Damned if we do... damned if we don't! Read this article to see that the Church can't seem to win in these cases. Now people are complaining that if a predator is 'defrocked', the Church is no longer 'in control' of the individual and thus he would be free to abuse again.
Come on folks. You can't have it both ways.
US Catholics debate defrocking abusive priests - NewsFlash - OregonLive.com
Come on folks. You can't have it both ways.
US Catholics debate defrocking abusive priests - NewsFlash - OregonLive.com
I'd not necessarily say defrocking, but ... is there some sort of lateral transfer to a contemplative monastery? Where the erring brother's sins would be known, he could do appropriate penance, then he could spend his life in prayerful work away from temptation?
ReplyDelete"Now people are complaining that if a predator is 'defrocked', the Church is no longer 'in control' of the individual and thus he would be free to abuse again."
ReplyDeleteThat's a pretty damned dumb thing for them to say, doncha think? If the church were actually "in control" of the predators in the first place, the abuses would never have happened at all! I don't see that defrocking is gonna have any effect whatsoever, except to clear the rolls of the troublemakers and get them formally disassociated from those who want to set things right.