Vatican Preacher: Pedophilia accusations akin to anti-Semitic nazi rhetoric

[Martinus]

Vatican Priest Likens Criticism Over Abuse to Anti-Semitism
By DANIEL J. WAKIN and RACHEL DONADIO

ROME — A senior Vatican priest, speaking before Pope Benedict XVI at a Good Friday service, compared the world's outrage at sexual abuse scandals in the Catholic Church to the persecution of the Jews, prompting angry responses from victims' advocates and consternation from Jewish groups.

The Vatican spokesman quickly distanced the Vatican from the remarks, which came on the day Christians mark the Crucifixion. They underscored how much the Catholic Church has felt under attack from recent news reports and from criticism over how it has handled charges of child molesting against priests in the past.

The pope and his bishops have denounced abuses in the church, but many prelates and Vatican officials have lashed back at news reports that Benedict failed to act strongly enough against pedophile priests, once as archbishop of Munich and Freising in 1980 and once as a leader of the Vatican's powerful Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

The Vatican has denied that he was at fault, and Vatican officials have variously described the reports as "deceitful," an effort to undermine the church and a "defamatory campaign."

Speaking in St. Peter's Basilica, the priest, the Rev. Raniero Cantalamessa, took note that Easter and Passover fell during the same week this year, and said he was led to think of the Jews.

"They know from experience what it means to be victims of collective violence, and also because of this they are quick to recognize the recurring symptoms," said Father Cantalamessa, who serves under the title of preacher of the papal household. Then he quoted from what he said was a letter from a Jewish friend he did not identify.

"I am following the violent and concentric attacks against the church, the pope and all the faithful by the whole world," he said the friend wrote. "The use of stereotypes, the passing from personal responsibility and guilt to a collective guilt, remind me of the more shameful aspects of anti-Semitism."

Good Friday has traditionally been a fraught day in Catholic-Jewish relations. Until the liberalizing Second Vatican Council in the 1960s, Catholic liturgy included a prayer for the conversion of the Jews, and Catholic teaching held Jews responsible for the Crucifixion.

The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, stressed that Father Cantalamessa's sermon represented his own thoughts and was not an official Vatican statement.

Father Lombardi said the remarks should not be construed as equating recent criticism of the Catholic Church with anti-Semitism.

"I don't think it's an appropriate comparison," he said. "That's why the letter should be read as a letter of solidarity by a Jew."

Yet the official Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, published the remarks in its Saturday edition, which appeared online on Friday evening.

Even as the priest spoke out against attacks on the church, Archbishop Robert Zollitsch of Freiburg, head of the German Bishops Conference, said Friday that sexual abuse victims were not helped enough "out of a misplaced concern for the reputation of the church."

The church, he said, was shaken by "the suffering inflicted on the victims, who often for decades could not put their injuries into words." Bishops around Europe have been offering similar remarks in recent days, following a major statement by the pope on molesting in the Irish church.

Father Cantalamessa's comments about the Jews came toward the end of a long talk about Scripture, the nature of violence and the sacrifice of Jesus. He also spoke at length about violence against women, but gave only slight mention of the children and adolescents who had been molested by priests. "I am not speaking here of violence against children, of which unfortunately also elements of the clergy are stained; of that there is sufficient talk outside of here," he said.

Disclosures about hundreds of such cases have emerged in recent months in Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Austria and France, after a previous round of scandal in the United States.

A leading advocate for sexual abuse victims in the United States, David Clohessy, called comparing criticism of the church to persecution of the Jews "breathtakingly callous and misguided."

"Men who deliberately and consistently hide child sex crime are in no way victims," he said. "And to conflate public scrutiny with horrific violence is about as wrong as wrong can be."

Another American victims' advocate rejected the Vatican's statement distancing itself from the remarks. "Father Cantalamessa chose to equate calumny against the Jewish people as the same as criticism of Pope Benedict," said Kristine Ward, a spokeswoman for the National Survivor Advocates Coalition. "It is incomprehensible that Father Cantalamessa did this and that Pope Benedict, the ultimate authority in this church who presided at the service, did not stand during the service to disavow this connection to anti-Semitism."

The comments also ruffled Vatican-Jewish relations, which have often been tense during Benedict's papacy.

Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni, the chief rabbi of Rome, who was host to Benedict at the Rome synagogue in January on a visit that helped calm waters after a year of tensions, laughed in seeming disbelief when asked about Father Cantalamessa's remarks.

