Archive for juli 2011
International Reaction : World Media On [Taoiseach / Prime Minister] Kenny’s Attack [on the Vatican] [Ireland / Global]
The Guardian
What makes the verbal sortie on the Vatican so groundbreaking is that it is a Fine Gael taoiseach, whose political base lies in the conservative west of Ireland, who has led from the front.
Daily Mail
The astonishing attack was the first time that Ireland’s parliament has publicly castigated the Vatican instead of local church leaders during the country’s 17 years of paedophile-priest scandals.
The Spectator
It would have been unthinkable even perhaps back in the 1990s for a leader of Fine Gael to go as far as take on the Vatican. But this is exactly what happened this week and it marks a significant, historic milestone on Ireland’s journey away from being a mono-Catholic state into a 21st European republic.
BBC News Online
An unprecedented attack on the Catholic Church.
Deutsche Welle
Ireland’s premier Enda Kenny has issued a stinging attack on the Vatican, accusing Rome of putting its own interests ahead of victims of child sexual abuse.
Al-Jazeera
Kenny criticised the role of the Vatican over allegations that the Catholic church covered up child abuse by its priests.
Australian
Irish prime minister Enda Kenny launched a blistering attack on the Vatican . . . his hard-hitting comments came in a parliamentary debate.
New York Times
The rare denunciation of the Holy See’s influence in this predominantly Catholic country came just a week after the government issued a report accusing the Vatican of sabotaging Irish bishops’ 1996 decision to begin reporting suspected cases of child abuse to the police.
CNN
Ireland’s prime minister launched a stinging attack on the Vatican.
Time
In a direct challenge to the Vatican, Kenny denounced what he called “the dysfunction, disconnection, elitism – and the narcissism – that dominate the culture of the Vatican to this day”.
‘Everything I wanted to hear for years,’ says victim [Ireland]
PATSY McGARRY
REACTION: REACTION FROM victims of clerical sex abuse and their representatives to the Taoiseach’s Wednesday Dáil address has been very positive.
Marie Collins, who was abused as a young girl by Fr Paul McGennis, said last night that “Enda Kenny’s excellent speech . . . said everything I have wanted to hear our Government say for many years”.
She said that “finally the message has been sent to the leaders of the Catholic Church, both in Ireland and the Vatican, that they must respect the people and the laws of this country. This must now be followed up with full implementation of the new child protection laws and a thorough investigation of all dioceses.”
Andrew Madden, who was the first clerical child abuse victim to go public in Ireland, was in the Dáil public gallery for the Cloyne debate on Wednesday when the Taoiseach delivered his address. It was “good to be there for it”, he said.
The address’s “content and tone was a welcome change from the deferential drivel of his predecessors”, he said.
“It was very comforting to hear the duly-elected leader reflecting the views not only of the abused but of the wider public as well, and that he got across our understanding that abuse is not an Irish problem but a Vatican problem.
“The Irish people appreciate that it goes right to the heart of the Vatican. That doesn’t excuse the Irish bishops.”
He said the address “put down a marker on Ireland’s profile as a Catholic country. It is now a proper republic and no longer ‘Magdalene Ireland’ or ‘Industrial School Ireland’.”
He also said Government actions on the Children First guidelines, the appointment of a new Department of Children and of Minister Frances Fitzgerald, and comments by Minister for Justice Alan Shatter were “all very positive…all very welcome”.
John Kelly of Irish Soca (Survivors of Child Abuse) found the Taoiseach’s address “very encouraging…very heartening that the Government should respond in such a robust way”.
It was “needed”. He felt that should the Vatican continue to not be co-operative where the State was concerned “they should be sent packing as if they were spying”.
Maeve Lewis of the One in Four group was “very surprised at the strength” of the address, and “absolutely delighted that an Irish Taoiseach had the guts to stand up and clearly state that the laws of Ireland supersede those of any organisation or other state”.
Abuse survivors had been phoning One in Four “in huge numbers feeling, probably, for the first time, protected”.
“They are feeling at last that they are full citizens of this country,” she said.
