A new Catholic clergy sex-abuse scandal comes into the spotlight

[cleanhippie]

Like many longtime reporters, I celebrated the Oscar victory for “Spotlight” and the fearless journalism that exposed the Catholic Church’s clergy sex abuse scandal.

I would soon see the story, and the scandal, from a very different perspective.

Two days after the Oscar ceremony, news broke about another widespread church coverup. I found myself poring over a grand jury report outlining in sickening detail the abuse of hundreds of children by at least 50 priests and religious leaders in western Pennsylvania’s Altoona-Johnstown Diocese — in my hometown.

I moved away long ago, but I still have family there. I visit regularly, and my mom was a devoted parish volunteer during her lifetime. I figured I might recognize a few of the accused or some of the churches. I quickly realized things stretched far beyond that.

The names of priests and parishes from my childhood appeared, one after another, all familiar. My grade school priest. Not one but two pastors from my neighborhood parish, a half block from my childhood home. The principal, vice principal and music director from my high school. A priest I once met with to consider officiating my wedding. The priest at the church my four nieces and nephews attended. The chaplain of the nearby Catholic hospital, where my mom volunteered.

I couldn’t believe what I was reading. Two of the priests, leaders at Bishop McCort High School, where my parents sent me and my three brothers in the 1970s to receive a quality religious education, were “sexual partner[s]” who worked together to molest a 13-year-old boy, the report said. They coordinated visits to his house. Once one priest had “satisfied himself,” the report said, the other “took advantage of a victim he believed to be compliant.”

One had been my religion teacher.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-new-sex-abuse-scandal-in-the-spotlight/2016/04/01/4a1747fa-f76e-11e5-8b23-538270a1ca31_story.html

I'm sure this will be ignored by our Catholic friends because some atheist somewhere wrote something, or Dawkins.

[Cartoonist]

1. Quote

There is a way to discuss, address and oppose misogyny, homophobia and child rape intelligently.

I would welcome it in here.

Having said that, this poster never discusses this issue.

[edhopper]

2. thought better of it,

feels like an ad hominen.

[Cartoonist]

3. or: Religion has nothing to do with it

And Sam Harris is a bigot.

[rug]

4. Or, the posts are both unintelligent and bigoted.

[mr blur]

5. But...Dawkins said something uncomplimentary about Islam!

Checkmate, atheists!

[trotsky]

6. "A new Catholic clergy sex-abuse scandal comes into the spotlight"

Seems like you could post that title just about every day.