Absolutely, Jackass Irl. Total “amniesia” when it came to the crime of child rape. Total “amnesia” when it came to covering up for monsters to save the Church & total “amnesia” when it came to letting down good men of the cloth.

The Church has had widespread Amnesia regarding the basic tenets of Christianity.

When Jesus said ” Suffer the little Children unto me” he did not mean make the little Children Suffer, quiet the opposite in fact.

Why don’t we have a story about the International Eucharistic Congress which takes place in Ireland next year? It will bring a boost of at least â

Louise, I’m sure there will be such a story however it is not current news and the nonsense the pope just spouted is current news.

Not sure why you felt the need to reply to two of my posts on two separate stories with the exact same response.

So he’s an anti-democratic, anti-transparency, anti-divorce, anti-gay, anti-family planning anti-aircraft gunner?

U forgot to mention : anti-cristh

People who support an organization that commit such horrible crimes in the name of God are not stupid just deluded and frighted of the reality of life and death. Death is the final whistle no extra time no replay.

I’d love to know who is voting this post down.

It’s easier to click a red thumb than engage in actual discussion or offer a reasoned rebuttal, Gavin.

Very true, Tony.

Yeah, because SO many of the comments here attacking the Church & the Pope are “reasoned”(!)
I’m certainly not engaging with comments like “the Pope can kiss my hairy doughnut”. I think tend to forget, rather easily, that the Pope is the spiritual leader to a lot of people.
Now, while I don’t expect everyone to agree with me, I do expect others (including anonymous keyboard warriors) to respect that fact.

To deal with your point, which is made in earnest undoubtedly, you’ve simply built a “straw-man” to attack.
I am a Catholic & I believe in God. While the second is necessary for the first to hold true, no Catholic denies that the first is not a necessary component of the second; hence why the Pope addresses all letters to Catholics & those who believe in God (he even includes “people of goodwill” so as not to exclude atheists).

Moreover, while, in your opinion, you’re not a fan of “religious association”, which is all well & good & I wish you all the best, you have to accept the fact that I am (for reasons which are surely irrelevant to the current discussion & a tad too personal to discuss with, if you’ll excuse me, strangers on an internet forum thingy).
The premise of the point, “Never mind what ‘club’ you were signed up to as a kid: open your mind, treat people with respect and live your life with integrity.” is, with respect, laughable, because you’re preceding post showed no respect for those who have chosen Catholicism as their faith.
I mean, just because one’s parent(s) was Catholic doesn’t make one’s choice to remain a Catholic any less valid.

And finally, I’m not sure form whence you’re getting the notion of “The my-religion-is-better-than-yours crapology”… If by that you mean that because I’m a Catholic I am, by definition, not a Protestant or a Jew or a Muslim etc then, yes that is correct. I am a Catholic, therefore, necessarily, not a Mormon.
This doesn’t mean I attack other peoples’ beliefs (unlike you, to be fair), but it does mean that, yes, I believe my faith is the path to salvation (for me). It works for me.

So we’re clear, I pressed the “thumbs up” on your comment. Not because I agreed with you, but mainly because I think your comment was made in earnest & not as an attack.

No idea why people would dislike that comment.

I think we have ourselves a little misunderstanding here, Paul.

1. Part of my point was that few of the points on *either* side were particularly “reasoned”

2. Of course I accept (and, indeed, respect) your “religious association.” I was expressing *my* views as many avowed Catholics have done in this and other discussions.

3. My point “never mind which club you were signed up to as a kid” underlines my belief that God can’t be overly concerned whether a soul was associated withany earthly religion. Access to Heaven (for those who believe in it) is about the quality ofthe life one leads, not the religious association. In what way is that laughable?

4. In what way did I disrespect those who have chosen Catholicism as their faith? I have re-read my previous post (noting your distaste for my doughnut reference). That post focused on my exiting the church in good faith (no pun intended) and my anger at the sly backtracking by the church over the right of Catholics to self-determination in faith. I stand firm on that point: if the Pope thinks he can still claim me as a Catholic and dismiss the amendment of my baptismal certificate as an administrative box-ticking exercise he knows what he can do. That is NO way disprespects anyone who chooses to remain a Catholic. How could it??

5. My comment about religious supremacy (“my religion is better than yours crapology”) is directed at ALL religions. You say I attack other people’s beliefs (but sign off saying you believed my post was made “in earnest and not an attack”? If they assert that their religion is better than all others then, yes, I attack that belief. It is offensive. Again, you seem to believe that I was focusing on catholicism. I wasn’t and I don’t believe that was unclear. I firmly believe that religious fundamentalism of any hue is poisonous, that sectarianism is repugnant.

Tony – I agree with everything you just said. :) Finally some sense.

