41 Comments

• butlerreport | Feb 23, 2012, 09:01 AM EST

  No levies. If money is needed get it from Rome. Asking Irish Catholics for money is asking them to pay for the Church's crimes. That the CC exists at all anymore in Ireland is a poor reflection on Irish people.

• seanomelbourne | Aug 19, 2011, 08:27 PM EDT

  Irish catholics led like lambs to the slaugther by the hierarchy. So much for the "lamb of god".I wonder Jacer if you try to analyse how the bishops live in their mansions,sipping their french wine and waited on with servants,It's your dollar Jacer.

• barneyjo | Aug 19, 2011, 02:49 PM EDT

  @ Everyone - I highly recommend the movie "The Shoes of the Fisherman" starring the late Anthony Quinn. It is a wonderful movie deserving of a full viewing. However, the closing scene is worth viewing alone as it relates closely to this article. .@JACERSAGAIN - "I am totally amazed at the stupidity of most of the comments below. I am a member of the RCC in Ireland. In my whole lifetime to this day, I have never ever been “taxed” by the Church or forced to give it money or ever had my money extracted by it" - OH REALLY!! So you wont be familiar with Parish Priests lobbying their congregations, and in particular those in business or in trade, to sign up to a Direct Debit scheme whereby monthly church contributions would be debited directly from parishoners bank accounts. It was suggested that this would be a more efficient way of supporting their church it was claimed. You'll not be surprised to hear that in my parish, a building contractor who had declined to participate in the scheme but continued to make voluntary contributions was excluded when he tendered for a building project. The contract was won by another contractor from the locality,yes. However, he was a NON-CATHOLIC!!!!! Wheels within wheels Jacers, dont you think?????

• barneyjo | Aug 19, 2011, 02:45 PM EDT

  @Jacersagain - "I am totally amazed at the stupidity of most of the comments below. I am a member of the RCC in Ireland. In my whole lifetime to this day, I have never ever been “taxed” by the Church or forced to give it money or ever had my money extracted by it" - OH REALLY!! So you wont be familiar with Parish Priests lobbying their congregations, and in particular those in business or in trade, to sign up to a Direct Debit scheme whereby monthly church contributions would be debited directly from parishoners bank accounts. It was suggested that this would be a more efficient way of supporting their church it was claimed. You'll not be surprised to hear that in my parish, a building contractor who had declined to participate in the scheme but continued to make voluntary contributions was excluded when he tendered for a building project. The contract was won by another contractor from the locality,yes. However, he was a NON-CATHOLIC!!!!! Wheels within wheels Jacers, dont you think?????

• JuneAnnette | Aug 19, 2011, 12:38 PM EDT

  P.S. Memo to the Roman Catholic faithful: Such a deal . . THEY PREY and YOU PAY!

• JuneAnnette | Aug 19, 2011, 12:27 PM EDT

  RELATED: "Father Stephen Rossetti, a priest-psychologist prominent in the treatment of sexually offending priests at St. Luke Institute, told some victims of Fr. James Porter, "the church will not change until it is threatened with bankruptcy." He made that statement in response to their question, "what will it take for the church to change?" / Source: RichardSipe.com Article: AN OVERVIEW OF THE SYSTEM OF SEXUAL ACTIVITY AND ABUSE WITHIN THE CLERICAL CULTURE OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IN THE USA / Those who truly are advocating for REFORM must PROTEST by refusing to PAY, PRAY & OBEY and instead of putting cash in the collection plate, leave a LETTER OF RESIGNATION!

• eiriamach | Aug 19, 2011, 09:08 AM EDT

  When a corporation faces bankruptcy, company officers pay off creditors and employees as well as they can, and then they cease operations and shut their doors. <-- That's only financial bankruptcy. The RCC in Ireland is in moral bankruptcy as well. Do the bishops have a plan for dealing with both? If they don't, then it's time to do the right thing: pay off what they can and shut their doors.

• eiriamach | Aug 19, 2011, 08:48 AM EDT

  "eeezee peezee money for the greedy," Jacersagain? No, the Dublin Archdiocese is facing bankruptcy because it has had to pay out millions of Euro to victims of priests and nuns. This is not greed money, and it cannot really compensate anyone. It's hardly more than a symbolic gesture of remorse toward those who have probably spent a great deal on counseling and other help in dealing with the aftermath of abuse. I may not fully understand the situation, but I'm under the impression that the Irish people are also being taxed by the government to contribute part of the victims' compensation fund. The sale of just one diamond-encrusted gold and silver papal tiara, a gift from an organization that sought a favor from the Vatican, would reduce each person's share in the taxation required for the victims' compensation. Why wouldn't the Church be willing to give up some of its immense wealth to reduce the burden on those who are paying for the crimes of others? Are YOU and other Dublin parishioners willing to pay the "proposed levy" mentioned in this article to keep your Archdiocese from bankruptcy, or will you blame the victims for this financial burden?

