Free Mind

Bulletproof Solid Journalism ...

Posted February 25th, 2016

As I am writing this, I am positive that a few of you will agree, others will say I am a lunatic and sinner, and, others will, well, be in silence.

To be perfectly honest, it is the silent ones that perturb, confuse and worry me. Because it is the majority that has stopped thinking, because this indifference is the denial of human beings.

We all know that the Catholic Church has been sacred and untouchable regarding certain scandals, stories and coverups, at least until NOW.

I am not here to write negative thoughts concerning Pope Francis and the Catholic Church but some facts are incontrovertible and we cannot ignore them.

Scandals have been happening for centuries, each and every day, in people's homes all over the world, so, don't get me wrong.

In 2014, after rumours emerged that Josef Wesokowski had sexually molested young boys, he was quietly removed from Santo Domingo, and was sent back to Poland, where he is also wanted for child abuse.

Instead of being extradited to Santo Domingo, this Archbishop, has been treated with kid gloves by Pope Francis, when he was scandalously brought him back to Rome.

I don't care if he is a highly respected Ambassador to the Catholic Church. He, along with many other priests, are quietly being moved left and right, and, are mentally and physically destroying young children.

A new movie, "Spotlight" is slowly but surely, going to cause a stir. Oscar, are you reading me?!

There are those who refuse to see it. Those who have and pretend they haven't. And those who laugh it off. Well the latter are in for a treat, since it IS "bulletproof".

It is also solid journalism.

Why aren't there more journalists similar to these?! I know that there are a few out there. It's hard to believe that there are in Italy, where the mainstream information is totally unreliable.

I read at times, certain "ballsy" writers, who don't give a damn what anyone thinks. But there are only a few, worldwide. These are people I truly look up to, especially when writing about uneasy and disturbing subjects.

The investigative team at The Boston Globe newspaper, uncovered a wide-spread "coverup" within the Vatican.

Predatory priests were simply removed from one diocese, sent to a treatment centre and quietly reintegrated into another parish "where the abuse would continue".

If only in Boston, 6% of priests are paedophiles, I can't even imagine what the number is worldwide.

This is heartbreaking because "they found out about it and allowed it to happen elsewhere".

I can't help but notice that during the "Spotlight" team's determination, mistakes were made and details were overlooked. As Tom McCarthy, the director of the movie says, "Reporters are always talking about walking around in the dark, looking for that one certain thing. They were a high level group of professional journalists with amazing results, but they missed certain things along the way".

Human error is one thing but "Spotlight" focuses on a much darker area. What took so long? Why do people know, but don't act?

This isn't just about the Catholic Church and the subject matter, but about us. What happened in Boston happened all over the world. Why do people turn a blind eye?

Pope Francis formed the Vatican's Pontefical Commission for the Protection of Minors, developing programmes to help bishops deal with sexual abuse cases.

Certainly the problem has not gone away. Three American bishops were removed from their posts in 2015.

I'm sceptical. From now on, no more announcements, but facts from the Catholic Church.

This has been going on for a long time and will take a long time to clean up. Thanks to "Spotlight" that strenuous road has been impressively illuminated".

HPA

5 comments

February 25th, 2016 13:59

Ci sono tante, troppe cose, che nell'apparente "felice" chiesa cattolica NON funzionano. E si sanno da secoli. La pedofilia è un crimine vero e proprio volutamente sottovalutato per sporchi interessi altrui. E' come la violenza sulle donne: perché nessuna denuncia l'abuso subìto? Perché il legislatore fa ancora un,applauso allo stupratore... la donna provoca, si sa... Che Dio li strafulmini!!!

February 26th, 2016 15:33

Riflessione acuta, interessante e documentata, non posso che concordare.
Io continuo a non capire: perche' un sacerdote cattolico non puo' sposarsi, avere una famiglia, come i protestanti che sono inseriti nella societa' , pur essendo "pastori di anime"? Solo perche' nel '500 un Papa stabili' che il sesso era tabu' e peccato e punizioni e tutte quelle manfrine che hanno devastato le vite di giovani che hanno risposto con autenticita' alla chiamata divina? .. con le conseguenze che oggi sono sotto gli occhi di tutti, e, come scritto bene sopra, molte 'insabbiature' soprattutto nei secoli scorsi , secoli in cui davvero era proibito qualsiasi dissenso verso i dogmi ecclesiastici .

Oggi siamo nell'epoca giusta, secondo il mio modesto pensiero, cioe' oramai nessuno e' inattaccabile ( giustamente), la gente e' piu' informata, si possono accedere a documenti, anche video , tramite strumenti quali la tecnologia etc. . .potrebbe essere il secolo giusto per cambiamenti anche da parte delle religioni, rivisitando vecchi dogmi , demolire antiche credenze, aggiornare , innovare ! Lo so, sto dicendo un'eresia, ci vorranno altri secoli ( e altre vittime, come i bimbi per i cattolici, le donne per i musulmani etc. . ) per avanzare anche un piccolo spiraglio di luce "buona" .. chissa'. .

p.s. ha ha bella la vignetta

Grande Heather, we LOVE you!!

February 27th, 2016 09:02

Yes, this is devastating what is happening into the catholic church. I am orthodox and could say that on my way I am deeply religious in my way. But what happens in the catholic church in these cases there is nothing common with the Jesus love. As Roberta said above why the catholic priests can't married and can't have children? Yes you have right Heather, we are totally blind nowadays for the human suffering around the world. Yes, there have been made couple of movies for this problem, but that's it, nothing special happens. "Spotlight" movie is amazing, even it is a drop in the ocean. I was a victim also from an pedophile abuse when I was a child, although not with connect with sexual act and made from a priest, but for sure this interfere my life somehow. And there is so many children suffering from this in all over the world with so strong consequences many of these will stay unknown...Thanks Heather for bring this into discussion. You are brave and so nice and I love you.

February 29th, 2016 22:02

Sono pienamente d'accordo con il tuo pensiero. Sono di fede cattolica ma, purtroppo la religione in questione ha l'anima scura, arida ed intorpidita da secoli. Non conosco a fondo le altre fedi per poterle prendere in considerazione, ma comunque non solleverebbe la chiesa cattolica dalle sue colpe. Partiamo da secoli e secoli fa con la scusa di civilizzare il mondo... E via così. E' affamata di potere, soldi.... Sono dei politicanti sporchi e duole dirlo per le povere creature offese per sempre sono degli uomini marci. Ho visto il film Philomena..... Atroce! Spero che Papa Francesco possa pulire il marcio che ha nel ventre la Chiesa Cattolica. Ciao Heather è sempre un immenso piacere leggere la tua rubrica. Have a serietà night!

March 01th, 2016 00:20

The church must remember Christ's own words. "Render unto Ceaser that which is owed to Ceaser and that which is owed to God unto God." There is not to my knowledge a single country in the world where it is permitted to have sex with a child. That is Ceaser's law and to be tried by the government. It's Gods command that the head of the Catholic Church protect his flock. The pope can do this by ordering the Bishops and Cardnal's to turn all such evidence over to the Gov for possible trial in criminal courts. This would result in either conviction or dismissal of charges. And imprisonment for the guilty justice for the wronged.