Some great points Jimmy. No doubt these facts will be lost on the usual anti-church brigade here who insist on rolling out the same broken record everyday. The church does more good in the world than any other organisation, but this is always forgotten on this website. Luckily the people on here who constantly knock the catholic church are the minority and they are just happy to do so from the safety of their computers.

I don’t think ppl forget about all the good the Church has done, Louise. However, there is alot of anger out there at the cover up of child rapists who paraded around in priestly garb. If the Church had done the right thing from the start & dealt with these monsters, then we wouldn’t have any of this, I believe. They put the Church first & children last. That’s where the anger lies. Not anti clergy as there are alot of good clergy. People are entitled to question what they are being preached & I think that is healthy. Always question. I understand your sentiments, but please don’t generalise. Me ? I’ve come to the conclusion that religion is the main cause for division on Earth. For something that is suppose to unite humanity, it has certainly caused alot of division. Is that mankind itself ? Perhaps. Who knows. But remember what the anger is about & where it is directed. Personally, I don’t like this Pope. His eyes say it all for me. He has to be accountable & has to do the right thing to make it right. This is a one in a lifetime opportunity for the Church to do the right thing, make it right & move on from a new footing. Will they ? I doubt it. And, that’s sad.

Louise , please cite exactly where in the world your cult..sorry church has done all this good-stuff you keep proclaiming…. i see no evidence of it , anywhere ….. and trust me i have looked

Actually Louise, I’m quite happy to knock the church from most anywhere. I don’t think anyone on this forum has any qualms about letting the church and others know how they feel about the organisation.

” The young people there will attend confessions, holy mass and various prayer events ”

that sounds …. FANTASTIC. Can I get my confession from the child molester shielding former nazi youth guy?

he’s like in charge of scientology or something? should I tell him about mmmmy immmpure thoughts?

EXCCCIIITTTIIINNGGGG.

Oh.. catholic church, you crazy, crazy pile of bullsh*t.

Well said Jimmy – the only cult here is the anti-Catholic nutters would continue to vent their spleen with outrageous commentary. It’s a beautiful thing to see some many young faithful people celebrating their faith

ed again with another stupid comment , lets see can we find some more??!!

Daniel, you should NEVER give up on Santa!!

Dont see the need why you have to ridicule faith in professing your Atheism.

Ah yes, how very dare I make a comment that may offend Christians.

Those very same Christians, I should note, who have a special place in our laws. And who run the majority of our schools. And who, of course, have made sure that no couple is truly together in this country, unless they are married and recognised by the church itself.

Let’s not forget those who, in their unbounded love of all that is human, proclaim from the advertising spaces on public transport that I, being a non-believer, will burn for all time in the firey depths of hell.
The very last thing I would want to do is harm the fragile beliefs of all of those individuals who cling to the magical, unprovable world.

Heaven forbid (see what I did there?) I would offend someone, with my obviously offensive and insulting comments. Oh Lord above! (I did it again! Aren’t I clever?)
No worries, I’ll bring marshmallows and popcorn and have a fine and dandy time in Hell.

At least I won’t be offending anyone.

“Dont see the need why you have to ridicule faith in professing your Atheism.”

but they go so well together. I mean come on. The catholic church is hoarded property, privilege, provision of funerals and marriage, buggery, and heaped doses of mass child molestation. its not really an institution to be proud of.

Can’t we just kill off the God thing already?

Actually, he’s a German.

Razor sharp with there Gavin, I like :-D

Get some balls yourself "Inda Kinny". You’re hiding behind a wall throwing stones there. And have some respect for the people who raised you, family’s more important than any of this shite, Dickhead.

So CORMAC you are saying you will/have christen/ed your children in a roman catholic church, put your children into a Christian school and go to mass at Christmas only because you don’t want to offend your mammy and daddy or be talked about by your lovely aunty and uncle. Family is important so be honest with them, othewise your own children will not be honest with you and the lie continues for ever.

indeed. specifically enlightenment.

@ Shauna, the camera only takes what’s in front of it;)

He has weird & creey eyes. Makes u shiver. A personal opinion of mine.

Should read “creepy” -

Gavin
To quote Cristina Odone – (She is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Policy Studies and is a former editor of the Catholic Herald and deputy editor of the New Statesman)

“This Pope has done more than any other churchman to address the issue of priestly child abuse. He has stopped the practice of turning over priests accused of abuse to therapists, as we now know that therapy seldom helps a paedophile. He has fast-tracked the defrocking of priests found guilty of abuse. He has promoted co-operation, at a diocesan level, between church authorities responsible for canon law and police.

He can point to some real success in the protection of children: in England and Wales, for instance, child protection officers monitor every encounter between children and clergy. The result, is that, ironically, there is no safer place for a child today to be than with a Catholic priest”

you lost me at “to quote wikipedia”

1. God does not exist
2.Pope is not a Nazi, the Pope is a deluded megalomaniac.
3.Not difficult the others did nothing.
4.There is no conclusive proof that Jesus existed living or in Zombie form.
5.No comment.

