Pennsylvania Sexual Abuse Scandal - Over 1,000 Victims of Priests

The full report is here

Not Fox News, not NBC, not Miramax could get away with having over 300 serial child sex abusers on payroll in a single state. For the Catholic Church, it doesn’t even bat eyelashes. You want some pearl clutching at the Vatican? Suggest the rapists wear condoms.

When will the Church learn it will never regain its stature until it rids itself of all the pedophile priests and their protectors/defenders, past and present, including such first class assholes as Philly's fascist archbishop Chaput?

And you can bet your last dollar Chaput was one of the people who was attempting to have this report from ever seeing the light of day (despite his statements to the contrary).

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Imagine the world over.

Beyond the abomination of pedophilia, religion as always having been the traditional socially sanctioned haven for homosexuals. If you're the more flamboyant type you have the entertainment industry as well.

Thank God our churches are there to save children from the gays!

Interestingly, that report mentions Donald Wuerl as protecting abusers.....one DLer claimed he used to be known as "Donald Girl"

This is not a new phenomena. I’ll bet it has been going on since the very beginning of Catholicism. All across the world. That’s why hundreds of priests in a small area were active and protected throughout their entire career, for decades. The abuse is prevalent and protected by the Catholic Church, maybe even sanctified.

Knew a priest in Philly personally that was paying for abortions and putting the Eucharist in the underage girls’ vaginas and letting other priests fuck them. Never went to jail. He spent Christmases with my aunt’s family every year. Thank god I wasn’t raised Catholic.

Who would have thought...?

Not that I'm defending the Catholic church which has been abysmal and beyond reprehensible in this scandal around much of the world, mostly because of the cover-ups and the reassignments of offenders, but everyone should realize that a true serial pedophile will often have molested 100 or more children by the time he's done. That means the 1000 victims figure from Pennsylvania could have been victims of as few as 10 priests out of diocese that in its time may have had 3000 priests or more. If you look at comparable agencies, such as the Boy Scouts, you'll see a similar pattern of a few scout masters serially molesting 100's of boys - so that, in the end, you might have 10's of thousands of victims. Proportionally, there are probably no more pedophiles among priests than there are in the general population. However, the church gave cover to and protected priests who had been reported - and that's the real crime and the source of the fully justified anger. The neighborhood perv didn't get that sort of protection and if reported, was arrested, tried, and sentenced to jail. What makes it all the more awful are the number of clergy of all denominations who have simultaneously preached fire and brimstone from the pulpit while diddling underage victims, and threatening them with hell if they told their parents. At this point, we've had scandals about Catholic priests, Mormon bishops, Southern Baptists, Orthodox Jews, Presbyterians, and others. It's the hypocrisy which is galling

Well what do you expect young men who turn into old men never being allowed to express their sexual urges? Even with the best intentions, its going to manifest out into some form. The thought process of the middle ages has long been gone, its time to let priest have relationship and get married if they want straight or gay.

I know the argument is they are supposed to be married to god. They will put their family first instead of other people. And there is truth to that. However, many people put their jobs first ahead of their families, its not like being a priest would be that different.

Priests shouldn't be required to be celibate. Let them marry or have girlfriends or boyfriends. That are of age, of course.

[quote]That means the 1000 victims figure from Pennsylvania could have been victims of as few as 10 priests out of diocese that in its time may have had 3000 priests or more.

Wrong. There are more than 300 predator priests named in this report who have multiple known allegations against them. There are likely many more who committed abuse that was never reported.

[quote]Proportionally, there are probably no more pedophiles among priests than there are in the general population

I highly doubt this. The Catholic Church has been a haven for sexual deviants for centuries. The proportion of pedophiles among priests is likely much higher than the general population.

[quote]Interestingly, that report mentions Donald Wuerl as protecting abusers.....one DLer claimed he used to be known as "Donald Girl"

Donal Wuerl was Bishop of Pittsburgh years ago during the height of when most of this abuse and the vast coverup was taking place.

There’s no evidence that he was an abuser, but he was likely quite complicit in the coverup.

[quote] Priests shouldn't be required to be celibate. Let them marry or have girlfriends or boyfriends. That are of age, of course.

