From Crux:
Mexican cardinal says abuse victims should think about skeletons in their own closet
- Inés San MartínAug 21, 2018
New Cardinal Sergio Obeso Rivera, retired archbishop of Xalapa, Mexico, greets cardinals during a consistory at which Pope Francis created 14 new cardinals in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican June 28. (Credit: CNS photo/Paul Haring.)
DUBLIN-Swimming against the tide of promises to crack down on abuse and cover-up led by Pope Francis, a newly created Mexican cardinal said that some accusers should be “ashamed” to point their finger at clerics because many of them have skeletons in their own closets.
The victims of pedophilia who “accuse men of the Church should [be careful] because they have long tails that are easily stepped on,” said Cardinal Sergio Obeso Rivera.
The cardinal, emeritus Archbishop of Xalapa, in Veracruz, Mexico, spoke to journalists before a celebration he led in his former diocese.
Even though he acknowledged that that some allegations are true, he went after the victims and avoided referring to the Pennsylvania grand jury report in the United States that found some 300 abusive priests in a span of seven decades in six dioceses.
Obeso Rivera’s words came last week, after the report was made public.
“I’m here happy to talk about nice things, not about problematic things, it’s an accusation that is made, and in some cases it’s true. But the evil of many is the consolation of fools, because sometimes those who “accuse men of the Church should [be careful] because they have long tails that are easily stepped on.”
However, he did say that the accusations “make us feel bad and we want to improve.”
Obeso Rivera was made a cardinal by Pope Francis on June 28. As the prelate is over 80, he will not be participating in the eventual conclave to choose the pontiff’s successor.
Mexico is the home of Father Marcial Maciel Degollado, founder of the Legionaries of Christ, who was found guilty by the Vatican of having sexually abused minors and young men. After his death, it also revealed that he had maintained relationships with at least two women, fathering more than one child.
18 comments:
The Francis really knows how to pick 'em. I wonder what his end game is, seeing as how none of the picks really seem all that Catholic? Gee, and no shepherd says a thing....
LOL - talk about tone deaf. Ya, old PF knows how to pick them.
So, here it comes.
Thanks to all the bishops, cardinals, priests, and popes who allowed this disease to fester within the Church without doing the one thing necessary: removal of all homosexuals from the priesthood.
PRAYER REQUEST:
Fr. Basil Hutsko was attacked and knocked unconscious this morning in the altar servers sacristy at his parish in Merrillville, Indiana, after celebrating Liturgy. The attacker choked him and slammed his head to the ground. Fr. Basil lost consciousness. Before going unconscious Fr. Basil heard the attacker say, “This is for all the kids!” (reference to the clergy sex abuse coverage in the media.)
All clergy are now targets and need to be vigilant. However it must also be clear that Fr. Hutsko was a random target. He is NOT guilty of any sex abuse.
Fr. Hutsko is being examined in the hospital at this time.
Thank you,
Fr. Thomas J. Loya
More of the same...is it any wonder we laity don’t trust magisterial episcopacy? This would be the same pope who threw Cdl. Burke under the bus.
Sounds like he is on muscle relaxers.
If some of these bishops and cardinals do tender their resignations, I hope Pope Francis appoints some good replacements. We can hope and pray. He will be putting
his stamp on the American episcopate.
Prayers for the Priest, Basil, that he may quickly recover from the physical and mental trauma of this attack.
DJR:
"Thanks to all the bishops, cardinals, priests, and popes who allowed this disease to fester within the Church without doing the one thing necessary: removal of all homosexuals from the priesthood."
Agree. While I am sure there are good, chaste, homosexual priests, this attack only serves to make clear (at least to me) why I do not believe the Church can continue having it both ways. To me, having it both ways protects the homosexuals. Again, to me, a chaste, heterosexual priesthood protects: The integrity and moral authority of The Priesthood and The Church as well as the souls in its care (including their salvation). Last, Fr. Z warned of this - how swiftly it happened.
Prayers for the safety of our priests as well as the laity that occupy the pews in their respective churches.
To parrot TJM, this "Prince" is beyond tone-deaf. How fortunate are we that he will be unable to vote in a future conclave.
deep down in bottom of the blackest part of my heart, it's a pity that the attack on Fr Hutsko wasn't perpetrated against the idiot cardinal from Mexico, some of these brain dead,tone deaf, pompous, red hats are monsters and deserve a thrashing within an inch of their lives. The fish rots from the head and sadly the head in this case is a head case. If their desire is to destroy the church, the laity and their own souls they are doing a bang up job.
St Joseph we pray, please open their eyes, or close them permanently
I pray for a Pope Burke, or maybe Schneider, or Sarah. It is our only hope
My god these men are beyond words. I heard what he said. If I heard it then Francis had to hear it. Why is this man a Cardinal and the ordinary of that diocese. Pretty soon it’s going to be torches and pitchfork time. Just sayin.
Pope Burke? You mean Pope John XXIV. And his Chief of Staff, RCG the Merciful.
Kavanaugh,
Is this Cardinal one of your heros? I guess he is
MT,
Is this another "awesome" decision of PF's?
TJM,
To be fair to Mark Thomas, I think his praise of the Pope is limited to the Roman Pontiff's official teaching, sanctifying, and legislating roles in the Church and does not run the gamut of any pope's disciplinary discretion.
Entre los obispos, hay demasiado jotos.
Adam Michael,
Interesting take. But MT does not limit himself in that way if you read his comments. He thinks the Pope has the authority over virtually any aspect of the Faith even when it contradicts settled doctrine. Although with his endless non sequiturs it is difficult at times to figure out just what he is saying.
Why return his red hat? Sounds like a fairly typical homosexualist FrancisCardinal.
after all WHO ARE WE TO JUDGE ???!!!
The blind leading the blind.
Let the dead bury the dead.
The next conclave?
The largely spiritually dead voting for candidates who have been mostly blinded by their sins.
Lord Jesus Christ, I pray these times may end soon, and to think !! for 50 years plus good Catholic priests and good Catholic lay people have been mocked as pre Vat 2 Catholics or wanting to live "mentally in the 19th century."
Before 1970 would the Church ......from, actually the 4th century to the 19th century would any order have accepted a young man who clearly made clear he was living in sin with his girl-friend or was not sure if his preference was for women, men or teenage boys.....or those who declared nothing but were clearly to anyone as "camp as a row of tents".
Tom Curtin.
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