OpEdNews - Article: A Culture of Corruption: US Catholic Priests Accused of Sexual Abuse from A to Z

By Grant Lawrence

Source: Bodhi Thunder

Below is a link (A to Z) of a database of US Catholic Priests accused of sexual abuse

What is astounding about this database is the volume of Priests accused of sexual abuse here in the US. But we all know by now that the problem just isn't a US problem. It is a worldwide problem.

Just recently Belgium's longest serving Bishop resigned, saying he was sorry for abusing young boy when he was a priest.

The rot extends all the way to the very top. Pope Benedict has been embroiled in the scandal for his own actions in disregarding charges of sexual abuse. Numerous warnings went to the Vatican, including Ratzinger, in the Mid 90s about an American pedophile priest. Those warnings fell on deaf ears at the Vatican as the pedophile priest continued to molest deaf students at school. The Pope is also charged with allowing a German pedophile priest to continue in his ministry after receiving therapy. The priest went on to molest others.

What is just as disturbing is the Vatican had a policy of hiding the sex abuse by priests. This policy was issued by Archbishiop Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict). In a Vatican letter to Bishops in 2001, Ratzinger, while still a Cardinal, ordered bishops to keep quiet on sex abuse by priests.

See Also

A 'Pontifical Secret,' Ratzinger's 2001 Letter Ordered Bishops to be Quiet on Sex Abuse

Warnings of Sexual Abuse by Priest of Deaf Students fell on the Deaf Ears of Ratzinger

Pope Allowed Pedophile Priest to Continue Ministry

Now anyone can be unfairly accused of wrongdoing, and perhaps a few of these priests are innocent. But what we have here from the Church is culture of corruption dating back to the Middle Ages and earlier. There have been numerous well documented stories on money laundering done by the Vatican Bank for corrupt politicians and other criminals (Report: Vatican Bank Laundered $200 Million).

The Church needs to come clean.

If the Church doesn't take drastic actions to strike at the root of the rot (the culture of corruption) then it will eventually end up on the 'ash heap of history.' It will be dismissed by the formerly faithful as a bureaucratic anachronism from the Dark Ages. A sick perversion pretending to be spiritual salvation.

Check out the Database of Publicly Accused Priests in the United StatesViewed by Last Name:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Source: Bishop Accountability.org