Beantwoording Kamervragen over nazorg van misbruik in de rooms-katholieke kerk [Nederland]
Minister Schippers (VWS) stuurt mede namens de staatssecretaris van Veiligheid en Justitie de antwoorden op de Kamervragen van de leden K. Arib (PvdA), S.M.J.G. Gesthuizen (SP) en T. Dibi (GroenLinks) over het bericht dat er onvoldoende nazorg is voor slachtoffers van seksueel misbruik binnen de rooms-katholieke kerk.
Iers parlement kritiseert Vaticaanse doofpot
Het Ierse parlement heeft woensdag unaniem zijn afkeuring uitgesproken over pogingen van het Vaticaan om Ierse maatregelen tegen kindermisbruik door priesters te dwarsbomen. In een motie zeggen regerings- en oppositiepartijen de gang van zaken bij het Vaticaan te ‘betreuren’.
In de jaren negentig voerde Ierland nieuw beleid in dat erop gericht was kinderen beter te beschermen tegen misbruik door geestelijken. Onder dit beleid is het verplicht de politie in te lichten over gevallen van seksueel misbruik.
Ierse onderzoekers ontdekten echter in 2008 dat medewerkers van de katholieke kerk nog altijd bewijzen van misbruik achterhielden. Hiertegen sprak het Ierse parlement zich woensdag uit.
Beyond Polyamory [United States]
by Deborah Anapol, Ph.D.
When I first began consciously thinking about non-monogamy in the early 80’s, I thought of my direction as going beyond the limitations of monogamy. I was not alone. An earlier generation of pioneers, inspired by Robert Rimmer and Robert Heinlein had been producing articles, books, and newsletters entitled “Beyond Monogamy” since the early 70’s. One of my first moves was to adopt the term responsible non-monogamy, to differentiate my area of interest from what I regarded as the less noble variations on monogamy. I think all of us on the scene in the mid 90’s heaved a big sigh of relief when the word polyamory caught on and we could liberate ourselves at last from the shadow of monogamy.
Flash forward another decade. After nearly twenty years of slogging around polyamory land, and watching wave after wave of new explorers stumble through the same jungles I have made my way across, I begin to wonder, what’s next? While the freedom to explore polyamory is crucial to both spiritual and cultural evolution, I believe it’s a mistake to view polyamory, however you chose to define it, as the destination.
German Church May Give Victims 5,000 Euros, Sueddeutsche Says
By Niklas Magnusson
Germany’s Roman Catholic Church plans to give victims of sexual abuse as much as 5,000 euros ($7,086) each in compensation, Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported today, citing unidentified people with knowledge of the plan.
In severe cases, the church may increase the maximum compensation and may also take over the cost of therapy for some victims, the newspaper reported. So far, 579 people have applied for compensation from the church, Sueddeutsche Zeitung said.
Zie:
- Entschädigung für 560 #Missbrauchsopfer / Von Matthias Drobinski [DE; Sueddeutsche Zeitung] http://tiny.cc/5ut01
- Katholische Kirche entschädigt 560 Opfer [DE; SPIEGEL ONLINE; #Missbrauchsopfer] http://tiny.cc/adauf
SNAP on Rigali’s replacement [United States]
Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 503 0003, SNAPdorris@gmail.com)
Whoever replaces Rigali will likely be less cold and aloof, but that means nothing when it comes to the safety of kids. You cannot judge a bishop’s performance on clergy sex crimes and cover ups based on his personality. Child predators and corrupt bishops can both come across as warm and charismatic in public. A more charming personal demeanor does not guarantee greater concern for children.
When one prelate replaces another, Catholics and citizens almost always assume that the new guy will be better than the old guy. That is a reckless assumption.
It is clear that after the 2005 grand jury report, Philly church officials chose to work harder and smarter at keeping clergy sex crimes hidden. Despite the work of the grand jury, they succeeded to some extent. Philly’s next archbishop could do the same.
It is important that no one get complacent. No one prelate caused the crisis. No one prelate can fix it.
