Vatican Time Bomb: Priests Abuse Nuns

Discussion in 'General Mayhem' started by pimpchichi, Mar 25, 2001.

  1. pimpchichi

    pimpchichi Active Member

    Messages:
    7,211
    Vatican Time Bomb: Priests Abuse Nuns

    WASHINGTON-- The Vatican detonated a time bomb when it acknowledged that some priests and missionaries were forcing nuns to have sex with them.

    Last week, the National Catholic Reporter revealed that especially in Africa, clergymen frequently impregnate nuns and then pressure them into having abortions.

    The newspaper cited confidential memoranda to the Vatican as its source. According to these documents, the fear of AIDS is driving priests and even foreign missionaries in Africa to seduce or even force nuns into having sex.

    The memoranda suggested that the priests turned to nuns when they realized that they could no longer frequent brothels, most of whose prostitutes were HIV-positive.

    Of the world's 36.1 million HIV-infected people, 25.3 million live in sub-Saharan Africa. And of the 5.3 million new HIV infections worldwide in 2000, some 3.8 million occurred in Africa.

    On Tuesday, the Vatican's chief spokesman, Joaquin Navarro-Vallis declared: "The Holy See is dealing with the issue in collaboration with bishops, the union of Superiors General and the International Union of Superiors General."

    The latter two groups include the heads of male and female religious orders, respectively.

    The Vatican memoranda state that priests have assaulted nuns in 23 countries, including the United States, Ireland, Italy, Brazil and India.

    Sister Marie-Christine Fellerhoff, executive director of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious in Silver Spring, Md., however, told United Press International Wednesday, "I'm not aware of any such incidents in America."

    There are about 80,000 Roman Catholic nuns in the United States.

    One of the documents quoted by the Kansas City-based Catholic newspaper is already 10 years old. A source close to the Vatican suggested that these papers might have been leaked with the Pope's express approval.

    "Expect more ordnance of this caliber to blow up soon," the source said in a telephone interview Wednesday, on condition of anonymity.

    "Remember, the Holy Father is busy cleaning house. He does not want to leave a pigsty behind. The terrible state of parts of the Church will be an important theme during the World Synod the Pope has called for August.

    "The comportment of priests in Africa will be one of a cluster of related issues. Another will be homosexual bishops and gross sexual misconduct in some parts of the Catholic charismatic movement. The Pope is getting his broom ready."

    The source said that a meeting of all cardinals in May will lay the groundwork for the World Synod.

    The author of the most devastating report was Sister Maura O'Donohue, a physician. She reported to Rome as far back as 1994.

    "A superior of a community of sisters in one country was approached by priests requesting that sisters be made available to them for sexual favors (1991).

    "When the superior refused, the priests explained they would otherwise be obliged to go to the village to find women and might thus get AIDS."

    Based on interviews with missionaries, doctors and ordinary faithful, Sister O'Donohue wrote in her report that was made available to UPI:

    1.Even members of the Catholic hierarchy were reported to have pressured nuns into sexual relations in return for "necessary certificates and/or recommendations."

    2. "When a sister becomes pregnant, she must leave her congregation, while the priest involved with her can continue his ministry."

    3. "One superior of a diocesan congregation, where several sisters had become pregnant by priests, has been at a complete loss to find an appropriate solution. Another congregation has had to dismiss over 20 sisters because of pregnancy."

    4. "Some priests are recommending that sisters take contraceptives, misleading them that 'the pill' will prevent transmission of HIV. Others have actually encouraged abortion."

    5. "In one situation where 29 sisters of a diocesan congregation have become pregnant by priests of the diocese, the Superior General complained to the archbishop. Shortly afterward she was dismissed at a public function."

    6. "Some priests are known to have relations with several women, and also to have children from more than one liaison."

    7. "A recent convert from Islam was accepted as a candidate to a local religious congregation. When she went to her parish priest for the required certificates she was subjected to rape by the priest before being given the certificates. She joined the congregation and soon found she was pregnant ... She spent 10 days roaming the forest ... then talked to the bishop, who called the priest. The priest accepted the accusation as true and was told by the bishop to go on a two-week retreat."

    One year later, Sister Maura wrote a new memorandum, giving the example of a priest "who had brought a sister (to a hospital) for an abortion. She died during the procedure and the priest officiated at the Requiem Mass."

    According to Claus-Peter Clausen, chairman of Foerderungsgesellschaft Afrika, a German Catholic aid society, Pope John Paul II has been "painfully" aware of the appalling situation in Africa for quite some time.

    "Two years ago, during lunch with African bishops, the Holy Father suddenly grilled Father Johannes Luekewille intensively in German about this matter. Luekewille was then the Apostolic Administrator of a Tanzanian diocese.

    "His questions focused primarily on the sexual misconduct of priests and missionaries. It was clear that he was very intent on doing something about it. Perhaps what we are witnessing now is the beginning of that process."

    Clausen, an expert on Africa, suggested that early sexual experiences of African boys during tribal initiation rites might be part of the problem.

    Said Clausen, who also publishes a Catholic newsletter, "How do you get a young man to lead a celibate life after he has been sexually active throughout much of his childhood and adolescence?

    "The irony is that we in the Western world are now beginning to face similar problems."
     
  2. Skully

    Skully New Member

    Messages:
    237
    Fucking cliched. The Roman Catholic Church - and christianity more broadly - is the most unnatural and inhumane institution on earth. Why is it that whenever I read a story about child molesters, one-third of them seem to be members of the cloth? Either the church attracts the freaks (totally plausible) or the Church transforms normal people with their doctrines into twisted, fucked-up pedophiles. Probably a little of both.
     

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