Started by Richard James2 · · 👁 10 views · 114 replies
Zachary Collins2 said:Perhaps you mentioned it before and I simply missed it... did you ever end up reporting this to anyone?
bluemarlin19 said:Look, the fight needs to be against the institutional cover-ups protecting abusers and against trivializing the whole mess by bringing up things like diaper ads...
It’s actually pretty simple. Instead of reporting these abusers to the police, the Pope, the cardinals, and the bishops just shuffled them from parish to parish. They didn't do this just once; they did it repeatedly, which basically gave these predators access to rape hundreds of children.
This wasn't some isolated incident; it happened time and time again, hundreds of times all over the world.
That is a crime.
But honestly, what struck me most about this entire situation isn't even the scandal itself—it's seeing people like you step up.
Bryan Kern7 said:I didn't know about that, and my friend didn't even know he had done that to her sister. To be honest, the victim was an 11-year-old girl, so she was younger than both of us, and her family didn't find out until two or three months later because they didn't notice any symptoms right away. The little girl started acting very withdrawn, wetting the bed, waking up screaming... so they took her to a psychologist, but she still wouldn't say anything. It wasn't until one day when her sister told my story, confessing that the same thing had happened to her—except he managed to rape her😢. At first, they reached out to the head of the church and wrote letters, even to the Archbishop, from what she told me. As for the police, I think they said they weren't believed because so many months had passed that it couldn't be proven
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That girl still sees a psychiatrist to this day. And after everything the Church threatened them with, it wasn't even surprising to her that they just move him from parish to parish, though he gets a different name in every single one—in one he’s Father Joseph, in another Father Anthony, and so on.
Even though he didn't physically succeed with me, because I was a bit older and knew a few things, the psychological part is still the absolute worst. You end up blaming yourself, and that feeling of total helplessness in the moment... that panic that grips you when you have no idea what to do, just trying to figure out how to get out of the situation.
Because that priest was young and charming; he wasn't physically repulsive like some men, and that’s the worst part of all. That day, I went to the parish office—which is only ten meters from the church and has soundproofing so you can't hear anything inside the church—to get a baptismal certificate. When I walked into the office, that priest was there along with an older man. He handed me the baptismal book to look through, and while I was sitting there leafing through that massive book, the older priest left, and this guy locked the door and pulled out the key... I saw it out of the corner of my eye. In that split second, all I could think about was how to get out. I knew screaming wouldn't help. It's just that feeling of standing on the edge of a cliff.
I tried to concentrate and acted like everything was normal while he issued the certificate, stamped it, and then acted like he was going to walk me out. As he approached the door and I stood behind him waiting—hoping maybe he would actually open the door—he turned around, grabbed me with both arms, and said he had locked us in so no one else would disturb us and that no one outside could hear a thing... as if we were completely alone.
I told him I was in a hurry to get to school and asked him to let me go, but he just said he was only a friend and wanted what was best for me. Then he asked me if we were good friends. In that moment, I just played along because, honestly, I didn't have another choice. I wasn't six feet tall with a razor, and he was a huge guy, like 6'0", who always bragged about working out every day and playing soccer; he was way stronger than me. So, I told him we were friends. After that, he gave this little smirk and said if we were friends, then I should kiss him on the cheek, because that's what friends do, and that even Jesus did it. All the while, he kept me held tight in his arms, and with one hand, he was touching my back and my neck... I asked him what would happen if I didn't want to kiss him on the cheek, and he said we'd just have to play in a slightly different way. I saw this flash of a psychopath in his eyes, but he kept speaking in that calm, sweet, gentle voice with a smile on his face... I had no choice, so I kissed him on the cheek.