"With a minimum of irony, I will say that today is Good Friday, when they pray that the Lord illuminate our hearts so we recognize Jesus," Rabbi Di Segni said, referring to a prayer in the traditional Catholic liturgy calling for the conversion of the Jews. "We also pray that the Lord illuminate theirs."

Abraham Foxman, the national director of the Anti-Defamation League in the United States, attributed the remarks to ignorance, not malice. "You would think that a senior priest in the church would have a better understanding of anti-Semitism than to make this hideous comparison," he said.

Benedict caused friction with Jewish groups in 2007 when he issued a ruling making it easier to use the Latin Mass, including that Good Friday prayer. In January 2009, he stirred outrage when he revoked the excommunication of four schismatic bishops, one of whom turned out to have denied the scope of the Holocaust.

Father Cantalamessa's remarks come after weeks of intense scrutiny of Benedict, which some in the Italian news media have seen in conspiratorial terms. Last week, the center-left daily newspaper La Repubblica wrote , without attribution, that "certain Catholic circles" believed the criticism of the church stemmed from "a New York 'Jewish lobby."

Father Cantalamessa is a longtime fixture in the papal household, having been appointed its official preacher by Pope John Paul II in 1980. The apostolic preacher, as he also is called, gives meditations — especially during Advent and Lent — for the pope and Vatican hierarchy. The role was established by Pope Paul IV in the middle of the 16th century, and the job was later reserved for a member of the Franciscan Order of Capuchin Friars Minor.

Father Cantalamessa was also tasked to deliver a meditation on the problems facing the church and need for careful consideration to the college of cardinals shortly after the death of John Paul II, as they prepared to elect his successor. Their choice was Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict.

Nicholas Kulish contributed reporting from Berlin.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/03/world/europe/03church.html

Gotta say, these motherfuckers got some nerve. That, or they are abso-fucking-lutely clueless about the modern world.

[The Brain]

Catholics are vermin who must be eliminated.

[Martinus]

Last week, the center-left daily newspaper La Repubblica wrote , without attribution, that "certain Catholic circles" believed the criticism of the church stemmed from "a New York 'Jewish lobby."

Damn you, Jews, putting all these pretty prepubescent boys in the catholic clergy's wake.

[Martinus]

On second thought, considering these are Catholics, maybe comparing some accusations to blood libel is their way of saying they are true?

[Martinus]

And some BBC coverage:

Fury at anti-Semitism abuse link
Jewish groups and victims of sex abuse by Catholic priests have condemned the Pope's preacher for comparing criticism of the pontiff to anti-Semitism.

US-based abuse victims' group Snap said the remarks were "morally wrong".

The head of Germany's Central Council of Jews described the Easter sermon as unprecedented "insolence".

The Catholic Church has been rocked by abuse scandals this year. The Vatican said Raniero Cantalamessa's remarks did not represent its official view.

Drawing such parallels could "lead to misunderstandings", Vatican spokesman Rev Federico Lombardi told the Associated Press.

'Repulsive and offensive'

Fr Cantalamessa's sermon was printed in full on the front page of the Vatican's official newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano.

ANALYSIS
David Willey, BBC Vatican correspondent The Vatican has been engaged for the past few months in a damage-control operation, defending itself vigorously over claims it covered up cases of sexual abuse in recent decades.
But on one of the most solemn weekends in the Christian calendar, it sparked fresh controversy over its handling of the scandals, which have erupted in many countries.

Fr Raniero Cantalamessa probably thought it would be helpful to compare recent criticism against the Church to anti-Semitism, but he hit absolutely the wrong note.

Although Benedict XVI has made a point of visiting Israel, relations are still tetchy to say the least and comments like this won't help.

But the bigger problem is not ties with Israel, but the damage done to the credibility of the Catholic Church worldwide; this is a very serious crisis for the Vatican.

The Pope, meanwhile, appears to have decided to refrain from any direct comment on the abuse scandals this Easter.

The Catholic Church has been engulfed this year by sex abuse scandals, many dating back decades, in Ireland, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Austria, the Pope's native Germany and the US.

At a Good Friday service in St Peter's Basilica in Rome, the Preacher of the Pontifical Household compared criticism of the Church over abuse allegations to "the collective violence suffered by the Jews".

