A sad sign of holy times…
We’ve all heard the lurid stories of Catholic priests with, you know, problems. And a good number of those even hit close to area parishes and went far beyond the rounds of confessions.
However an ad May 15 in USA TODAY’s Money section really brought it all home.
The three column by four and one-half inch display ad ran in the paper’s Marketplace Today sub-section, a section usually reserved for paid legal notices such as advisories and/or searches for potential individuals in pending class action lawsuits.
If this sexual abuse claim/Chapter 11 ad doesn’t blow Papal minds nothing will.
And I quote:
“In re THE ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF STOCKTON, a California corporation sole. Case No. 14-20371-C-11.
“YOU MAY HAVE A CLAIM AGAINST THE ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF STOCKTON aka THE DIOCESE OF STOCKTON.
“On January 15, 2014, The Roman Catholic Bishop of Stockton (the ‘Debtor’) filed for protection under chapter 11 of title 11 of the United States Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of California.
“The last day to file a sexual abuse claim against the debtor is August 15, 2014 at 4:00 p.m. prevailing Pacific Time.
“IF YOU WERE SEXUALLY ABUSED BY ANY MEMBER OF THE CLERGY OR OTHER PERSON CONNECTED WITH THE ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF STOCKTON aka THE DIOCESE OF STOCKTON, YOU MUST FILE A CLAIM BY AUGUST 15, 2014 at 4:00 P.M. PREVAILING PACIFIC TIME….”
(Legal instructions follow)
HOLY COW!
Just another legal eagle announcement of a corporate entity gone bad? I don’t think so.
To my thinking it’s yet another example of the sad state of affairs the Catholic church has taken far too long to correct. And for that the home office in Rome should be ashamed of itself.
Now go and sin no more.
If there is a more egregious betrayal of trust in recent history, it escapes me at the moment. Predator, pedophile priests, raping children while in the service of God. Then, the obscenity of Holy Mother Church hiding the crimes and enabling the perps to prowl new hunting grounds in search of potential catamites.
Growing up in the Catholic Church in the 50’s and 60’s, I knew God’s rules, they were stringent, draconian and unrelenting. The stated penalties for straying from the path, were described in detail by the nuns in school and the priests on Sunday at the pulpit. The encyclopedia of sins, thoughts, words and deeds, yes deeds were a burden you were tasked to avoid your whole life, and, if you died a lucky death with time for a final confession, your passport through the Gates Of Heaven was assured.
In 7th Grade, I knew there was no hope. Even with the Sacrament of Confession I would need a killer lawyer and some serious juice to get the last bus to purgatory.
These sins of the clergy, as I used to understand it, are forgivable according to church doctrine. Of course, church doctrine changes frequently. Meat on Fridays, the Latin Mass etc etc. The next time guys in pointy hats get together to adjust the rules, maybe the sins of the fathers should be considered. If nothing else, what would the pennance be for such atrocities, such betrayals?
Me, I don’t think a couple of Rosaries and the Stations of the Cross are gonna get it.
Re: The second coming….
If Jesus shows up with a lawyer, the Romans are so screwed!
Hail Satan!
hail satan!
Good topic and effort, Jack. Normally taking a position on either politics or religion would draw a larger volume of thoughtful and opinionated comments. Other than Chuck’s, I can’t believe this one didn’t have that effect. Being a heathen, I didn’t think I possessed the cred to offer up one.
It’s going to be finish of mine day, but before ending I am reading this enormous
post to increase my know-how.