Former Toowoomba, Australia, Catholic bishop William Morris, who fronts a royal commission on child sex abuse this morning, has already admitted child sexual abuse continues in the Catholic Church.
Mr Morris said on the day the royal commission was announced in late 2012 that abuse was not mostly limited to the 1960s and 1970s, as claimed by others in the Catholic Church.
“Sexual abuse is still happening and we have to kind of find out why,’’ he told the ABC in late 2012.
Would you like some help with that, Bishop? Could it have something to do with your procedures for hiring priests? The priesthood is a powerful magnet for pedophiles, and you obviously have no mechanism for weeding them out. Understand this, pedophiles are not Christians and Christians are not pedophiles.
So, why isn't there a requirement that novices be bonafide Christians? It should be easy enough to do. Has the Holy Spirit enlightened their understanding of scripture? Can they discern good and evil? How do they react to a difficult and dangerous situation? Do they protect themselves first or are they willing to sacrifice themselves for others?
Mr Morris is a key witness at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, which is sitting in Brisbane.
The commission is examining the Church’s response to the case of Gerard Vincent Byrnes, who raped and abused 13 girls at a Toowoomba primary school.
Families who later sued the Church in the civil courts, represented by lawyer Monique Scattini, have so far received about $3 million in compensation payouts.
Mr Morris was later sacked for unrelated matters. That's hardly believable. So they still haven't really dealt with Morris' abuse of children.
Ms Scattini, now Bravehearts’ royal commission director, said the hearings had demonstrated the Church’s failings in protecting the 13 Toowoomba children in a relatively recent case of abuse.
“That culture has to change,” Ms Scattini said. Amen.
Anyone needing support or assistance should contact the Bravehearts information and support line at 1800 272 831 or go to www.bravehearts.org.au
Mr Morris said on the day the royal commission was announced in late 2012 that abuse was not mostly limited to the 1960s and 1970s, as claimed by others in the Catholic Church.
“Sexual abuse is still happening and we have to kind of find out why,’’ he told the ABC in late 2012.
Would you like some help with that, Bishop? Could it have something to do with your procedures for hiring priests? The priesthood is a powerful magnet for pedophiles, and you obviously have no mechanism for weeding them out. Understand this, pedophiles are not Christians and Christians are not pedophiles.
So, why isn't there a requirement that novices be bonafide Christians? It should be easy enough to do. Has the Holy Spirit enlightened their understanding of scripture? Can they discern good and evil? How do they react to a difficult and dangerous situation? Do they protect themselves first or are they willing to sacrifice themselves for others?
Mr Morris is a key witness at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, which is sitting in Brisbane.
 |
| Bishop William Morris |
The commission is examining the Church’s response to the case of Gerard Vincent Byrnes, who raped and abused 13 girls at a Toowoomba primary school.
Families who later sued the Church in the civil courts, represented by lawyer Monique Scattini, have so far received about $3 million in compensation payouts.
Mr Morris was later sacked for unrelated matters. That's hardly believable. So they still haven't really dealt with Morris' abuse of children.
Ms Scattini, now Bravehearts’ royal commission director, said the hearings had demonstrated the Church’s failings in protecting the 13 Toowoomba children in a relatively recent case of abuse.
“That culture has to change,” Ms Scattini said. Amen.
Anyone needing support or assistance should contact the Bravehearts information and support line at 1800 272 831 or go to www.bravehearts.org.au
No comments:
Post a Comment