It’s crucial that anyone who sees, suspects, or suffers clergy sex crimes or cover ups continues to speak up and seek help from independent sources. Sometimes, when a new bishop is named, victims who were rebuffed or treated insensitively under the former bishop think; “Well, I’ll give this new guy a try and sit down with his staff.” We beg victims to not fall to this temptation. Clergy sex crimes and cover ups should be reported to secular authorities, not church authorities.
Contact – David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, SNAPclohessy@aol.com), Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747, SNAPblaine@gmail.com), Peter Isely (414-429-7259, peterisely@yahoo.com), Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688 home, 314-503-0003 cell, SNAPdorris@gmail.com)
Posted on Mon, Jul. 18, 2011
Sources: Rigali out as leader of Philadelphia Archdiocese
By JAN RANSOM
Philadelphia Daily News
ransomj@phillynews.com 215-854-5218
FIVE MONTHS AFTER a grand-jury report blasted the Archdiocese of Philadelphia for failing to investigate claims of sexual abuse by priests against children, Pope Benedict XVI will accept Cardinal Justin Rigali’s resignation this week, the Daily News has learned.
The Archdiocese did not return calls yesterday seeking comment on Rigali’s expected resignation. But sources close to the Archdiocese confirmed a report Thursday on the National Catholic Reporter’s website that Rigali would resign. Blogger Michael Sean Winters, who authored that report, said last night that the announcement likely would be made tomorrow.
Sources told the Daily News yesterday that the front-runner to replace the embattled cardinal is Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver, a Native American.
On his blog, Winters also named as a possible successor Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Atlanta, who would be the first African-American archbishop to become a cardinal. Other candidates suggested by Winters are Archbishop Joseph Kurtz, of Louisville, Ky., and Bishop William Lori, of Bridgeport, Conn.
Rigali, 76, took over for Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua in 2003. He has been under fire following a grand-jury report, released in February, accusing the Archdiocese of a widespread cover-up of predatory priests over decades, and alleging that as many as 37 priests remained active in the ministry despite credible accusations against them. The report recommended that the Archdiocese revamp procedures for assisting victims and for removing priests accused of molesting children.
A high-ranking Archdiocesan official was charged with child-endangerment for allegedly transferring “predator priests” to other positions. Two priests, a former priest and a former Catholic schoolteacher were charged with sexually assaulting minors.
In response to the grand-jury report, Rigali initially said that no priests in active ministry “have an admitted or established allegation of sexual abuse of a minor against them.”
But in March, Rigali announced the suspensions of 21 priests accused of sexual abuse. The suspensions were the most sweeping in the history of the sexual-abuse scandal in the Roman Catholic Church in the U.S.
Three other priests already had been placed on administrative leave after the grand-jury report. Five others would have been suspended, the church said in a statement, but three were no longer active and two were no longer in the Archdiocese. The church said that in eight cases, no further investigation was warranted.
With public pressure mounting, Catholic commentators say that a spotlight is shining on Philadelphia.
“This is the most high-stakes personnel move Pope Benedict is making as pope,” said Rocco Palmo, of Philadelphia, author of the Catholic-oriented blog Whispers in the Loggia. “Every bishop in the country is watching. They know it will reflect on them and their archdiocese. The eyes of the Catholic world are on Philly right now.”
Palmo said the pope decided two weeks ago who would become the city’s next cardinal.
As a matter of Cardinal Law, Rigali turned in his letter of resignation when he turned 75 in April 2010. The pope can accept the resignation at any time, but Winters said Rigali hadn’t planned to leave so soon.
“I don’t think he was planning on leaving this year,” Winters said. “He understood after the grand-jury report he could not dig them out of this mess.”
The grand-jury investigation was released following the investigation into allegations that two priests and a teacher sexually abused a 10-year-old boy at St. Jerome Parish in Northeast Philadelphia, and that another priest assigned to St. Jerome raped a 14-year-old boy.
The Rev. Charles Engelhardt, former priest Edward Avery and former teacher Bernard Shero were charged with sodomizing the 10-year-old, and the Rev. James Brennan was accused of raping the 14-year-old in his apartment.