Fr Cantalamessa said he had been inspired by a letter from a Jewish friend who had been upset by the "attacks" against the Pope.

He then read part of the letter, in which his friend said he was following "with indignation the violent and concentric attacks against the Church, the Pope and all the faithful of the whole world".

"The use of stereotypes and the passing from personal responsibility and guilt to a collective guilt remind me of the more shameful aspects of anti-Semitism," he quoted the letter as saying, as the Pope listened.

The comments swiftly provoked angry reactions both from Jewish groups and those representing abuse victims.

The secretary general of Germany's Central Council of Jews, Stephan Kramer, told the Associated Press the remarks were "repulsive, obscene and most of all offensive towards all abuse victims as well as to all the victims of the Holocaust".

A spokesman for the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (Snap) said the sermon had been "reckless and irresponsible".

'Failure to act'

Benedict is to lead a Saturday vigil service in St Peter's, before delivering his traditional Urbi et Orbi - "for the city and the world" - message and blessing on Easter Sunday.

The pontiff has been accused personally of failing to take action against a suspected abuser during his tenure as archbishop of Munich - a claim the Vatican strongly denies.

Critics also say that when he was prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which deals with sex abuse cases, he did not act against a priest in the US state of Wisconsin who is thought to have abused some 200 deaf boys.

On Friday, the Associated Press reported that the then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger had also allowed a case against a priest in Arizona to languish at the Vatican for years, despite repeated pleas from a local bishop for the man to be removed from the priesthood.

Documents reportedly show that in 1990, members of a Church tribunal found that Rev Michael Teta had molested children as far back as the late 1970s.

The panel referred the case to Cardinal Ratzinger. But it took 12 years from the time the future Pope assumed control of the case in a signed letter until Rev Teta was removed from the ministry, it was alleged.

Meanwhile, a number of Palestinian Christians said Israel had denied them access to Easter Saturday celebrations in Jerusalem's Old City.

Israel said it had issued 10,000 permits and that numbers had to be restricted for security and safety reasons.

There are over 200,000 Christians living in Israel and on the West Bank and many need passes from Israel in order to visit Jerusalem.

Oh, SNAP.

[Martinus]

I also love this:

Williams critical of Irish Church
The Archbishop of Canterbury has said the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland has lost "all credibility" over the way it had dealt with paedophile priests.

Rowan Williams said the problems, which had been a "colossal trauma" for the Church, also affected the wider public.

BBC religious affairs correspondent Robert Pigott said Dr Williams' words represented unusually damning criticism from the leader of another Church.

Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin said he was "stunned" by the remarks.

He said those working to renew the church would be "immensely disheartened" by Dr Williams' comments.

ANALYSIS
Robert Pigott, BBC religious affairs correspondent
Rowan Williams' assessment of the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland as having lost all credibility is unusually blunt and damning.

It should be remembered that relations between the two Churches have been strained since Pope Benedict offered disgruntled Anglicans easy conversion to Catholicism last October.

But Dr Williams' remarks do reflect a growing sense of alarm at what is perceived to be the Catholic Church's disastrous loss of moral authority. His comments will strike a chord with increasing numbers of people who feel the Vatican has yet to realise, let alone accept, the seriousness of the plight it shares with the Church in Ireland.

While it is very unusual for one Church leader to make such comments about another, Dr Williams will feel the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland and the UK's Anglican Churches are fighting the same battle against secularism and the erosion of Christian influence and status.

On the most important weekend in the Christian calendar, when the Church is supposed to be talking about renewal, it faces a real crisis which Dr Williams believes needs to be sorted out.

The Church in Ireland said the issue of abuse was being taken "very seriously".

Last month, Pope Benedict XVI apologised to all victims of child sex abuse by Catholic priests in Ireland.

He has also rebuked Irish bishops for "grave errors of judgement" in dealing with the problem.

Dr Williams' voiced his first comments about the scandal in an interview to be broadcast on BBC Radio 4's Start the Week programme.

He said: "I was speaking to an Irish friend recently who was saying that it's quite difficult in some parts of Ireland to go down the street wearing a clerical collar now.

"And an institution so deeply bound into the life of a society, suddenly becoming, suddenly losing all credibility - that's not just a problem for the Church, it is a problem for everybody in Ireland."