• jacersagain | Aug 18, 2011, 08:50 PM EDT

  (...more) Those who think the Church is rich should remember that it is the feeble, almost inconequential humble donations of the billion-odd faithful of the RCC which keep parish churches working for us, including the Vatican through our donations towards the ‘Peter’s Pence’ once a year. Some posters have said that the Vatican should sell its paintings, its gold- and silver-encrusted items in various parish churches etc. Well, I think that those ignorant people should recognise that all such items have been DONATED to the church by the faithful and others. Even the moon rocks in the Vatican Museum were donated by American Astronauts. Items like these are literally PRICELESS – i.e. incapable of having a price. It’s MY donation youze are talking about and yez can feck off if you think I’m gonna let my donations to the upkeep of my Catholic Church’s parish or diocese be eeezee peezee money for the greedy. It’s too easy for people to forget that all donations to the Church are based on one single event: the arrival of three wise men at a stable in Bethlehem where they donated gifts of gold, myrrh and frankincense to the new-born king and his family. Those three men knew what they were doing. It’s why we of the faithful uphold and should continue to uphold the sense of their generosity to the Saviour and His places of our worship today and always.

• jacersagain | Aug 18, 2011, 08:44 PM EDT

  I am totally amazed at the stupidity of most of the comments below. I am a member of the RCC in Ireland. In my whole lifetime to this day, I have never ever been “taxed” by the Church or forced to give it money or ever had my money extracted by it. I have a home; it costs money to run. I earn a working wage to pay for that. The Government of my (and any) country needs money to run it but taxes me beyond reasonableness to run it. Likewise, the Church needs money to run and maintain it and its services but it has never forced me to help it financially. I voluntarily donate to the Church’s upkeep... towards the heating in the Church during Masses and other sacramental ceremonies like funerals, weddings, baptisms, confirmations; towards the flowers and candles to be placed in prayer or thanksgiving before statues commemorating Our Lady, her Son’s Sacred Heart and saints like St. Theresa or St. Dominic. I have no qualms in making such donations, none whatsoever. (More...)

• rainbowbrew | Aug 18, 2011, 01:16 PM EDT

  How much money do you think they extracted from the Irish. Then ho much of that money went to Rome? Well Rome taxes all parishes and bishopdoms. So maybe he should send a request to Rome. There was a priest in Madelia Minnesota who received a million dollars from a dead parishiner to go to the Church in the town. well no one ever heard of that money again and were told it was not their business. Well the priest drives a fancy 80,000 car and has all new dresses. What did the church get? Your right not a dime. The person who donated the money was betrayed. So if it happens here it probably happens in ireland. Tell them to give back the trillions they have taken so far.

• TiocfaidhArmani | Aug 18, 2011, 03:27 AM EDT

  Well said pilib, they're the enemies of republicanism, always have been.

• walter3ca | Aug 17, 2011, 10:14 PM EDT

  Oh, boo hoo. I feel sooo bad. Gee, maybe all of the priets will have to live in one house, instead of each having their own. Or do their own cooking and cleaning. They can take the bus, instead of having cars. In other words, act like the rest of us.

• pilib04 | Aug 17, 2011, 09:35 PM EDT

  Yeah, you'll see real big tears from me if the Dublin Diocese goes belly up. Good riddance. The fatcat bishops have been preying on the Irish people for centuries. These are the swine who sold out the Irish Nation in 1801 at the Act of Union and again in 1916 and 1919. They actually excommunicated members of the IRA during the first war of independence! Not one tear of these swine!

• JuneAnnette | Aug 17, 2011, 08:46 PM EDT

  RED FLAG ALERT to the Roman Catholic “faithful” continued***”Weakland explains that Berlin addressed the U.S. bishops in 1985 and urged them against removing pedophiles from the priesthood. Of course, no one, or virtually no one, especially the Vatican and John Paul II, was making such a recommendation, and Berlin as the company doctor was simply telling the CEO’s what they already wanted to hear. And, not surprisingly, as the bishop’s psychiatrist, Berlin still remains actively opposed to reporting sex offenders to the civil authorities, although all major psychiatric and mental health organizations and professional associations have strongly supported mandatory reporting for decades.”***SNAP Wisconsin website***"Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." God's Word - Revelation 18:4