Then he goes and says it's just "the second kiss," and I actually did it—then he claims that true friends kiss each other on the mouth. While his hand was sliding down my backside and trying to shove itself between my legs, something inside me just snapped. I somehow managed to wiggle out of it, even though he had me pinned against the door with his arms wrapped around me, and I was stuck right between his legs. He was holding me tight, trapping me with his legs too. So, while I kept telling him I had to hurry to school or I’d be late, I slowly raised my knee and pressed it right against his groin—his penis was basically crushed against me because he was rubbing it against me so hard. I told him, with a smile on my face and trying not to panic, that if he didn't let me go, I'd be forced to use my knee. He scowled at me and said, "Oh, I didn't know you did martial arts," then mentioned his keys were in his right pocket. I kept my knee clamped firmly against his junk the whole time, grabbed the keys, unlocked the door, and bolted as fast as my legs could carry me...
So that’s my story. It wasn't a full-blown rape, but he absolutely groped me with his hands, rubbed himself all over me (he was wearing a robe, obviously), and left me feeling incredibly dirty, ashamed, and sick to my stomach.
I've noticed that since that day, I can't stand it when people get too close or invade my personal space; it triggers an immediate panic attack. I'm also completely allergic to being touched or poked, which is a huge issue with my partner, but luckily he's understanding about it... Honestly, even today, whenever I remember that feeling, I break out in a cold sweat, especially if someone gives me a firm hug...
Adam Collins4 said:You guys are missing a massive point here...
People feel this crushing sense of shame over being victimized—as if they somehow played a part in it—which makes it impossible to just casually drop a bombshell like that on an adult without considering the weight of it...
Zachary Collins2 said:I honestly think it’s even harder to say to a child, though who would actually believe them anyway?!
It isn't an easy conversation for anyone to have, but I truly believe an adult has a responsibility to speak up...
Bryan Kern7, please, keep going!
bluemarlin19 said:Just got this in my inbox via DM
"The priest in question is Fr. Tarcisio Spricigo, a 48-year-old who was convicted back in 2003 for the sexual abuse of a 5-year-old boy. Honestly, reading through his diary is sickening—it’s basically a step-by-step manual on how to groom and manipulate kids."
"His notes go even deeper into the depravity, detailing specific tactics to win over a boy's trust just to ensure they'll stay quiet about what's happening. He actually wrote, 'Only act sexually when I have absolute certainty that the boy will keep it secret.' It's chilling."
"He even tries to justify his sick behavior, framing it as some kind of twisted life lesson. He wrote: 'After my weakness in the sexual field, I learned a lesson!!! And this is my solemn discovery: 'God always pardons, but society never!'""
Link
Lisa Walker31 said:This is the part that really gets me. This guy isn't even afraid of God. To him, God just wipes everything clean without a second thought.
So, if he thinks society won't come after him... then he feels like he's got absolutely nothing to worry about, right?
bluemarlin19 said:Maybe some of you have heard enough about this already, but please, bear with me...
A few days ago, Cardinal Bozanic appeared on TV and stated that anyone who knows of any instance of abuse should report it to the police, which is a nice sentiment coming from him...
...
My apologies, I forgot to mention who served as the Krcki bishop from 1989 to 2003—the esteemed Cardinal Joseph Bozanic.
And recently, the Holy Father had a spontaneous outpouring of compassion for the victims.
But let’s look back for a moment...
In 2001, a document marked as strictly confidential arrived at the addresses of all high-ranking officials in both the Eastern and Western Churches.
The title of the document: "de delictis gravioribus".
Content: instructions on how to handle allegations of abuse by priests, stating that all such cases fall under pontifical secrecy—a violation of which is punished by excommunication—and naming the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith as the sole competent authority in these matters.
Signed: Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger
...
If you think this suggestion is worth sharing, feel free to pass it along to friends or post it on other forums.
It’s certainly easiest to just remain apathetic.
Thanks, 👍
Slaven
Carol Cook59 said:I consider pedophiles to be sick, as do those who cover up for criminals, and even the parents who, after everything we've learned, still leave their children alone in the church—essentially handing them over to predators.