The Archbishop of Dublin, head of the biggest Catholic diocese in Ireland, said those working to renew the Catholic Church did not need the comment.

He said: "I still shudder when I think of the harm that was caused to abused children. I recognise that their Church failed them.

"I also journey with those - especially parents and priests - who work day by day to renew the Catholic Church in this diocese and who are committed to staying with their Church and passing on the faith in wearying times.

"Archbishop Williams' comments will be for them immensely disheartening and will challenge their faith even further," he said.

" It should be remembered that the archbishop has neither experience of Irish life nor any direct ecclesiastical authority in this country. I hope that he will reflect on his comments, and I deeply regret the hurt that he has caused. "
Bishop of Meath and Kildare, Richard Clarke
Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin Dr John Neill - a senior figure in Ireland's Anglican communion - said he had listened to the remarks of Dr Williams with "deep regret".

"As one who... acknowledges the pain and deep suffering of the victims of abuse, I also feel for the countless priests and bishops who daily live out their Christian vocation," he said.

He said he supported Archbishop Martin "as he works for the proclamation of the Gospel and the healing of hurt, including that of the faithful and their clergy whose ministry has been undermined by those guilty of the abuse of children".

Fellow Anglican the Most Revd Richard Clarke, Bishop of Meath and Kildare, said Dr Williams' remarks were "careless and reckless" and "deeply hurtful".

"As those of us who live in this country know very well, most bishops, priests and religious of the Roman Catholic tradition minister faithfully and selflessly under very difficult conditions with the love and support of their people," he added.

But Catherine Pepinster, editor of Catholic weekly newspaper The Tablet said Rowan Williams' comments were "very striking" and that many Catholics would share his opinion.

Vows of silence

Dr Williams' comments came after Pope Benedict's personal preacher, the Rev Raniero Cantalamessa, compared criticism of the pontiff and Church over child abuse to "collective violence" suffered by the Jews.

Speaking at Good Friday prayers in St Peter's Basilica, Father Cantalamessa quoted a Jewish friend as saying the accusations reminded him of the "more shameful aspects of anti-Semitism".

The Vatican said this was not its official position and the comments were criticised by Jewish groups and those representing abuse victims.

On Sunday, Cardinal Keith O'Brien, the head of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, is expected to apologise during his Easter address in Edinburgh to the victims of paedophile priests.

I love the delicious irony of this. Essentially, it's Williams saying "Sure we may allow women to be priests and do not hate gays, but at least we are not fucking little children." 

[Razgovory]

Fine words coming from the guy who believes in secret elevator buttons.

[Syt]

Well, let's hope the Catholic Church does as much about child abuse by its clergy as they did against the Holocaust.

[Camerus]

The head of Germany's Central Council of Jews described the Easter sermon as unprecedented "insolence".

[Martinus]

The head of Germany's Central Council of Jews described the Easter sermon as unprecedented "insolence".

His full quote was "Such insolence! Such arrogance! Must be punished!". The head of Germany's Central Council of Jews reportedly then enraged and summoned drakes.

[DGuller]

This scandal is like the Holocaust for the reputation of the Church.

[Sheilbh]

I love the delicious irony of this. Essentially, it's Williams saying "Sure we may allow women to be priests and do not hate gays, but at least we are not fucking little children." 

What?  I don't quite understand this line.

[Martinus]

I love the delicious irony of this. Essentially, it's Williams saying "Sure we may allow women to be priests and do not hate gays, but at least we are not fucking little children." 

What?  I don't quite understand this line.

Well, in October the Pope made the (in)famous offer to Anglicans who can't stand female priests and tolerance for gays to join the Catholic church instead, where all the good old fashioned hate is still alive and kicking. This is a sweet revenge for Williams, I bet.

[Sheilbh]

Well, in October the Pope made the (in)famous offer to Anglicans who can't stand female priests and tolerance for gays to join the Catholic church instead, where all the good old fashioned hate is still alive and kicking. This is a sweet revenge for Williams, I bet.

It was over female bishops

Female priests was the early 90s (JP II facilitated the easy conversion then) and gays is time immemorial.  I believe that a recent survey found that one third of the CofE clergy were gay.  Over women priests a number of parishes did move to Catholicism.  Weirdly in my part of Dorset the local CofE church which dislike Catholicism almost as much as women went ultra-old school and converted to Greek Orthodoxy