• JuneAnnette | Aug 17, 2011, 08:36 PM EDT

  RED FLAG ALERT to the Roman Catholic “faithful” promoting reform***Dr. Fred Berlin,a chief consultant for decades to the American Catholic Bishops and Religious Order Provincials on sex offender priests, will address tomorrow in Baltimore a controversial symposium sponsored by an organization that calls itself “B4U-ACT”. B4U-ACT advocates the decriminalization and tolerance of persons who have a lifelong attraction and desire for sexual contact with youngsters. B4U-ACT, when describing its core values states: “Individuals who are attracted to children are the focus of everything that we do.”Not surprisingly, Archbishop Emeritus Rembert Weakland of Milwaukee, in a deposition taken in 2008, cites Berlin as the chief expert on pedophilia that the U.S. bishops consulted when faced with the growing sexual abuse crisis. According to SNAP, Dr. Fred Berlin was an advisor to disgraced Archbishop Rembert Weakland and many other bishops, apparently, on the issue of homosexual priest abuse of young boys. Not only that, he counseled Weakland and other bishops to keep pedophile priests in service and to cover up their crimes.***Perhaps this is how the pope defines as “REFORM”

• eiriamach | Aug 17, 2011, 07:54 PM EDT

  Golly! I read bonbon1's words as satire, or even morbid sarcasm, "black humor" as seanomelbourne wrote. Bonbon couldn't actually have meant it straight, not even when high on bonbons. It would take something much, much stronger to induce paranoiac delusions. Bonbon, you were just kidding, weren't you?

• SCVMal | Aug 17, 2011, 07:44 PM EDT

  bonbon1 has been eating too many bonbons. She's suffering from a huge sugar high!

• seanomelbourne | Aug 17, 2011, 07:30 PM EDT

  THe vatican can sell some of it's stolen booty to cover losses. The Dublin diocese ripped off the poor for over 100 yrs,I do not believe they are broke.The archbishop of shame should sell his palatial digs for a start and sell there land investment portfolio.What doe's "broke" mean in church parlance. I presume bonbon1's article is a bit of black humour if not what an ignorant religious turd he/she is

• bonbon1 | Aug 17, 2011, 07:15 PM EDT

  The Catholic Church Is not responsible for ordaining thousands of perverts into the priesthood. The devil is to blame! The Catholic Church was not responsible during the 1000 year period of the inquisition for the murder of 30-40 million heretics.It was the Devil who caused the deaths.The Pope is blameless now as were the Popes throughout history. The Pope is in Rome and is extremely busy and most likely unaware of the many criminal and moral violations committed by Church clergy. Is is a sin to speak badly of the Pope. Jesus will send the necessary funds to save the Church.

• Bailey2000 | Aug 17, 2011, 06:14 PM EDT

  Who cares! They helped criminals molest children and hid the files from the civil authorities. They still haven't handed over the files and have paid less than ten percent of the compensation paid by the Irish taxpayer. I hope that Matthews Gospel comes true.... "And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea."

• barneyjo | Aug 17, 2011, 05:58 PM EDT

  @ AngelPrecious - In light of your comments regarding the churches role in social care in Ireland, can I suggest you read the article entitled "Mother’s guilt having entrusted Catholic religious order with her son Neglect, cruelty and abuse followed fateful decision" which is hosted elswhere on this site

• Collette2 | Aug 17, 2011, 04:51 PM EDT

  With all the placating from this prelate in the past, now comes the crunch. Who cares if you are all on the seat of your glorified pants. Get counselling, which is the first operational suggestion given to the victims and see if it feeds your bellies.

• Portia777 | Aug 17, 2011, 04:02 PM EDT

  More untruths. We all know that these parishes put their money in offshore accounts when they got wind of having to pay compensation to their victims. Secondly, the Vatican Bank is the richest on the planet and BUYING UP ALL THE GOLD IT CAN GET AT THE MOMENT. Remember the pope claims TO OWN EVERY CREATURE AND ALL LAND, RIVERS ETC ON OUR PLANET. So, poor it is not.All Vatican money is blood money and all needs to be burned. Then let us Earthlings begin anew with no men of god and no gold. i mean god and the devil were created to keep ignorant human beings in fear and under control. it is the biggest scam in the history of our planet. And still people fall for it in 2011. All the church buildings and lands etc belong to OUR MOTHER EARTH and she gave us all she produced for free. So, the church can own nothing- unless they produce a receipt from our Mother earth to say she sold it to them- which we know she did not. You see it is very simple. All on Mother Earth is for sharing. We Irish knew this so well before the men of god Molach came to convert us to their religion where money and power is god. We have a chance now to rid these men in dresses, so let us do it. Clean sweep Eire of them.

• allentown | Aug 17, 2011, 03:50 PM EDT

  Wasn't one of the reasons why Catholic priests are not allowed to marry being that it was going to cost the Church too much money to support the priests families? Los Angeles dioceses owes $ 600,000,000 for child abuses.