Monsignor William Lynn was charged with child endangerment for allegedly shielding and transferring known predatory priests. Lynn, who was responsible for investigating reports of rape and for recommending corrective action to prevent reoffending, also had been Bevilacqua’s secretary for clergy.
The grand jury was the second empaneled in the past decade to examine sexual abuse among Philadelphia priests. In 2005, a grand jury accused the Archdiocesan leadership of mishandling abuse complaints and protecting pedophile priests. Those grand jurors complained that the statute of limitations prevented them from criminally charging higher-ups.
Two months ago, the Associated Press reported that the head of the church’s own review board accused Rigali and his bishops of having “failed miserably at being open and transparent,” and said that most cases of abuse had been kept from the board.
Yesterday, a leading advocate for victims of alleged priest sexual abuse said the church must address its existing culture.
“It’s a culture in an establishment that puts the reputation of predators and enablers over the protection of children,” Barbara Blaine, president of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, said in a telephone interview from Chicago. “Rigali has fallen short of leadership. It is really important, whoever follows Rigali, that there’s a new structure in place to prohibit the cardinal from covering up sex crimes.”
Rigali’s anticipated resignation and replacement come at a time of significant downsizing in the Archdiocese.
The Archdiocese announced in March that seven small parish elementary schools – four in Philadelphia and three in Bucks County – were to close at the end of the recent school year.
Parish elementary-school enrollment in the Archdiocese has fallen 18 percent during the past five years; high-school enrollment has dropped 20 percent.
Last year, 11 schools were closed, including two city high schools: Cardinal Dougherty and North Catholic. Parish schools closed in the city were Ascension of Our Lord and St. Anne, both in Kensington; St. Cyprian, in Cobbs Creek; and St. Hugh of Cluny, in Fairhill.
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, 19 juli 2011
Hom. baardaap zkt. rielekste macrob. travest. [Nederland]
Door Harry Lensink & Map Oberndorff
Hetero’s, homo’s en lesbo’s, overspeligen en nudisten, travestieten, sadomasochisten en exhibitionisten: velen zochten en vonden hun gerief via een Zettertje. De advertentierubriek van Vrij Nederland was de thermometer voor de seksuele revolutie.
Dit artikel verscheen in september 2010 in Vrij Nederland en hebben we online gezet ter gelegenheid van de seks-special die deze week in het blad verschijnt.
Het gebeurde tijdens het diner. Eerder die dag, op 2 mei 1970, was het monument onthuld ter ere van verzetsstrijder en oud-hoofdredacteur van Vrij Nederland Henk van Randwijk. Bij het etentje na afloop in hotel Americain schoven zo’n zestig genodigden aan, veelal hoofdrolspelers uit de illegaliteit. Op een gegeven moment stapt een van hen, licht aangeschoten, naar Harmen Bockma, de toenmalige directeur van het weekblad. ‘U hebt Vrij Nederland als een koopman verkwanseld aan de Zettertjes!’ brieste de oud-verzetsman.
‘Er dreigde een ruzie te ontstaan,’ zegt Bockma veertig jaar na dato. ‘Gelukkig kwam Joop den Uyl, ook aanwezig bij het dineetje, tussenbeide om de vrede te bewaren.’
De oud-directeur noemt de anekdote tekenend voor het sentiment dat de rubriek met contactadvertenties opriep. En er waren in die tijd meer tegengeluiden te horen. Bockma herinnert zich dat het dagblad Trouw weigerde nog langer advertenties te plaatsen waarin Vrij Nederland zichzelf aanprees. De protestantse krant vond de inhoud van de Zettertjes te stuitend. Ook Albert Heijn wilde in eerste instantie niet worden geassocieerd met zo veel onzedelijkheid. Bockma: ‘Mijn pogingen om Vrij Nederland in de tijdschriftenvakken te krijgen, liepen schipbreuk. De boodschap van de directie was duidelijk: “Die advertenties kunnen niet bij ons, wij zijn een winkel voor het gezin.”‘
Na bemiddeling van een bevriende hoogleraar ging het levensmiddelenconcern alsnog overstag.
