tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875195811184851268.post52216991168792666..comments2024-01-08T15:24:14.843-06:00Comments on From Beginning to End...and Back Again: Catholicism Through My Eyes: The Church, Her Priests and PedophiliaLisa Jacques Elamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09436627482635590384noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875195811184851268.post-39684315418201604892013-02-24T19:10:50.078-06:002013-02-24T19:10:50.078-06:00Very good blog.Very good blog.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875195811184851268.post-9904033719453115602013-02-24T16:05:32.405-06:002013-02-24T16:05:32.405-06:00When all of this first hit the news I had just joi...When all of this first hit the news I had just joined the church. It was something that I had wanted to do for many years. I was thrilled to be a Catholic and my love for the Church was growing daily. My family was not so thrilled at my decision in the first place and then to have to deal with the fallout from these scandals was a little treacherous. I confess that at that time I had a fairly good knowledge of the Catholic faith but not nearly good enough to handle the questions and accusations that were thrown at me about this church that I had just joined. It was such a touchy subject that I hesitated to even bring it up with my fellow catechist and parishioners so instead I just prayed about it. I prayed for the priests, the children and my new church. Since, I have learned more about my church and the clergy but not until I read your blog did it give me enough food for thought to maybe be able to field questions about the subject sounding a little like I know what I am talking about. It is too bad that more are not as open about the subject. Great blog and I will be passing it along. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875195811184851268.post-50317512441407074332013-02-24T15:55:15.104-06:002013-02-24T15:55:15.104-06:00As a catholic I have really struggled with all of ...As a catholic I have really struggled with all of this. The fact that priests could do such a thing and that children were harmed along with how the administrative channels of the church handled things really bothered me. At the height of the scandal I was embarrassed to tell people that I was catholic. For awhile with all the media and television attention that the scandal was getting, you almost forgot that the catholic church wasn't the only place were pedophiles lurked. This blog made a lot of sense to the point that even as a catholic I let the bad press get in my head and forgot that it was just a few and not the church in general. Thank you for making some rational sense about a subject that doesn't seem very rational. Nice blog.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875195811184851268.post-67575883720196448722013-02-24T15:05:06.728-06:002013-02-24T15:05:06.728-06:00I really like both the honesty shown in this post ...I really like both the honesty shown in this post and the perspective. People lose sight of the fact that pedophiles lurk in all walks of life not just the catholic church but the catholic church is an easy target. This was well written and well thought out. Thank you. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875195811184851268.post-40132791347163881072013-02-24T12:58:13.407-06:002013-02-24T12:58:13.407-06:00This was great I was trying to explain this same t...This was great I was trying to explain this same thing to my family and friends. I think it is wrong to see what a few people did should balm a group. Honestly It's like my gym class a few people were talking when the teacher was speaking and we all got in trouble. very similar anyway.Converting Catholicnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875195811184851268.post-87757683599686714262013-02-24T09:16:43.010-06:002013-02-24T09:16:43.010-06:00I will have to tell you that when I first saw the ...I will have to tell you that when I first saw the title of this blog I was angry. In fact I was angry enough that I almost did not read it. I feel that the church has taken enough guff over all of this and that rehashing it was a mistake. I also was not sure that you would handle it in a way that didn't further make the church as a whole look bad. <br /><br />I have to say that I am glad that I went against my first inclination and did read this. People do question how Catholics felt about all of this and if they were like me, they said nothing because they did not know what to say. My first reaction was to deny that a priest could commit such a crime and to a child, well it was unthinkable. Obviously the church felt the same way. As time has passed I know that these men did this, I had no words to explain the pain it caused me or the church I love. <br /><br />In this blog you give me an understanding and maybe even a place to start healing. Supermen did not just go bad, human men did and as you said, evil was in their hearts. <br /><br />Thank you for this blog and the willingness to take on such a lofty subject.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875195811184851268.post-30472927488520075912013-02-24T08:25:32.728-06:002013-02-24T08:25:32.728-06:00Boy, you do like to hit the tough subjects. I take...Boy, you do like to hit the tough subjects. I take from this that you are not entirely pleased with the way the church handled these cases. I was not either but I always thought that maybe church officials had information that I did not have. I also heard at one time and I can't tell you where I heard it because I don't remember, but I heard that the Pope did not know about these cases until sometime after the fact. Apparently there was a lack of communication between the American cardinals and the Pope. Whatever the situation though, these priests caused a huge media scandal and a huge black eye for the church along with the damage they caused these boys. I have to say I like this blog and the points you made but I would never have been able to approach such a topic as this on my own. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875195811184851268.post-5865857508267340352013-02-24T08:06:09.304-06:002013-02-24T08:06:09.304-06:00I am at a loss for words on this one. This was a v...I am at a loss for words on this one. This was a very deep subject and I am really surprised you chose it. It is hard to separate the good from the bad when the media and those who are not catholic fans use these "bad" priests as the face of all priests. You made some excellent points and I am glad that you did not excuse the crime because they were priests. Nice job on such a tough subject. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875195811184851268.post-30649678569917790642013-02-24T07:43:10.544-06:002013-02-24T07:43:10.544-06:00THANK YOU! Being a Catholic this is a very touchy ...THANK YOU! Being a Catholic this is a very touchy subject and like many Catholics I have been questioned about this by my nonCatholic friends. I never really know what to say or how to handle it. I think in the future I may just have to refer them to this blog. Nicely done. cradle catholicnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875195811184851268.post-43915796331729125682013-02-24T07:41:26.418-06:002013-02-24T07:41:26.418-06:00This was a very thought provoking blog. Pedophilia...This was a very thought provoking blog. Pedophilia is a tragedy no matter who is behind it and honestly, you did put some prospective into my thinking. Good work. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com