Now they are putting RI bishop on the defensive

From Yahoo! News 

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PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Clergy sex abuse victims and their supporters said Tuesday that Rhode Island's Roman Catholic bishop is not doing enough to protect children from pedophile priests even as he's taken on Democratic Rep. Patrick Kennedy for his stance on abortion rights.

A small group of protesters gathered outside Bishop Thomas Tobin's office in Providence two days after news broke that the bishop had asked Kennedy in 2007 not to take Holy Communion because he supports abortion rights.

"He claims that it's important that we protect the unborn. But it's equally as important to protect those who have been born and those young children who have been raped and sodomized by clerics and priests. But yet he seems to protect those clerics," said Ruth Moore, of Hull, Mass. [Is the bishop really protecting them?  Where were these people when Archbishop Wuerl gave Communion to pro-abort politicians, huh?  Did they say anything about pedophile priests?]

The group called on Tobin to publish the names of priests from the diocese who have been convicted of or admitted molesting children, or if a thorough investigation has turned up credible evidence of child molestation, even if no conviction resulted.

The diocese has said in court papers that 125 of its priests have been accused of molesting children. While many of their names are known from lawsuits and news accounts, others have never been released.

Mike Guilfoyle, a spokesman for the diocese, said some of those allegations were recanted, found to be false, or made after a priest has died, so he cannot defend himself. He said the diocese has taken extensive efforts to protect children, including taking out ads and encouraging people to come forward, as well as responding immediately to accusations of abuse and cooperating with law enforcement.

The protesters said they would like the names to be posted on the diocesan Web site, a suggestion that Guilfoyle said the diocese is open to considering.

Such a list could help parents keep their children away from molesters and help employers screen potential hires, the protesters said. Skip Shea, from Uxbridge, Mass., who was abused by a priest as a child, told of seeing his abuser working next to the children's section in a bookstore as he awaited trial for abusing children.

"There has to be some sort of safeguard to protect kids. I don't think it ends with removing them from active ministry and I don't think it ends with defrocking," he said.

Shea, who has left the Catholic church, says he doesn't understand why Tobin is targeting Kennedy. [Why not?  The guy is worse than his father!  A shame to the Knights!]

"Everybody, including these priests, deserve Communion. [Loon!  Go to confession first and be sorry for your sins BEFORE going to Communion!] Because that's the whole point of it. That's part of the point of the church. I don't think anybody should be disqualified from it," [LOL!  As if Communion is a game show!] he said. "It's politics. I think the bishop's playing politics." [Yeah right!  The politics of Catholic doctrine!]


The Catholic Action League of Massachusetts called Tobin's action an "act of courage, fidelity and charity, intended to prevent scandal and sacrilege." [Right!  He is doing his job as a Catholic bishop.  Not like most Pinoy bishops who are busy with the environment and politics.  No wonder an old yapping archbishop resigned hastily after learning he might get the boot from Rome.]

"Bishop Tobin is being a good pastor by urging Congressman Kennedy not to commit the mortal sin of receiving Communion while in a state of grave sin," [BINGO!] said the league's executive director, C.J. Doyle.

Bill Nash of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests called on Tobin to use his authority as a spiritual figurehead to protect children.

"There are a lot of moral issues that he has to take leadership in, and the protection of children is a very important and critical area of moral leadership that he should be taking a more proactive stand with," Nash said. [No objection to that.  But would you agree that the bishop should also do his job of upholding Catholic doctrine to prevent scandal and sacrilege?]

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These people are now using squid tactics to put the good bishop on the defensive end.

First things first.  Kennedy says he is still a good Catholic and can receive Communion even though he supports abortion rights and legislation.  His bishop says no.  A good Catholic must prove it with his works be he as a private citizen or a public official.  Kennedy stops answering the bishop.  Bishop Tobin bars him from Communion unless he repents.  Here comes the liberal media resurrecting the skeleton of sexual abuse, which is present in ALL church groups in the US.

First things first.

Kennedy, be a man!

As one famous Mason once said.  "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!"  The Church, through Bishop Tobin will search for the lost sheep to bring him home to the Lord.  But it that sheep opts to travel the wide road instead of the narrow one, the Lord cannot force you to go His way if you do not want to, just as He did to the rich young man.

First things first.