Also Jimmy : As Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, he led a meeting that approved the transfer of Father Peter Hullermann to a new diocese, despite him being known to be a pedophile. His office also received a copy of a memo explaining that Hullermann would return to pastoral work days after starting therapy. Hullermann went on to attack more children and was convicted of sexual abuse in 1986. In his traditional Christmas address to cardinals and officials working in Rome, Pope Benedict XVI also claimed that child pornography was increasingly considered “normal” by society.

how is this man doing more than anyone else to rid the Church of the filth of Child abuse??

100,000 people attended the Novena in Limerick,Similar figue attended the Novena in Galway, Novena is knock is going well this week, Lough derg numbers are up, Youth 2000 festival in Clonmacnoise was a runaway success this year, 1.5million pilgrams in Madrid this week etc etc – One thing the Church is not is lonely, after all it has 1.1billion members

The Catholic Church has 1.1 bn members because they don’t allow people, who are forced in to the religion when they are helpless babies, to leave. Ever tried to leave the Catholic Church? No. Well I have and its not easy. In fact I think Rome is actually preventing anybody from leaving these days, in order to artificially inflate their membership figures.

@Jimbob: I went through the defection process and found it *reasonably* easy. I got my baptismal certificate back, amended (it says ‘defect’ in red – talk about queeny dramatics!). I subsequently heard that the church was making it hard-to-impossible to leave and that they “didn’t really mean it” when they allowed some people to defect. But I regard my amended baptismal certificate as a contract. If the Pope doesn’t like it, he can kiss my furry doughnut.

Cant leave them now…
http://www.countmeout.ie/suspension/

Hey Tony, alas your furry doughnut is far too old for that man to want to kiss (no offence intended to you) but if you were under 10… then that might be a different story!

ah look its ed again putting up more stupid comments , thats 3 now ed, lets see if u were sad enough to voice your negative opinions to anyone else

The ‘church ‘is doing a very good job of dragging itself down and as for the police “standing up for the church” no doubt you are also happy with all those Gardai who did nothing to stop child abuse by the same church! Spainish people have a right to protest in their own country especially when it’s their taxes that’s being used to police this catholic circus!

This circus as you call it is bringing in much needed money to the Spanish economy. You may want to research the facts Ed before going off on your usual rants.

So its ok to abuse kids and cover it up as long as money is flowing in?

public transport fares have been hiked to facilitate travel discounts for the pilgrims.

WYD is bringing hundreds of millions of euros to the Spanish economy. Most of that will find its way into the Spanish Revenue. So in fact the pilgrims are paying the taxes to fund the policing. It’s self-financing. The protestors are either too dumb to realise that or they’re just out on a political protest over the Pope. Probably both.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zJCgUu5mtE&feature=player_detailpage#t=83s

Louise, by the time the costs for security and the various deferential crawling fests are added up the Spanish will end up paying more for this circus than the so called ‘pilgrims’ have put into the local economy. As for ranting, you need to read your own rant before you accuse others and as for the “scumbags” rioting in London? What have they got to do with people rightly protesting about the presence in their country of a pedophile protector and homophobic ex nazi. Facts indeed, since when did christians pay any attention to facts, wish you would!

ed i hope u dont have kids or a wife , because your the most spitfull excuse of a person iv ever witnessed online congras man , keep up ur stupid negative comments , clap clap clap

ture louise dont let an idion like edward tell u otherwise , if u scroll down through all the comments u will of noticed he comments bull s@@@ on anyone with a bit of faith ,

lads lads lads, ye seem to think i care what faceless nameless people on here think i don’t.

I just like to put the other side of the argument when the editor of the journal.ie fails to do so, the article above is poorly researched and has an Anti catholic agenda.

I do love the way people like to insult both my faith and my intelligence – its kind of comforting as it confirms i am doing the right thing so thanks lads and lassies insult away i am enjoying it

It’s great to see some sarcasm. Badly needed to fend off the incomprehensible malice this institution with pope at its helm unfortunately boils down to. Bad bad people.

Freedom of speech is paramount in a free society. Calling for censorship because you are offended by comments is a slippery slope. I’ve not seen anyone advocating violence merely verbalising their opinion on the person at the centre of the article.

Fact- the pope is in Madrid.

Fact- there have been protests.

Fact- the pope made a statement about his opinion of society.

Do you suggest the media should not report this because people might say things you don’t like? And worse, that an arbitrary "judge" should decide whether those opinions should be allowed in case they offend, in this case, Catholics. (obviously I’m aware of the rules regrading "inciting violence etc).

Tolerance isn’t accepting the things you support, it’s allowing people the right to say and do things you DON’T.

I find the Church offensive, and reports holding it in high regard offend “hundreds of thousands” of non-Catholics. So maybe the Church should moderate their agenda, instead, and let journalists get on with their job.