They’re not didling little kids because they’re supposed to be celebrate, Rose. They could just as easily diddle adults.

I'm waiting for the damned list of names. My son was an alter boy and went to Catholic School. I asked him several times if any of them ever did anything and he said No but he did tell me that one of them that he was friends with would have a bunch of boys supposedly go to the movies etc when they really went to his apartment and drank beer when he was in H.S.

[quote]My son was an alter boy and went to Catholic School.

I hope he learned how to spell "altar boy."

[quote]I hope he learned how to spell "altar boy."

lol, my bad. I really am an excellent speller, that one must have just slipped thru

The priests are named in the report, by dioceses, R18. Some names are redacted if there is an ongoing legal procedure, but most are there.

Also, as others have said, I don't understand how allowing priests to marry and allowing women priests will curb the pedophiles. Can someone explain that reasoning? In my opinion, what will curb the pedophiles is arresting them, trying them, and jailing them. The Church needs to get this shit together.

[quote]Interestingly, that report mentions Donald Wuerl as protecting abusers.....one DLer claimed he used to be known as "Donald Girl"

Listen to any videotape. TALK about gay voice. Bishop Girl, a.k.a. "Sister Twitsy Twee."

300 priest? That is just ridiculous and no I don't believe it.

You're right, r23. 3,000 priests is probably closer to the truth.

Pedos are drawn to the priesthood, because it turns them, or turned them in the past, into authority figures within their communities who are blindly trusted with kids.

For pedos a big part of the thrill is to rape children and get away with it. It's a power ego trip that turns into an addiction (getting more brazen and still get away with it).

r21 if priests were allowed to marry it would be harder for pedophiles to hide among them. The church does not attract a lot of men that would like to be priests because they can't marry so it attracts a lot of those that don't want to be married to be able to carry out their behavior. It was Always a great place for them to hideout because no one ever questioned why they weren't married.

Regardless of each priest's stand on "pedo," the Catholic Church as an institution has been a place for Good Catholic Boys to hide from their gay sexuality for centuries. It stands to reason they'd go after the most vulnerable.

During my ten years of Catholic indoctrination, no priest ever approached me to have sex with him. The ones who might have tried could tell I'd've either run screaming to the principal or my parents or, later, kicked the shit out of them. There was the new church organist, however. He wanted my seventh- and eighth-grade ass. I knew he and I had something in common, but each of us was too afraid to explore it with the other. I didn't know about cocksucking yet—I was still a year or two away from pubic hair—but that's what we both wanted.

[quote] Regardless of each priest's stand on "pedo," the Catholic Church as an institution has been a place for Good Catholic Boys to hide from their gay sexuality for centuries.

Most relgions create a shame based enviroment where people are terrible sinners who need to repent and have to do certain things in order to make up for all the sinning they did in the past and will do until they die. When you are ashamed of who you are and what you do (becuase you enjoy it so much and to you it feels so right) you tend to go out of your way trying to make up for your bad behavior by being a good, obedient pawn for your religious leader. Of course it helps when you are being presented with a scapegoat that can distract you from your own sins and insecurities.

Sorry, religions of course.

[quote]I know the argument is they are supposed to be married to god.

That's the argument. But the real reason is the Church doesn't want to shell out $$ to support wives and families. Though, with the billions that have been shelled out to settle sex abuse cases in the last 15 years, paying for wives and kids might have been a better investment.

r21 thanks. there was only one name on that list that I knew and only because he was born in my town and always came to visit. He was good friends with the family next door and I remember someone saying that he used to take one of the boys on trips. We did find out he was a pedophile a long time ago though even though he never got in any real trouble.

I find it hard to believe there was no one from my town of 10,000 that had FOUR Catholic churches and a Catholic grade school and High School.

[quote]the real reason is the Church doesn't want to shell out $$ to support wives and families.

Really? Cheapitude is the reason for all this? Just...cheapitude? Makes me want to cry all over again.

"During the course of the investigation, the Grand Jury uncovered a ring of predatory priests operating within the Diocese who shared intelligence or information regarding victims as well as exchanging the victims among themselves. This ring also manufactured child pornography on Diocesan property, including parishes and rectories ... This group of priests used whips, violence and sadism in raping their victims."

