Quote:
Originally posted by Peaches@Nov 12 2002, 01:55 PM
I guess my question is why the hell the parents ALLOWED it to be covered up ? Were they blinded by faith? money? ignorance? I know why the CHURCH covered it up, but as a parent, I honestly cannot comprehend why the parents didn't get the police involved 
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Peaches, most of the parents didn't know it was happening while it was going on. Usually the molested kids don't come forward until long after they've become adults. Another problem is that most Catholics would tend to "take care of things" within the church hierarchy instead of going outside to law enforcement. To a Catholic, there is no one closer to God than a priest -- that's one hell of an authority figure to go complaining about.
One of the things the bishops put forth that I found horrifying and unbelievable is that they'd like there to be a statute of limitations on how long a victim has to come forward -- age 28. As if somehow making it past that magical age without feeling the need to rail against being victimized is supposed to make it all better.
And yes, apparently the Church does believe they're above the law, and many, many people throughout the ages and up til today allow them to continue on as though they are. The bishops don't even want to answer to the Catholic laity -- their own fucking people, the people they're supposed to be "shepherds" over -- they want to handle any and all accusations strictly within the Church hierarchy, with all penalties coming from the Vatican, not a secular court of law.
Scary, ain't it?