This past week, the Catholic church was scandalized when a prominent friar was quoted as saying that victims of sex abuse are sometimes to blame for the abuse they suffer at the hands of first-time offending priests. He even said he felt sorry for Jerry Sandusky.
CNN excerpts two of Rev. Benedict Groeschel, of the Franciscan Friars of Renewel’s statements:
“People have this picture in their minds of a person planning to – a psychopath. But that’s not the case. Suppose you have a man having a nervous breakdown, and a youngster comes after him. A lot of the cases, the youngster – 14, 16, 18 – is the seducer,” he said.
Regarding Sandusky, the Friar said:
“Here’s this poor guy – Sandusky – it went on for years. Interesting: Why didn’t anyone say anything? Apparently, a number of kids knew about it and didn’t break the ice. Well, you know, until recent years, people did not register in their minds that it was a crime. It was a moral failure, scandalous; but they didn’t think of it in terms of legal things.”
Now, Groeschel clarifies that he did not intend to blame the victims, and the National Catholic Register also issued an apology for printing such damaging statements.
“Child sexual abuse is never excusable,” the newspaper said in a statement. “The editors of the National Catholic Register apologize for publishing without clarification or challenge Father Benedict Groeschel’s comments that seem to suggest that the child is somehow responsible for abuse. Nothing could be further from the truth.”
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What do you think the newspaper should have done with Groeschel’s statements? What should be done with Groeschel now? Is there a way in which it’s better to have Groeschel put this twisted, faulted logic of victim-blaming out in the public so that it can be challenged and dismantled?
@ media- I’m sure you can cite the speaker- and here we are at Godwin. Someone is supposed to,have told the Nazis – what makes you think you can topple the catholic church? We’ve been trying for 2,000 yrs and it is still here.
Drop,the whistle & get a horn.
This is so nauseating!
Are you suggesting that we should have compassion (read: let it slide) for a man who are unable to be compassionate himself since he suffered a head-injury in a horrible traffic accident? It’s almost as you argue that his stated attitudes towards children who have been sexually abused by priests and other authoritative persons magically appeared due to his accident. Perhaps he had a vision/epiphany of these seducing children? If the brain injury had anything to do with this interview it’s probably that he now lacks capacity to hide what he really thinks about priest sexually abusing boys (and girls… Read more »
@tamen- I’m suggesting that if I’m not pissing my pants & drooling at 79 i’ll be happy, my Dad died at 79 and he was no longer the intellectual giant he once was.
Benedicte Groeschel were not incoherent. I think he said those things because that’s what he really believes, I don’t think this belief is something which only recently aroused in him due to diminished mental capacity after some injury and old age. His injury and old age perhaps have impaired his ability to censor his beliefs before he expresses them. In the average Joe that would perhaps merely be problematic, but here we have a friar who have spent considerable time of his life counceling and guiding wayward priests, some of them wayward because of inappropriate contact (and worse) with children.… Read more »
Your man is 79 yrs old. Maybe it’s time to take him off the interview circuit.
“On January 11, 2004, Groeschel was struck by an automobile while crossing a street in Orlando, Florida. He received a head injury and broken bones and over a four hour period, had no blood pressure, heartbeat or pulse for about 20 minutes. A few days later the trauma triggered a near-fatal heart attack”
Khttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benedict_Groeschel#Car_accident
So let’s remember he has been doing good works since 51 and maybe have some compassion.
OK – Groeschel’s old – he’s infirm – he’s had recent trauma and a cerebral incident …. and the explanation of the comments being published by The National Catholic Register (EWTN News, Inc) are? Has their whole editorial team had a recent cerebral incident? To quote them: “Given Father Benedict’s stellar history over many years, we released his interview without our usual screening and oversight. We have removed the story. We have sought clarification from Father Benedict.” Now what is that minor issue of abusers and enablers having community presence and trust as part of their known Modus Operandi? How… Read more »
@mediahound- nice research- should be MediaBullDog.
My gut level reaction continues to be Catholic Bashing is antisemitism for liberals so based on the limited info in the lead-in is whoa.
I don’t know rev Groeschel- but do know of him and until this absurd interview vis children came out had heard nothing bad of him.
Song of Solomon 1:3 Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes; your name is like perfume poured out. No wonder the maidens love you! MediaBullDog? Nah ! Media”Blood”Hound – bred specifically to track human beings! Track by smell and stench and not by sight and appearance. An ancient breed too, at over 1000 years old – also known as St. Hubert Hound, as the breed comes from Belgium and from within the Catholic Church. …. Catholic Bashing is antisemitism for liberals…? How near Godwin can you get, without pulling a full Godwin? P^) Personally, I am happy to call out… Read more »
“Now, Groeschel clarifies that he did not intend to blame the victims …”
Baloney! He said what was in his heart. It’s too late to put the proverbial cat back into the proverbial bag. The damage has already been done.
As a Christian these people make me want to scream! At this point I’d better stop now before I say something I’ll regret. I swear, words fail me …
“Seem to sugest…” Yeah, that sound like something one say in a real apology.
The most WTF part was that according to the embedded CNN video this Rev. Benedicte Groeschel runs a retreat for priests and offering them guidance. And that include priests being involved in sexual abuse of children. Either he’s suffering a variand of Stockholm syndrome or he’s outright an enabler, nevertheless he should not be anywhere near a mentor role for priests who commit, have commited or are afraid to commit sexual abuse towards children.
Unfortunately, we have heard similar comments from other Catholic and Protestant clergy. Something in the religious culture of these religious groups inducesthe clergy to see themselves as victims, and see those children as the aggressors. What is it that attracts a tiny number of predators into the clergy? Are they looking for some type of salvation, and when faced with a huge temptation, succumb? Is there a culture within religious leaders that they can do no wrong because they believe they have been chosen by their god?
I don’t know any of the answers.