The abuse allegations ripping through the Catholic Church would not have been
ignored; there would have been no cover-ups. Or so the progressives and anti-Catholic chattering classes tell us.
Oh Really?
Well then how do you explain this?
“The bishop of Hamburg – the world’s first female Lutheran bishop – has resigned amid criticism of her handling of a sex abuse case.
Maria Jepsen stepped down saying her credibility had been contested.
She denies having known before May this year about a priest in the town of Ahrensburg who reportedly sexually abused boys and girls in the 1980s.”
If only Priest Could Marry!
Germany faces up to sexual abuse after scandals at Catholic, other schools
“Allegations of sexual abuse at schools run by the Catholic and Lutheran churches, as well as at an elite secular boarding school, have put child protection at the top of the domestic agenda in Germany.” Read more here.
And:
AP: Sexual Misconduct Plagues US Schools
Last I heard, Lutheran Priests and secular school teachers can marry.
Oh and only the Catholic Church puts known abusers back into contact with children.
A former Ogden coach and teacher who pleaded guilty in 1996 to multiple charges of sexual exploitation of minors is being allowed to volunteer in the same district where the violations occurred. Read on.
Non of the above excuses Catholic Priests who abused children or the Bishops who did nothing. Priests are ordained to be in the person of Christ. It is beyond evil.
The media attention to abuse in the Church has led to major reforms in the Church. Children are safer in Catholic schools and in the Church. Why hasn’t the media, however, crusaded with the same intensity against all child abusers including those hidden away in our public schools.
A Deacon's Wife 
Susan, it is great that you love the Catholic Church and want to defend it. I would do the same with the United Church of Christ. But, you need to quote some sources. What do you mean by “the media”? The media is very diverse between TV, radio, print, and online media. Some are big and some are small. Some are for profit and a handful are non-profit. You paint them all with the same brush.
Who is claiming that the Catholic church covers up abuse more than any one. Point to specific media outlets and let’s take a look. I am sure you are right but it is not “the media” in general but certain media in specific.
Every time the United Church of Christ holds its national gathering called General Synod some media outlets will get it wrong because they don’t understand the church, any church. These are usually un-churched or anti-church media folk who are then ignorant about how the church works and how different Christian churches differ. These outlets will see the UCC General Synod making some newsworthy decision and start the story with, “The rule-making body of the UCC…”. They don’t understand that we are organized by covenant and not hierarchy and that we believe that when the local church gathers, it is the “highest authority level of the church”.
Your criticism of the media is fine but don’t paint them all the same…be specific. As we know, all those who claim to be Catholic are not the same and neither are people in the media.
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Jim, you really have not heard of the NYT hatchet relentless hatchet job. Even people outside the Church and not exactly sympathetic have written the unprofessional and false reporting. You seriously haven’t read in countless MSM op ed pieces the if only Priests could marry, if only Women could be Priests and Bishops? Really.
Okay if you really need me to provide the sources, I will. But not tonight. MS fatigue is bad right now.
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Susan, I don’t read the NYT very often but you make my point. If the NYT said this then blame the NYT, don’t blame “the media”. That is my only point. You have a right to criticize anyone out there you want but please do not blame a generic group, blame those specifically who said what was wrong, bothersome, or offensive. Thanks for allowing me to continue to speak on this blog.
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This really is my last comment for tonight.
The media, everywhere almost without exception, has gone after the Church. Even our local paper. They printed the NYT articles. Hardly a week goes by without their biased screeds. Child sexual abuse by other Church denominations, the very real problem in the public school system, etc. gets a small mention. But it is almost never on the front page. Most, papers, for example, did not pick up the AP article on the German Woman Bishop. Those that did gave a small mention and then went on to rehash the Catholic scandals. The MSM has really chased the Catholic Church scandals. That is not all bad. It helped to shed a light on the “filth” (BXVI) in the Church? Where is the investigative reports on the public schools? Why no out cry at Roman Polanski? Or for Hollywood for defending him? I am sorry, but even a cursory look at the regional and national newspapers, TV news etc. can only lead one to believe that the MSM has the Church in her sights. All I am asking is if the Media is really so concerned about children, why aren’t they investigating and questioning, for example, the public schools. The RCC cases are over 20 years old, for the most part; the public school abuse is ongoing.
And now I bid you good night.
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Suasn, I am sorry about the way you feel. Even if you feel that every news source in every part of the country no matter how big or small is out to get the Catholic Church, you will have more credibility if you bring specifics every time you see it. You also risk disparaging the few media outlets that treat the Catholic church fairly.
If you mean Main Stream Media, define which media outlets you include in your definition of MSM. Also, do you include opinion pieces or shows or is your concern primarily those who are supposed to deliver the news. Do you include such things as the weekly program on PBS called Religion and Ethics Newsweekly, C-SPAN, EWTN, or NPR. Then, what about magazines like America or Christian Century or ones like these. And, what about major online news sources such as Huffington Post or Slate.com.
I think there are important critiques of the media but I believe being as targeted as possible is more effective. As you know, I am a news junkie, yet I have hardly ever watched Network News or Local TV news in at least 7 years.
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Jim,
Let me be clear.
I do not think that all of the media is out to get the Church. But there have been very few reports that even approach good journalism. It is not hard to find out why the Church teaches what she does. Oh and is that hard to find a faithful Catholic to comment instead of dissidents? Further,even if the MSN is out to get the Church, the Church has only herself to blame.
The media attention has been constant since January. I don’t know a Catholic who hasn’t been asked about it by non Catholics. I don’t see you have missed all of the coverage.
And some of the coverage has been just vile. I can’t imagine such language being used against other faith traditions. Here is a particularly disgusting piece http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2004702,00.html?xid=rss-topstories
It is a bigoted, ill informed, rant. Yes I know the writer claims to be Catholic. Right and I am a vegetarian. Pass the steak.
Second, the scandals are covered in a way that is not applied to other institutions that have serious problems with sexual abuse of minors. There has been very little acknowledgment that in the Us, measures that have been put into effect since 2002 to safeguard children are working. In the rare case where a new (contemporary) case arises, the Cleric or lay person is removed from ministry or job immediately. Young men discerning a vocation to the priesthood, go through rigorous interviews with clergy and lay people. They go through psychological testing. If accepted they are monitored and guided.
I really don’t feel like finding all the links. While you and I might disagree on whether or not the coverage has been biased or accurate, certainly you must acknowledge that the coverage has been relentless. It is, perhaps,unprecedented. Well except for the long lent of
2002
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