Petty Gossip & Child Rape - The Evil Empire

Well I never knew that the institutionalized and sustained rape of children over the course of a few decades was simply "petty gossip".  I rarely indulge in idle gossip, but I'm thinking I might make an exception in this instance.  It's almost (but not quite) like the old lady who lives on your street peeking at the goings on from behind her net curtains, noting that Mrs Cartwright has had yet another strange male visitor today.

Having attended a number of Catholic retreats as a small boy myself, I have no memories of abuse, but I do recall that the lunches were fantastic.  Especially the Cornish pasties, it was almost worth all the praying and cow towing to the godhead just for the pasties.  That was some 35 years ago now, and perhaps I should feel a little insulted that I was not raped by a kindly priest.  Maybe I was just an ugly child and none of the priests fancied me.

Cardinal Angelo Sodano has defended the Pope's comments saying "Holy Father, the people of God are with you and will not let themselves be influenced by the petty gossip of the moment, by the trials that sometimes assail the community of believers."

If I understand that correctly, the Vatican is insisting that we should all keep our noses out of their business and let them get on with preaching the word of their god, and continue to rape children unabated.  And let's not mince our words here, what the Catholic Church has done is allowed a large number of its priests to rape children.   The crimes have been covered up, the criminals protected, and the victims hounded and threatened.  My friends, this is the Catholic Church, as evil an organization as I think it is possible to imagine.

It seems that they just don't get it.  The Vatican cannot seem to grasp the simple point that it has harbored and supported child rapists.  Their PR campaign is purely deflection of the issues, accusing those questioning them of engaging in petty gossip, and likening the pursuit of the truth of the issues to a pogrom against the Jews.

The Pope's personal preacher has since apologized for his statement speaking to Italy's Corriere della Sera newspaper "If -- and it was not my intention to do so -- I hurt the sensitivities of Jews and victims of paedophilia, I am truly sorry and I ask for forgiveness,"

"If" !!!!

Justice for the victims must be sought.  Those perpetrating these heinous crimes, and those that harbored the rapists must be investigated and brought to trial if the evidence supports a case.  And it does not matter whether it is the Pope, a cardinal or some low level acolyte, justice must be done and must be seen to be done.  Rather than deflecting, the Vatican must take a lead and offer the authorities all assistance in pursuing the rapists and their friends.

It's purely speculation on my part, but perhaps the Vatican is not willing to do so because the criminals are at the very highest levels in the church, and that may well include the Pope.  I suspect that more information will be forthcoming and the Vatican may crumble as the criminals are brought to justice.