Another week, another priest rapes more kids, his church help him

[DominiConnor]

Does it even count as news any more.
The CoE "defence" last week was that this was all long in the pas.
No doubt they will say that when they helped cover up another rapist in the Victorian times like err umm 2001, this was "how things were handled in those days".
Again, the churchmen who covered up the rapes, and ensured that other children were raped, will walk free.
Again we will hear them saying "ooops sorry mate", tellingu s that they were "acting in the best interests of the church."
Again Christians on will go to Church on Sunday, and help support this gang of rapists.
Again Chrisitans will say "this was not my bit of the Church, and if my priest turned out to be a rapist, I'd go to the church down the road instead."

MarBS, the thing about Consiracy Theory is of course that he's right.
But this is a conspiracy done in full public light, bihops and cardinals admit they do it on TV, butthe police don't get involved.

Morningpaper, you do not legally have any choice in the matter, even if the victim disagrees. By not reporting a crime, you are an accomplice.
In the cases we know of, there could have been no doubt in the minds of those doing the cover up, since each time they got a confession.

As for their ethics ?
The spokesman on Radio 4 who said "in the interests of the Church (long pause), and the victims..." Tells us quite a lot, both by the order of priority and the gap.
We don't actually know what the kids felt. We do know that as adults they went to the police. That to me has the clear implication that the church prevailed upon the parents to "persuade" the kids not to take it further.
And yes, I don't think the parents have a good ethical position either.

The churchmen will have known that rapists are of course repeat offenders, and that their actions would lead to other kids being raped.
Remember that this Sunday.
But you won't will you ? I'm just some mad git on the Internet, and your priest is a nice chap...

My priest is a woman and a retired headmistress. If I had any concerns about her or any other member of the church I'd go to the police and so would every other Christian I know.

"Remember that this Sunday.
But you won't will you ? I'm just some mad git on the Internet, and your priest is a nice chap."

I'll remember - that just like in every part of our soceity there are good people, and bad people, if I suspected anyone in our church then I would report them - but I'm not concerned about our female vicar.

A female vicar ?
Oh, that's all right then.
Has she spoken to her bishop about the problem ?
Or has she toed the line, kept her head down, and not made waves that might hurt her career ?

It's the complicit silence and cover up that is the issue, not the sex of any given vicar. Women are just as capable of helping rapists "for the good of the church" as any bloke.

But this is a standard style response from Christians. "It's not my parish", "it's the other sort of Christian", "I never saw it", "it was in the past".

I don't know whether she's spoken to the Bishop - I suspect she probably has as she's the sort of person that does - she doesn't just 'tow the line' to keep people happy.

Sorry but if the complainant didn't want to press charges, it doesn't matter whether or not the police WERE told - surely?

I don't see what the church can do if people make allegations but don't want to pursue them.

The Catholic church has changed a lot. We now have a child protection officer in each parish, the priest hears children's confession in the open, and all people who work with children are CRB checked (I was checked even though I am a teacher). I don't think priets just become pedophiles, I think that pedophiles, perhaps alienated in real life, no interest in marraige, loners etc seem for some reason to be drawn to the priesthood. There is no excuse for how the church has acted in the past, but things are very different now.

I don't know what it is but our vicar/parish is a safe haven for children. I shall have a closer look tomorrow morning.
Our vicar is married to our curate :D The vicar is male and the curate is female. They are a lovely young couple and they have 2 little girls.

I honestly have no doubts at all about them but I don't know them well enough to know what their stance would be on this so can't comment. The curate I am sure wouldn't think twice of reporting someone to the police- I am sure the vicar would be the same but as I said I haven't spoken to him about it

oh and just another point..........your title is infact incorrect - last week (or was it the week before) it wasn't a priest that had raped children......

oh dc get over it

Morningpaper, I agree they can't march them to the station. But they can inform the police, social services etc.
They don't know what else the police have on the guy, and of course many rapists have told their bosses. You've got most of a conviction there already.
The church can sack the priest, something they have often not done, guess what they go and rape other kids.
Why do you think they didn't sack them ?
Shortage of staff ?

No one forced the churches not to tell the parishes they transferred rapists to. Actually this implies lying to their own staff doesn't it ?

Do we really believe that the kids didn't go to the police as a free decision ?
No pressure from their parents dazzled by a bishop ?

Pixiefish, is this some sort of sick joke ?
You do know that a large % of child rapists are married ? You really don't think it proves anything ?

No, not a sick joke- just the facts bout our Vicar and his wife.