Priests were allowed to marry up until about the year 1000. At that time the church decided they didn't want the land owned by the priests to go to their families but wanted to keep it for themselves so they banned marriage. Anyone that was married at the time was told to get rid of their wife so they either killed them or sold them into slavery.

𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙨 𝘼𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙮

"George (an abuse victim" recalled that each of these priests had a group of favored boys who they would take on trips. The boys received gifts; specifically, gold cross necklaces. George stated, “He [Father Zirwas] had told me that they, the priests, would give their boys, their altar boys or their favorite boys these crosses. So he gave me a big gold cross to wear.”

The Grand Jury observed that these crosses served another purpose beyond the grooming of the victims: They were a visible designation that these children were victims of sexual abuse. They were a signal to other predators that the children had been desensitized to sexual abuse and were optimal targets for further victimization.

I forgot to add that I think this will be the end of the church as we know it. Predictions have been rampant that this Pope will be the last and that was before all this abuse came out.

Tax religion. Enough of this abusive shit. I know that doesn't directly address this abuse but it does support the myth that this is a boon to a community. Treat religions as social clubs and community centers and nothing more. An alleged virgin in a dress is a bizarre concept. A wafer that magically turns into the body of Christ is a demented ritual.

Recipe for disaster: 1) Preach that any sexual desire other than sex between a man and a woman (for procreation purposes only!) is sinful and will get one sent to hell. 2) Offer a vocation where abstinence is expected and will be seen as a virtue. 3) Put the repressed and emotionally stunted individual into a position of authority. Now mix it all up, being sure to add in a lot of naive, trusting, vulnerable children and *voila!*, sex abuse cases for everyone!

R40, I’d add indoctrinated parents to that list. “If Father Murphy wants to take you on a camping trip, you’ll go!”

r41 knows of whom he speaks, e.g., my mother.

[quote] forgot to add that I think this will be the end of the church as we know it. Predictions have been rampant that this Pope will be the last and that was before all this abuse came out.

I don't think so. The average parishioner outside of Pennsylvania may not have even heard of it -- it's not like priests are talking about it from the pulpit. Most local diocesan newspapers aren't covering it. Even those people who do get the news are likely to react to it just as they did to the last wave of child abuse scandals -- deny it, sweep it under the rug, tell themselves "my priest's a good guy." These evil men, the abusers and their protectors, have been aided and abetted by a laity that refuses to acknowledge or deal with reality -- just like so many families of abused children who prioritize the family's "reputation" and harmony over the needs of their broken child.

Some Catholics will leave, as some did in the early 2000s, but the vast majority of the "faithful" will continue to show up on Sunday every week and continue to contribute their money to fund this criminal enterprise.

[quote]I don't understand how allowing priests to marry and allowing women priests will curb the pedophiles.

The thought is that more “normal” people will be attracted to the priesthood and that deviants will be diluted in number among the straight, married, family-men and women.

"Even out of these hundreds of odious stories, some stood out. There was the priest, for example, who raped a seven-year-old girl while he was visiting her in the hospital after she'd had her tonsils out. Or the priest who made a nine-year-old give him oral sex, then rinsed out the boy's mouth with holy water to purify him. Or the boy who drank some juice at his priest's house, and woke up the next morning bleeding from his rectum, unable to remember anything from the night before. Or the priest, a registered psychologist, who "treated" a young parishioner with depression by attempting to hypnotize her and directing her to take off her clothes, piece by piece.

One priest was willing to admit to molesting boys, but denied reports from two girls who had been abused; "they don't have a penis," he explained. Another priest, asked about abusing his parishioners, refused to commit: "with my history," he said, "anything is possible." Yet another priest finally decided to quit after years of child abuse complaints, but asked for, and received, a letter of reference for his next job – at Walt Disney World."

Most of these allegations are not things like “touching” that could have been misinterpreted. This is serious hardcore rape and other disgusting shit done repeatedly to very young children. It’s horrifying.

Yes, r46. This is real, actual, true rape. Unlike some other so-calleds.

[quote]Most of these allegations are not things like “touching” that could have been misinterpreted. This is serious hardcore rape and other disgusting shit done repeatedly to very young children. It’s horrifying.

