I am reading Render Unto Rome: The Secret Life of Money in the Catholic Church. Per the Kindle, I am 23% of the way through the book. My location is where then Archbishop Seán O'Malley is visiting the Vatican and Cardinal Castrillón in particular.
This passage made me ask myself, if Massachsetts Senate President William Bulger had been a Bishop and his brother, Whitey, had been a Priest, guilty of pedophilia, rather than mere murder, would the People of Massachusetts have been more willing to condemn him (William) for his (William's) willingness to shelter his brother and protect him.
I think so.
Regards — Cliff
4 comments:
For some reason, I just don't think victims of the Winter Hill Gang went to them seeking 'sanctuary.'
If there is a special place in Hell for perp priests, then it should follow that there is a special place in Heaven for the victims.
That said, I don't believe in either. Heaven, maybe. I just don't think the God I know would be okay with a place such as Hell.
I think that MA would go after Billy with a vengeance under that scenario. For one, the delta between murder and sexual abuse of children is astronomically great. I can barely think of a crime more reprehensible and deserving of God's eternal disdain. And for a priest to do it only doubles the damnation. Besides...murder is so....well....pedestrian.
But worse, I think that there is a more important sense of betrayal. A priest, if I understand Catholicism on at least an elementary level, is THE intercessionary between the parishioner and God via the confession of sins. When one finds out that the sins of the man you've been confessing sins to for years has committed far more and worse than you ever imagined for yourself, the let down would seem to be massive...perhaps even immeasurable. And then to find out that the Bishop knew his brother the priest was doing it and protected him......even the Mafia would not countenance it.
But then this is the perspective of a protestant, a tea party conservative, and an avowed Christian......so what on earth could I know.
I tried to write something, but I am flummoxed. But, then I decided that both responses make my point.
I would note that in a way, students going to the UMass System were seeking sanctuary by the UMass President. He failed them.
Regards — Cliff
Agreed...and I would further posit that your metaphor could well be expanded to Bulger's position in the legislature and the people of MA.
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