Multiple states launch investigations; possible RICO probe into Roman Catholic Sex Abuse Cover-ups
New York and New Jersey have launched Pennsylvania-style investigations now into cover-ups in those states, and there are hints that a possible US-DOJ RICO investigation may be taking shape:
As I've followed this imploding Catholic crisis, and reading about the corruption of the clergy - granted not all are guilty of the sexual crimes, but possibly of coverup - I keep asking, how are the sacraments valid when the clergy are clearly in defiance of God's commands? I'm not sure if ex opere operata (?) is the explanation for explaining the validity of the sacraments when such heinous sins are present in the clergy performing them. I'd like to understand this more, because it seems farcical to claim they are valid.
(Correcting the typo and expanding). Legalistic, externalistic theology will always, necessarily issue in farcical outcomes. That's the inherent nature of legalism: to ignore context and the true nature of things, and stick with the outward form as the true essential... issuing in a radical disjunction between outward form and the complete reality.
I'm no fan of the catholic church, but isn't this piling on? There's no reason to think it's going on the way it did before and if it is individual cases can be prosecuted.
Steve, the one thing the RCC has, that no one else has, is the cover-ups. I think these investigations into the cover-ups are long overdue. It is the hierarchy finally not “getting away with it”. It is both unprecedented and newsworthy.
I'm not saying it isn't newsworthy. I just question whether it is a good use of taxpayers money to investigate things that too a large extent are now of historical interest only. Whether a priest born in 1892 (and is no longer around to defend himself) molested children is interesting but no grand jury investigation into such things will change anything.
Are they searching for dead abusive priests, or is that just a side-effect of investigating a pattern of covering up clerical abuse? They just follow the leads wherever they go.
It provided a fairly complete look at all the cases, which, in the case of Pennsylvania, documented the incidents in which he actually moved abuser priests around, showing him to be lying. The state investigations will show more of this. A RICO investigation would tie in threads from the Vatican and others not necessarily in the individual states, but those more broadly involved (maybe a bishop with transfer papers in a state that’s maybe not directly holding an investigation).
As I've followed this imploding Catholic crisis, and reading about the corruption of the clergy - granted not all are guilty of the sexual crimes, but possibly of coverup - I keep asking, how are the sacraments valid when the clergy are clearly in defiance of God's commands? I'm not sure if ex opere operata (?) is the explanation for explaining the validity of the sacraments when such heinous sins are present in the clergy performing them. I'd like to understand this more, because it seems farcical to claim they are valid.
ReplyDelete(Correcting the typo and expanding). Legalistic, externalistic theology will always, necessarily issue in farcical outcomes. That's the inherent nature of legalism: to ignore context and the true nature of things, and stick with the outward form as the true essential... issuing in a radical disjunction between outward form and the complete reality.
DeleteScot -- I'm going to try to follow up with this shortly. Likely it'll be in a new post.
DeleteIf Rome has any sacrament it’s baptism. The sacrilege they call “the mass” is not a sacrament of the church.
DeleteIs the efficacy of the Word dependent upon the minister (or the hearer for that matter)?
I'm no fan of the catholic church, but isn't this piling on? There's no reason to think it's going on the way it did before and if it is individual cases can be prosecuted.
ReplyDeleteSteve, the one thing the RCC has, that no one else has, is the cover-ups. I think these investigations into the cover-ups are long overdue. It is the hierarchy finally not “getting away with it”. It is both unprecedented and newsworthy.
DeleteI'm not saying it isn't newsworthy. I just question whether it is a good use of taxpayers money to investigate things that too a large extent are now of historical interest only. Whether a priest born in 1892 (and is no longer around to defend himself) molested children is interesting but no grand jury investigation into such things will change anything.
DeleteIt’s the bishops, Steve, who are alive now and getting away with things.
DeleteAre they searching for dead abusive priests, or is that just a side-effect of investigating a pattern of covering up clerical abuse? They just follow the leads wherever they go.
DeleteIt provided a fairly complete look at all the cases, which, in the case of Pennsylvania, documented the incidents in which he actually moved abuser priests around, showing him to be lying. The state investigations will show more of this. A RICO investigation would tie in threads from the Vatican and others not necessarily in the individual states, but those more broadly involved (maybe a bishop with transfer papers in a state that’s maybe not directly holding an investigation).
Delete... in which Wuerl, while bishop of Pittsburgh ...
Delete