And yet, in church documents, they're almost always referred to by euphemisms like "inappropriate contact" or "border issues"

Even among non-pedophile priests today, there are so many obviously gay ones who are closeted.

Then they are forced to stand up there and preach anti-gay shit and marriage is only for a man and woman, and sex outside of marriage is evil.

So much obvious hypocrisy. And it can’t be a recipe for mental stability either among these priests.

[QUOTE]I forgot to add that I think this will be the end of the church as we know it.

You were better off not adding it. The church isn’t going anywhere.

I went to visit a friend who was studying in a seminary around twenty years ago. I slept over (separate room) on a Saturday night. The next morning, the cutest guy in the room openly flirted with me to such an extent, it should have been the opening scene in a porn video. He is now the pastor of one of the churches in the diocese in which I live. I am tempted to look him up from time to time, but not to the degree that I'd actually go to church.

There be demons in them pews and sacristies.

^ The next morning, at breakfast in the cafeteria, with 20 other men present...

I was Baptized by one of the priests on this list, made my first Reconciliation with another one, and made my Confirmation with Bishop Wuerl.

I have to wonder if any of my Sacraments were valid considering they were all carried out by morally bankrupt criminals?!

r49 they aren't forced...they are hypocrites. It's that self loathing of who they truly are that makes them condemn those who openly do what they wish they can do openly

r53, what is "First Reconciliation"? They didn't have that when I was a boy. Or it had a different name.

Your "Sacraments" aren't valid because they're one step above voodoo, R54, not because of pedo priests.

And I say that as someone who went to Catholic school from kindergarten through 4 years of college.

Have there been any psychological or sociological studies on this phenomenon? I have so many questions about the perpetrators and the abettors.

1) Priest Psychology

Do these priests view themselves as pedophiles? Do they see themselves as gay? Did they have molestation of children as a long-range goal In entering the priesthood? How many of them were molested as children by priests?

2) Communication

How did some of the offending priests find one another? “Hey, I’m getting head from altar boys! How’bout you?” is the message, but there must have been a more subtle initial conversation. When the priests were reported, what was their private response to their superiors, and was this response planned even before exposure? Was it coached by other exposed priests?

3) Protection and Concealment

What conversations took place between offenders and higher-ups? How did leaders mentally justify covering up for child predators? To protect the honor of the church? The power of the Church? Did they recognize an epidemic of child abuse under their noses? Was it recognized as a historical problem, one that had an efficient solution of dismissing reports and transfering priests?

I think the Catholic Church has to answer these hard questions if it hopes to move forward, and the study needs to be conducted by an entity completely independent from the Church.. We need to understand how something like this happened on such a huge scale.

Have you read the Grand Jury document? 500+ pages of outrageous behavior, collusion and cover-up! You really won't believe all it reports.

They're exposed now. It's over. I can say this with absolute assurance and you'll know their true end has come when the Irish finally boot them out of their educational system. I was raised in the belly of that beast and there are many of us who describe ourselves as 'recovered or recovering' Catholics. ALL of us are now either atheists or animists. One of my family members is a shaman in Europe. I look forward to the second fall of Rome.

From here on out the laity have only themselves to blame if the abuse continues, truly. Why continue going? Why contribute??? Why not demand and wrest equal authority from a corrupt priesthood?? Disgusting all around.

r43 this isn't the end of it.

The priests and the church prey on the weak (minded) and vulnerable. They help the families struggling with money or are just too busy with work so they generously take care of the kids and the parents can focus on something else for a little while. Aw, isn't that so nice of those priests?

R18, the Catholic Church became a haven for these types due it being the perfect setup.

If you had deviant interests in children, it put you in the perfect place. Easy access to children, being a revered and respected member of the community and you didnt have to get married.

I read the report last night and just wow.

So you guys are thinking that most men in the world are pedos?

Sorry but I don't believe that. Centuries ago Americans were obsessed with witches...now we are obsessed with pedos? A pedo around every corner! It is ridiculous.

Pedophilia is a expression of a deeper issue. The desperate need of affirming one's power over somebody else (and getting away with it). That issue issue exists That insecurity issue has always existed. Obsession with witches? Uppity women thinking they know better than the well respected men in their local communities (priest, magistrate, etc.).

