The Devil is at work in the Catholic Church – Pope
The pope is reported to have said recently that 2% of Catholic priests are paedophiles. The Vatican’s own research that I read many years ago suggested a figure of 5% (1 in 20). In Australia independent analysis says 7% or more. In third world countries figures are more difficult to obtain but can be estimated at up to 15%. The general consensus appears to be 5% (1 in 20) overall.
When I read the Vatican’s 5% figure many years ago I was concerned that the report also said that this figure was not too bad, because 5% was probably equivalent to that of other denominations and religions. “Not too bad” 1 in 20 is not too bad?
If 1 in 20 of the male employees of any other business or organisation were paedophiles the businesses or organisations would be closed with the employees and employers in court. Priests are employees of the Catholic church, yes they are revered, but employees nonetheless.
Additionally, it is estimated that in the USA approximately 30% of priests are homosexual based on various researches which cover figures ranging from 15 to 58%. For priests to be homosexual, whether open, closeted, active or not, yet still teach the Catholic cannon doctrine and catechism that homosexuality is outside of natural law and that homosexuals should observe celibate chastity is frankly hypocrisy, and promulgates prejudice.
That all Catholic Priests, irrespective of sexuality, are supposed to be celibate is now largely considered a joke. Many are secretly married or in unmarried relationships, and even have children. In Italy 26 women who are either married to, or in relationships with priests (one of whom has been married for 40 years and has 4 children), and who have been dubbed “God’s Rivals” are no longer willing to remain silent and have written to Pope Francis asking that clerical celibacy be overturned. They point out that clerical celibacy is not dogma but tradition, and that any pope can change that if he so chose to do so.
There are some hints that Pope Francis has this change in mind, but I don’t think it is for any reason of human understanding, but one of practicality – the Catholic Church is losing clergy and congregation at an increasing rate worldwide. Allowing priests to marry could slow this decline.
However, Pope Francis, who many thought would be a reformer, is now peddling nonsense to his congregations. Instead of being honest and saying that his church is at fault because of being hidebound to its geriatric and pedantic pedagogues, its reluctance to allow marriage, it’s ambivalence about gay’s, is blaming the current problems of the church, particularly paedophilia, on the Devil.
The Devil, and evil spirits are at work in the Catholic church, Pope Francis has said, and he exhorts all Catholics worldwide to pray for the Devils defeat. In the Philippines the faithful are being asked to pray to Saint Gregory the Great to fight the devil. So here we are again, heaven and hell, saints and angels fighting the devil and his demons, and other such nonsense instead of grasping and dealing with the real issues.
All this at a time when leading Catholic theologians are saying there is no Devil, no Hell, no Evil Spirits etc., and that in Gods realm there is only Love, Compassion and Understanding, or an absence of Love Compassion and Understanding.
So the question here is - who is showing an absence of Love, Compassion and Understanding?
Charles