Lavender Mafia priests in more recent cohorts. So there is some hope as the Lavender bishops begin to age out. Or have their corruption come to the surface so that they hopefully spend some time in prison.

Markie Boy said:

I don't know. It seems the vast majority suffer from lack of action. Why do we still have the problems that we do in the Church, and they have yet to really stand up and admit there is a problem.

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I don't think we can speak of the 'vast majority' of Bishops, because they are all over the world. Most bishops and dioceses in the US have not been accused of wrong doing regarding the handling of reports of sexual abuse.

It's not that most are criminals (although some are), it's that they are not moved to action to admit the problem and root it out.

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Most dioceses in the west have strict programs to prevent abuse. Many priests and bishops were naive about how prevalent sexual abuse was in the west. In the same way, the world is still ignorant about domestic violence.

Let me ask - has your local bishop asked that all tabernacles be moved back front and center?
Has he launched any type of campaign to educate people about the faith?
Has he taken a stand leading your Church that marriage is between one man and one woman?
Or that you can not support pro-abortion politicians for any reason?

Or do you even know how he'd answer these questions?

Not everyone who calls him Lord, Lord, will enter the Kingdom, but only those that do the will of His Father.

I'm just too tired of the lack of action to give them the benefit of the doubt.

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Those are the types of issues a pedophile would appear to be staunchly in favor of. If they have people skills, they will charm everyone. Without that, they will appeal to religious fervor. Most dioceses in the United States, at least, do not hesitate to report any report of sexual abuse.

chevyontheriver said:

No. You would need at least all your fingers and most of your toes.

But it does seem that a lot of abusive priests of a certain cohort who haven't been found out have been promoted to bishop. Which is the essence of the Lavender Mafia mutual promotion thingie.

I've heard that we actually are getting much less Lavender Mafia priests in more recent cohorts. So there is some hope as the Lavender bishops begin to age out. Or have their corruption come to the surface so that they hopefully spend some time in prison.

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You are probably more realistically accurate Chevy. We have about 267 bishops in the US, and probably close to 20 good ones that are pro-active in having the Church influence the world, rather than vice versa.

I do get more upset, as I live in one of those "do nothing" diocese, where they seem to avoid things like restoring Churches, or moving a Tabernacle back. Evangelizing, we don't do that - that would imply people are not just all OK where they are.

Markie Boy said:

You are probably more realistically accurate Chevy. We have about 267 bishops in the US, and probably close to 20 good ones that are pro-active in having the Church influence the world, rather than vice versa.

I do get more upset, as I live in one of those "do nothing" diocese, where they seem to avoid things like restoring Churches, or moving a Tabernacle back. Evangelizing, we don't do that - that would imply people are not just all OK where they are.

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Just as the pope does not run all of the bishoprics in the world, the bishop does not run all the parishes in his diocese. That's for the pastor. A good bishop will lean on pastors to do the right thing (and pastors will just naturally WANT to do the right thing), but short of transferring a bad priest, there isn't a lot a bishop can do. Bishop Martin Holley tried to shift around a huge number of his priests and in the end he was removed by pope Francis (under very mysterious circumstances). Point is, a bishop can change things slowly, and mostly by appointments. A great bishop may be able to take his diocese by storm, but it is mostly by example.

In any group there are some good ones, some bad ones, and a majority of so-so ones. The relative proportion of good ones vs bad ones determines how the so-so ones will act. That's true of priests, of bishops, of curias, of almost any grouping of humans. We have maybe 20 really good bishops, 20 really bad ones, and the rest in the muddle.

Markie Boy said:

We have about 267 bishops in the US, and probably close to 20 good ones that are pro-active in having the Church influence the world, rather than vice versa.

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I've been reading a book about the Sistine Chapel. While Martin Luther was leading the Reformation, the chapel was being decorated. The pictures are full of obscenely naked men and children.

I wouldn't say the pictures are not suitable for a church. I would actually be disgusted to see these pictures in a bar or a night club. But the pictures have been approved by infallible popes.

The pictures in the book leave no doubt in my mind that homosexuality and pedophilia have been practiced in the RCC at least since the 15th century. Who else could look at that art.

Snoder said:

Almost all cardinals and bishops want to serve Christ and His Church. They wake up every day aware of their responsibilities and their own faults.

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I don't know any American bishops , but from what I have learned from 70+ years of experience , our bishops are on the whole good , loyal and faithful Catholics , living their vocation often in difficult circumstances .

It is sad to see Catholics who have nothing but negative comments for our shepherds .

Colin said:

I don't know any American bishops , but from what I have learned from 70+ years of experience , our bishops are on the whole good , loyal and faithful Catholics , living their vocation often in difficult circumstances .

It is sad to see Catholics who have nothing but negative comments for our shepherds .

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I know one and he is a gem.