[quote]Proportionally, there are probably no more pedophiles among priests than there are in the general population. However, the church gave cover to and protected priests who had been reported - and that's the real crime and the source of the fully justified anger.

This statement is unlikely to be true.

There is a reason that some people will select certain vocations over others. If being a priest allows you to surround yourself with like minded individuals, then it's going to draw you to it, especially if it's known to look the other way and even protect you from law enforcement.

"If being a priest allows you to surround yourself with like minded individuals, then it's going to draw you to it, especially if it's known to look the other way and even protect you from law enforcement."

True but clergy in ALL denominations are more likely to abuse than the general population. With the Catholic church, what is so galling is the coverup.

[quote]True but clergy in ALL denominations are more likely to abuse than the general population.

Do you have a link on that? It wouldn't surprise me if this were true, but I've never seen any documentation of it.

[quote]So you guys are thinking that most men in the world are pedos?

Nobody said that.

We are saying that a lot of the pedos in the world have ended up in the Catholic Church.

I saw OP's headline and the first thought was "Only 1,000 victims in a single Diocese? They must not have looked very hard."

Sorry to make light of this very serious matter. It's just that... well, we've ALL known that pedophiles are attracted to the collar thanks to an undying belief that a priest can do no wrong, and therefore, get away with it for his entire life. And it's not limited to the Catholics; they're just the best at it.

There is only one way to stop pedophilia in the church, and it's very, very simple: never let children in one.

[quote]True but clergy in ALL denominations are more likely to abuse than the general population. With the Catholic church, what is so galling is the coverup.

I highly doubt this. The Catholic Church is one of the few denominations that ONLY allows unmarried males to be priests. Those who are predisposed to pedophilia are particularly attracted to it.

r71, except plenty of child abusers are married. Jerry Sandusky and Dennis Hastert, anyone?

[quote]what is "First Reconciliation"? They didn't have that when I was a boy. Or it had a different name.

It’s the same as “Confession” or “Penance”.

it's not just the priesthood, R70...it's one of many such authoritarian positions that can be manipulated like this...and I'm not minimizing the horrific abuse...they should be outlawed until they do something to reform their priesthood...can you imagine any other organization that systematically allowed the abuse of children in these heinous ways being allowed to continue?

[quote]I saw OP's headline and the first thought was "Only 1,000 victims in a single Diocese? They must not have looked very hard."

Over 1,000 identified victims ... the report says there are likely thousands more.

[quote]can you imagine any other organization that systematically allowed the abuse of children in these heinous ways being allowed to continue?

Yes, if this happened in a non-religious organization, it would be burned to the ground.

Keep in mind this report is only about Pennsylvania. This kind of shit was going on all across the world.

R73, like so many of these fuckers, who know the wrong they do, they hide behind the cloak of respectability. It's one thing to know you have these proclivities and to do something about it by getting some help or making sure you are never around children; and quite another to make sure you are.

I've always considered that many of these abusers were abused as it's statistically verified, and so knowing this, and knowing the chances of recurrence once you head in that direction, you MUST end the cycle by ending the accessibility. End the priesthood. Now. You might save your church if you allow women to the priesthood and allow marriage. End the suffering. It's the only way.

Oops, that was meant for R72, asking the question. Sorry R73.

"I've always considered that many of these abusers were abused as it's statistically verified"

According to one study, criminals were asked if they were abused and most said yes.....then when they were told they there responses would be monitored with a lie detector the number of supposed abuse victims dropped considerably. Many abusers claim to be abused because they think it will make them seem less responsible for their actions.

"You might save your church if you allow women to the priesthood and allow marriage."

Getting married didn't stop Jerry Sandusky from abusing tons of boys.

[quote]I saw OP's headline and the first thought was "Only 1,000 victims in a single Diocese? They must not have looked very hard."

that wasn't a single diocese but 6 diocese in one state.

No, it didn't, R80, but marriage was his cloak of respectability. The priesthood is another. So are the medical and legal professions, and no, marriage will not prevent a pedophile from committing crimes against children, but it does root out the secrecy and expectancy of celibacy which, imo, is unnatural.