Nieuwe moraal
De meer behoudende VN-abonnees kregen begin jaren zeventig dan ook heel wat voor de kiezen. In weinig verhullende steekwoorden zochten adverteerders contact met seksueel gelijkgestemden. Bijvoorbeeld het echtpaar uit ‘de omgeving van Gouda’, liefhebbers van VPRO en popmuziek, met twee kinderen, dat op zoek was naar ‘kennismaking met mogelijkheid tot partnerruil’. Ze bevonden zich in het gezelschap van ‘nette heren’ die naar ‘rondborstige vrouwen’ lonkten ‘om eens te verwennen’. Dominante mannen die het wilden aanleggen met onderdanige types. Macrobiotische travestieten, ‘hippe vogels’, die vlasten op biseksuele contacten. Liefhebbers van ‘fluweel, corduroy en andere zachte broeken’, na hun oproep wachtend op reacties van ‘gelijkgestemden’.
Dat en nog veel meer werd wekelijkse kost voor de lezer. Toch overheerste bij de uitgeverij en het progressieve smaldeel van de maatschappij vooral een positief gevoel over het vrijzinnige advertentiebeleid. Het paste in de tijd van seksuele revolutie, van homo-emancipatie, Dolle Mina’s, anticonceptie, het COC en de NVSH.
Hoewel de nieuwe moraal zich eind jaren zestig op vele plaatsen in de samenleving al had gemanifesteerd, bleven de media achter. Toen kranten als de Volkskrant en De Telegraaf advertenties van homo’s nog weigerden, besloot Vrij Nederland om ze te accepteren, vooral omdat het blad zich in haar artikelen ook schaarde achter seksuele emancipatie. Toch niet geheel zeker van haar zaak, informeerde de redactie eerst bij het Openbaar Ministerie. De betrokken officier van justitie liet echter weten het blad ongemoeid te laten omdat het ‘moest kunnen in de context van Vrij Nederland’. In 1970 onderzocht het OM zelfs de strafbaarheid van seks- en pornoadvertenties in verschillende media en concludeerde dat VN ‘voldoende intellectueel tegenwicht’ bood tegenover de bedenkelijke commerciële uitingen.
‘Het weekblad liep enorm vooruit op andere kranten,’ zegt psycholoog Wil Zeegers, die promoveerde op de ontstaansgeschiedenis van contactadvertenties. ‘Bij de Volkskrant kon je eind jaren zestig niet eens een advertentie plaatsen als je als katholiek gescheiden was. Tenzij het gepaard ging met een schriftelijke verklaring van een geestelijke. De Zettertjes van Vrij Nederland gaven aan wat er in de maatschappij aan de hand was, terwijl dat in de advertentierubrieken van de andere kranten werd doodgezwegen.’
Church magazine refuses ad for book telling of minister’s rape [United Kingdom]
By Alan Taylor
EXCLUSIVE By Alan Taylor
LIFE And Work, the Church of Scotland’s in-house magazine, has been accused of censorship after refusing to take an advert for a book by one of its former ministers.
Derek Rodger, who owns Argyll Publishing, says he tried to take out an advert for the forthcoming book Scandalous, Immoral And Improper, by Helen Percy. He says he was told it was not “entirely suitable for a church magazine” and was “giving cause for concern”, apparently because of the “racy” title.
Paus aanvaardt ontslag aartsbisschop Philadelphia
Paus Benedictus XVI heeft dinsdag het ontslag van aartsbisschop Justin Rigali van Philadelphia aanvaard. Als opvolger benoemde de paus aartsbisschop Charles Chaput van Denver, een vertegenwoordiger van de conservatieve vleugel van de Amerikaanse katholieke kerk.
Rigali (76) kreeg ontslag vanwege zijn leeftijd. Hij kreeg kritiek te verduren vanwege zijn aanpak van een misbruikschandaal. Net als zijn voorganger verzweeg hij geloofwaardige klachten van seksueel misbruik door tientallen priesters in het aartsbisdom Philadelphia.
Polyamorie 