Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2002 2:07 PM
To: frbloom@holyfamilyparish.net
In light of the recent events in Boston I would recommend that you take a deeper look into the history of pedophile priests within the "roman" catholic church and while your at it the papal atrocities as a whole would also help. Why is it then that Rome has paid out well over $1 Billion in settlements in this country alone for sexual abuse cases i.e., rape, sodomy etc. Was this payout for the "one" documented case that you mention on your site?
To think, Christ bore the likeness of a servant and popes exalt themselves over others and live in castles surrounded by riches. And Peter himself, who told Cornelius never to bow before him, as he was just a man like him, would have much to say about his so-called successors i.e.,Innocent III, Formosus, Calixtus III (Alonso Borgia), Alexander VI (Rodrigo Borgia), CALLIXTUS III, etc. etc. etc. What a sad tragic joke satan plays on us.
You can say whatever you'd like about this e-mail but it will never take away from historical documented evidence of the murders, rapes and tortures of millions from the commands of popes and Boston is just another sign that although the gates of hell will never prevail against the "true" church, the body of believers with Christ as its head, it has found a comfortable seat in Rome. Read the facts...
http://www.msnbc.com/news/692790.asp?0si=-&cp1=1
http://www.thelinkup.com/index.html
http://www.thelinkup.com/stats.html
http://www.hotstreak.net/anti/news/0301/ny250301a.html
And I know these crimes occur in other denominations as well but that is not the point. Rome claims to be the "one true church" but why does the "one true church" murder , rape, steal and harbor pedophiles?
I pray that God removes the scales from your eyes as He has done for me.
**********
Dear Peter,
Am finally writing back on Ash Wednesday. Appropriate because as you note, Catholics - including popes - have been guilty of terrible sins. However did any commit such a terrible sin as the first pope (Mt 26:72, par.)?
I was not aware Rome had paid out a billion dollars in settlements. Do you have a footnote for that?
About the "one documented case" you might want to re-read what I said in the review:
1. How widespread is pedophilia among priests? Commentators have suggested between 5 and 10 percent. That figure has been presented by various "experts" and widely used by the media. However, true pedophilia--sexual contact between an adult and pre-pubescent child--is extremely rare in the priesthood. The best estimate is "0.3 percent of the whole body of clergy." (p 82) The most extensive study which considered 2,252 priests over a thirty year period found only one case of pedophilia. It involved a priest-uncle with two six-year-old nieces. The number of pederasts or ephebophiles (priests involved, usually homosexually, with an adolescent minor) was much larger, but still less than two percent. Jenkins traces how those figures were blown up and presented without nuance in the media.
Jenkins was obviously not saying there had only been one case of sexual abuse.
I skimmed the links you included. A couple of them seemed to have a morbid, even prurient, interest in the subject.
Was glad you acknowledge that crimes have occured in other congregation. Still, Peter, you seem to have left the Catholic Church in search of a sinless one. If you find one - or achieve that state yourself - please let me know. In the meantime I will stay with the one which goes back to Jesus himself.
Sincerely,
Fr. Phil Bloom
From Scott: I even find a scarcity of evidence in his being a "Bible believing Christian."
Pedophilia and Teaching of Bible
Other Letter regarding Boston Scandal Boston Globe's Misleading Article on Catholic Church
The Bogus Knights of Columbus Oath
Harvard doctor attends Vatican talks Scientific Meeting on Pedophilia Held at Vatican
the modern world (even while mocking sexual innocence) has flung itself into a generous idolatry of sexual innocence--the great modern worship of children. For any man who loves children will agree that their peculiar beauty is hurt by a hint of physical sex. (from Orthodoxy by G. K. Chesterton)
Holy See's approach to treatment ''is quite reasonable and very positive.'' 