There are also other professionals who abuse their positions of authority, to make that clear.

The Catholic Church is withering in the West, with church attendance and vocations collapsing. It's getting into trouble in South America, though both aggressive Protestant competition and abuse evidence emerging (Pope Francis dug himself into a hole in Chile over this). Still, there's still the kids of Africa and Asia to diddle.

The rumors about La Wuerl have been around as long as the rumors about Bernadette Ratzinger.

It all horrifies me, and especially so since reading this report. Let's just say a few of the perpetrators were at churches that strike a little too close to home.

The gross thing is that for many, this further cements a tie in their minds between gay sex and the crime that these priests are guilty of: pedophilia.

[quote] that wasn't a single diocese but 6 diocese in one state.

Yes, 301 priests total and over 1000 victims.

What's the difference between acne and a Catholic priest?

Acne doesn't come on your face till you're 13.

[quote]Still, there's still the kids of Africa and Asia to diddle.

Lots of heterosexual shenanigans in the African Church -- priests raping nuns, having mistresses, etc.

150+ additional people have contacted the Pennsylvania Attorney General just since YESTERDAY to report new claims of clergy abuse.

For every priest busted, ten are "cleared" by LEO and DAs, which are often complicent.

Sorry, that's "complicit."

A former Pennsylvania DA is now under investigation, after allegations surfaced in the Grand Jury report that he failed to prosecute accused predator priests years ago.

The coverup was vast and included the legal system in addition to the Church’s own complicity.

So basically, the lesson of this story is to keep your kids away from old white guys, lol.

Sick

The early church allowed marriage and even gay marriage but the problem was the kids and wives would get the possessions when the priest died so they made celibacy part of the priesthood, then when they died the church got everything.

Wasn't PA the state The Keepers documentary was in?

No, The Keepers was in Baltimore

I don't think it would be an over reaction for the US government to shut down all of the Catholic Churches in the country, but that's just me.

The Catholic Church needs to be burned to the ground, and I say that as someone baptized and confirmed.

There is no true religion. Just a mass of men with their dicks hanging out of their pants stalking little kids.

[quote]The Catholic Church needs to be burned to the ground, and [bold]I say that as someone baptized and confirmed[/bold].

You would know best.

Legend in our family is that old St. Patrick cursed the High King and ancient family patriarch when he refused baptism. We've had more than our fair share of heathens and suspected catholics (little 'c') ever since. Well known revolutionaries, we cursed the bastard back and now the worm, as they say, has turned, taken a shit and died. This is what happens, said Sinead, and she wasn't wrong even if she got culturally banned for saying it. Revenge is not sweet...there are too many victims.

Reading just the first 20 pages of the indictment is a diabolical horror. In the back of one's mind, one wants to say that none of this can be true, but they are facts that come largely from documents and testimonies of the perpetrators and those who allowed all this to happen. How the abuse was permitted to continue years after the prevalence of sexual abuse in the church became well known is beyond comprehension. Some of these pigs were allowed to abuse children well into this century.

I can never say "Father" or "Sister" to a priest or nun ever again. I used to, just as a respectful habit. I also made the sign of the cross for the longest time.

The Catholic Church is Dead to Me.

So, what's the big deal?

I have said, for years, that if I were in law enforcement, I'd simply arrest parishioners as they came out of church on Sunday morning (or Saturday evening, as the case may be) as accessories to the crimes committed within those "hallowed" halls. They all knew what was going on, and they chose to believe the lies instead of their children, their eyes, and their brains.

Lock them up!

Accused predator priests named in this report... have been allowed to live in retirement at a facility next door to a school.

Unbelievable.

I was raised Catholic and have no idea how they are still in business.

r12,it was originally because the church didn't want priest sons to inherit property. It's not about being married to God, that is for nuns. It's about living in poverty, without the need to accumulate wealth and provide for a family. The need to put kids through college brings on materialism that shouldn't be a part of a priest's life.

However, Protestant religions manage, so it's time for the church to change, and then they can pull from a more quality group of people with the calling. Not just predators who are trying to banish their urges by trying to abstain completely and failing at it.

