Where the Rubber Hits the Road

It's a sad day for the Archdioceses of New York and Philadelphia as employees are charged with stealing millions from the Church to maintain their  lifestyle. The New York Times writes about a woman who accomplished the undertaking to maintain her daily New York life. The Philadelphia Inquirer posts an article about another who bilked another million covering losses she ran up at casinos. I am not surprised people steal. No one who hears confessions for a living, be they priests, bartenders or barbers, would be shocked by such news. But there is something particularly odious about stealing from a Church. Whether it's emptying the poor box of coins or bank accounts with fraudulent bills, it's all stealing from monies given with the goal of helping the poor and educating the young. We sadly often applaud those who steal from the rich to give to the poor; from Robin Hood of film and legend to today's 'Anonymous' Movement  who hack computers to do the same. W...

"Congratulations on a well thought out critique of the evils of the Church, circa middle-age to present. It certainly highlights a lot of the misgivings and tragedies that secularists, such as you, have branded into your psyche. You identify "Thousands and thousands of innocent children...attacked and abused by hundreds of (clergy) world-wide." It's undeniable that sexual abuse has been what many Catholics believe to be the greatest stain yet to blot the image of the Church. No doubt, secularists would argue more. You do, however, avoid acknowledging the fact that this same Church has also sheltered, fed, medically treated, taught and shepherded millions of indigent children and adults All Over The World for hundreds of years. Just recently, this same Church- composed of religious and laity- raised millions for Haitian relief. Did I say millions? Ah, such humanism. Of course, as a historian, you're aware that Humanism arose in the Church. Unfortunat...