Let me see if I can explain what I’m thinking.
This thread started with the report of over 200,000 children - 80% of them boys - molested since 1950 by men in positions of trust - in fact, men in positions of authority unquestionable by Catholic children. Your - that is, most of you - reacted with “wink wink nudge nudge†questions about whether or not the children liked it. They must have, or why didn’t they report it?
And reactions like that are a very good reason nothing was done.
While we’re talking about reporting it, let me tell you a story. When I-was in my early 20s I administered a federal grant at a Catholic college. Our primary grant authority (president of another college) called a probable fraud to my attention, and suggested I quit my job before I ended up being hit with federal charges and possible prison time.
I couldn’t afford to quit my job.I went to a nun who had previously held my job. She confirmed what I already knew - I had to go to the bishop, who oversaw the college.
I was a pretty non-active Catholic by then, but this man was a) physically huge, and b) a bishop? I had never spoken to a church official at that level before. I was, I think, 24 years old.
His response to my story and and accompanying proof was this: Did I thInk had always done my best in my job?
Facing him was perhaps the hardest thing I had done in my life, and his answer turned me away from the church permanently, followed Hartley after by my “conversion†to atheism.
I have no idea what those kids, those young men, by now many of them old men - went through - but they deserve much better than the sniggering “the6 probably liked it†they’re getting here.
Last edited by Mellowicious; 10/10/21 07:37 PM.