[quote] Not just predators who are trying to banish their urges by trying to abstain completely and failing at it.

LOL. You honestly think these pedos throw themselves into a safe haven for pedos in order to avoid temptation? They see right through the religious bullshit and see easy access to what they desire.

Here in the UK a report has just been published about The Catholic school I went to from age 13 to 18, run by Benedictines. Rampant abuse. Beatings and rape. Of boys as young as 8. Covered up for years. Victims and parents of victims pressured by senior monks not to lodge complaints or co-operate with the police. At least one victim suicide. Worst offending monks eventually sent off to some small parish where, unsurprisingly, they abused children there.

When we arrived at age 13 we were told by a senior boy as he showed us around the school which monks to avoid. One in particular was basically just evil. A compulsive and sadistic paedophile. It took 26 years before he was imprisoned. A senior monk even eventually said that the sanctity of the monastic community was more important than the boys abused.

When I was 18 I propositioned a monk in his 50s. Nothing actually happened but all hell broke loose because I’d flipped the script and they were terrified I’d reveal what we all knew. They did their best to ruin my life and what little reputation I had actually built by that age as a good student etc. They failed miserably because I was strong enough to weather it. That was 40 years ago and this full report only came out last week. It reveals that up to 40 members of the monastic and lay community were most likely involved. Most, but not all, are dead by now. However, the actual abuse was consciously and intentionally allowed to continue, one way or another, until almost the present day.

There is a recommendation the school be closed. As they now demand £40,000 a year per pupil the monastery has much to lose. Good. They repeatedly covered up brutal rapes and beatings. It really is the definition of evil.

One of the PA cases involved a case where a priest raped someone with Down's syndrome, and caused bowel damage so severe that said person had to have surgery.

Raping someone with Down's syndrome - it's what Jesus would have done!!!!!

This is fucked up. Majorly. Does abuse run in Protestant sects too, even as a lesser phenom?

It's in all religions, but the structure of the RCC makes it easier to wallow in it then hide

There is always a small sliver of abuse in any type of institutionalized organization. But the RCC has done heinous things to protect its own, instead of its faitful.

Any institution that only has men in charge is a total shit show of greed, violence and abuse.

The RCC is the only legitimate Church. Descended from Peter, the first Pope and Apostle of Jesus himself.

FF R118.

I attended a Catholic grade school in NYC from the mid-1960s to the early 1970s (Grades 1-8).

About fifteen years ago, I read that a man who attended my school around the same time as I did was suing the Archdiocese of New York because he had been sexually abused as a minor by a local priest who was associated with the school at the time.

When I received my Confirmation, (late 1960s), my mother took a picture of me standing with this priest (with his hand on my shoulder).

Just last year, I found out the another parish priest who was associated with my school (early 1970s), has had men come forward recently with allegations of child sexual abuse dating back decades ago.

I was disgusted by these revelations, but I was not shocked.

In the spring of 1971, a student at my school committed suicide. I didn't know him, (he was a year or two older than me), but this was the first suicide that I remember hearing about in my neighborhood.

At the time of his death, nobody knew why he did it.

Looking back many years later, I can't help wondering:

Was he abused by one of our local priests?

The FBI recently stated they think 1 in 4 men are pedos. It seems high but I have seen it in so many families including my own.

A 'joke' that I heard many years ago:

Q: What do priests and tuna have in common?

A: They both come in small cans.

R122. That’s not even funny at all

r123 = lesbian

Very sadistic and cruel.

PA is backwards trash

Yeah, you're right, R126. This shit only happened in backwards trash PA. Never mind the numerous Catholic Church and pedo scandals in Boston, Chicago, LA, St. Louis, and every other diocese/archdiocese throughout the entire world that have cost the Church billions of dollars in settlements.

Idiot.

That 1 in 4 is bunk but interestingly convicted child molesters are more likely to be white.

R123 and R126, the word joke is in quotes for a reason.

It is a *sick* joke, but a joke nonetheless.

I meant R123 and R125. My mistake.

r128 not sure how that can be proven. African American community is even more tight-lipped when it comes to the stigma of not only being black, but also being gay.