• supersurvivor77 | Aug 17, 2011, 02:38 PM EDT

  CATHOLICABUSESURVIVORSNI.COM---let the pope take a painting of his wall and cure the poor churches money problems in dublin, the paedophile church gets off light in dublin paying pennies to child victims of paedophile priests,this is another mealy mouth fool the people appeals, this is the planets richest empire the whore of babylon , mother of all harlots who have been spending the fools who give them money every week, on legal and abuse costs over the past 50 years all over ireland, north and south.scoundrels!!

• AngelPrecious | Aug 17, 2011, 02:28 PM EDT

  When they have to close all Catholic schools, hospitals and other services provided by the Church, you same people will be crying. I don't think the Vatican should bail them out. Send the priests in the Dublin Diocese(and there are MANY holy ones)to Dioceses that love this Church!

• mamaginnty | Aug 17, 2011, 02:04 PM EDT

  They never seeked to compensate victims, the threat of law courts have made them compensate a handful of victims. No way are they short of money, let revenue have alook at the accounts. playing on people's sympathy now will not work either, or keep the vatican and all its gold and riches.

• hybernia | Aug 17, 2011, 12:52 PM EDT

  Good, get a job mr.bishop, they are looking for builders in New Zealand, and take the rest of your gang with you, don't know if they will allow your type into New Zealand better check first.

• nobumchumsforpr | Aug 17, 2011, 12:24 PM EDT

  How come god never has enough money? I like to think it serves the catholic church right, because if they took action sooner and did the right thing like reporting the paedophiles to the police and let the police handle the matter, they wouldnt have to pay out as much as they did in compo....

• Suivness10 | Aug 17, 2011, 11:46 AM EDT

  @JamieLM, I like it!

• Intercessor | Aug 17, 2011, 11:44 AM EDT

  The God I believe in isn't short of cash, either! Scripture promises, "May you prosper and be in good health, even as your soul prospers." How can souls of the Laity prosper when members of the Hierarchy make decisions to shield Pedophile Priests and members of the clergy, until it is necessary to pay Billions of Pounds in compensation to those who were brutally and criminally terrorized by sexually deviant priests? Then there is Bishop Magee of Cloyne Diocese, who just "disappeared," so he wouldn't need to face the fallout of his criminally negligent practices of covering up for Pedophile Priests under his supervision. No one in the Irish or American Hierarchy seems to know where he is, or if they do (and it is likely that they do), no one will reveal his whereabouts. WHY should anyone continue to give into an organization, which acts as corrupt as the Mafia? God was able to successfully operate the early Church without money and without highly paid bishops, archbishops and cardinals! Those who were in the ministry of the early Church did so for their love of God rather than love of filthy Lucre! Cut bishops salaries and force them to live lives of austerity, like many members of the Laity, and then you'll see who is in the ministry for the actual love of God and His Gospel.

• butlerreport | Aug 17, 2011, 11:33 AM EDT

  'the God I believe in isn't short of cash' - Bono

• stephendoyle | Aug 17, 2011, 11:33 AM EDT

  A true God doesn't need money!! Just a few miracles...

• citizen69 | Aug 17, 2011, 11:23 AM EDT

  Dig deep people.... God needs your money! :/

• nytreader | Aug 17, 2011, 11:14 AM EDT

  Maybe Germany can bail them out like they've done with the country

• themurphia | Aug 17, 2011, 10:34 AM EDT

  The Vatican is one of the richest businesses in the world...it has it's own Bank...go talk to your Bank Manager no doubt he'll give you a favourable interest rate a bit like the bankers and bondholders gave the Irish people...

• BishopSean | Aug 17, 2011, 10:18 AM EDT

  Well, it looks like Satan is having his victory, with the Church in Ireland in disarray and on the defensive. Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has a hard row to hoe and is doing his very best. He is a bishop to be proud of and deserves the loyalty of his people. I am sure that "...my God will supply all his need, according to His riches in glory, through Christ Jesus, our Lord." (Philippians 4:19).

• jamieLM | Aug 17, 2011, 10:16 AM EDT

  The check's in the mail from the Pope to cover all costs, since the Vatican is always responsible for these expenses that it acknowledges were caused by their inept handling of child sex abuse cases. Oh, I just woke up. I must have been dreaming.

• joma5004 | Aug 17, 2011, 09:49 AM EDT

  Would you support and trust a church that hides its involvement in crimes, that spirits away guilty prelates to avoid prosecusion and that hides behind the skirts of the pompus prelate in Rome? Not I!

• stephendoyle | Aug 17, 2011, 09:47 AM EDT

  Your parishes are largely unemployed, your priests are in scandals of abuse of children and you are constantly asking for more money. Hello? Is there something wrong with this picture?