There's been a few reports of former coaches or community mentors who have done the same to kids they were trying to mentor, but it often gets unreported because these kids are in the sports world and would it dare make it known they were abused by another man sexually.

Would not surprise me to find out it's as wide spread, but are unreported for similar (yet different reasons)

I hope the current pope is humiliated into complete silence. His fucking holier than thou attitude is fucking annoying, especially as he castigates Europeans for being rightfully concerned about islam, while he says not a word about the rapes and violence muslim men are committing throughout the continent and the world.

I was an altar boy in suburban NYC in the late 80s and a priest asked me to help him clean up the rectory on the weekend. My mom was happy that I was going to volunteer at the church so she let me go. I was 13 years old and the priest was about 28. He was hot as FUCK. Anyway we were in the back room and I noticed he was staring at my crotch and saw that he had a HUGE bulge in his black pants. I couldn't help it but I got hard as a rock. It was summer and I was wearing shorts. He said "don't be embarrassed it's only natural" and then he walked over and put his hand on my cock. I pulled away at first but he tried again. He went over and locked the door pulled down my pants and sucked my cock. He then told me to turn around and lean against this piece of low furniture and then he fucked me. He came inside of me and I have to say, I loved every second of it. He told me not to tell anyone or he would get in trouble. I didn't and came back next weekend. This time I sucked his HUGE cock and he jizzed down my throat. It never happened again and I don't regret one second of it.

Our Hollywood Catholic Church had two young priests who never bothered the kids, but were pretty upset that the Summer of Live was going on all around us and they were missing it

What aren't you telling us? I assume your hole was worked over from the age of 10.

I think this has been going on in the Catholic Church for many hundreds of years. Think about it. This is not new, it’s just now being brought to light. Something no one dared say. It’s not like suddenly pedos showed up in the church for some unknown reason.

PEDOS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THERE.

Smh 🤦‍♂️ disgust

The Marquis de Sade brought this up in his "120 Days of Sodom" which has an elderly prostitute recount the abuse she, and her sister, suffered from evil Monks.

R121 No 1 in 4 men are not into children. That is ridiculous. Maybe teenagers, but not children. Lots of men can be attracted to 16 or 17 year olds but they aren't pedos

My Polish godfather was raised Catholic. He converted to Orthodoxy and was extremely anti Catholic. He used to tell me the Pope’s crown had “666” emblazoned on it. He also used to tell me priests screwed each other and monasteries were modern day Sodom and Gomorrah, and that nuns routinely screwed priests, monks, and each other. I used to roll my eyes. Little did I know then how accurate he was.

He also used to whip out his Bible when Jehovah Witnesses came around, quoting passages about the antiChrist and telling them that is who they were. He lived through Stalin and Hitler, as a slave laborer in Germany so I don’t think he gave a thought to what anyone thought of him.

Catholic high school in Pittsburgh named after Donald Wuerl vandalized.

“Cardinal Wuerl” covered with spray paint on school’s sign.

That's some good shit, r141.

The predator priests were acting on an internal impulse. They were evil as can be. But the bishops and other officials who dispassionately moved these priests around were the real evil.

Current Bishop of Diocese of Pittsburgh facing increased pressure from victims’ group to resign.

It HAS happened elsewhere, no doubt.

But the SCOPE of what happened in PA does not surprise me because of the place that PA is. Much of it IS isolated, backwards and bound by tradition.

R145, this has happened in every state and all across the world.

PA is one of the few places that has done a thorough investigation and called out the Church on its hypocrisy.

Between this horror and the PSU rapes, sounds like a majority of PA children (of several generations) were thrown to the wolves.

R141. My cousin's daughter goes to that high school -- I'd love to sit her down and question how she feels about it now.

Didn't one of PA's DAs investigating the Penn State abuse suddenly and mysteriously die?

Clergy abuse hotline calls 'surging' after scathing grand jury report.

A surge in calls to a clergy abuse hotline in Pennsylvania is breathing new life into a vast investigation of "predator priests" and Roman Catholic Church leaders accused of protecting them.

The hotline has drawn more than 300 calls since the release of the grand jury report last week. "We're answering every call and following up every lead," Joe Grace, spokesman for state Attorney General Josh Shapiro, told USA TODAY on Sunday.