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E-mailIrish Catholic culture to blame for pedophilia scandal, says New York Times writer
Published Tuesday, December 1, 2009, 2:48 PM
Updated Tuesday, December 1, 2009, 4:10 PM
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A prominent New York Times columnist says the current Catholic Church sex scandals — and many more in America — were caused by the culture of the Irish Catholic Church, which was transferred to America by Irish clergy.
Ross Douthat was writing in his Times blog in a piece titled "The Tragedy of Irish Catholicism." He says the qualities of Irish Catholicism — "qualities which were once a source of immense vitality — seem to have led to a particularly horrifying outcome."
The pedophilia scandal is an example of "how a culture so intensely clerical, so politically high-handed, and so embarrassed (beyond the requirements of Christian doctrine) by human sexuality could magnify the horror of priestly pedophilia, and expand the pool of victims, by producing Bishops inclined to strong-arm the problem out of public sight instead of dealing with it as Christian leaders should."
He quotes British journalist Damian Thompson of the Daily Telegraph, who recently wrote "I associate the worst abuses of power with the mean-spirited Jansenism of the Irish Church and the Irish clerical diaspora."
Douthat says experts blame Dublin's Cardinal Paul Cullen, who served form 1852 to 1878, and quotes author Charles Morris, who wrote "American Catholic," a history of Catholicism in the United States.
Irish Catholicism was “one of the most ragtag national churches in Europe,” Morris write. "Post-Cullen, it was one of the most unified, rigorous, enthusiastic and militant branches of Catholicism in the world. At the same time, it was one of the most hierarchical and clericalist, with priests and bishops who were invested with nearly-unchallengeable authority, and who became accustomed to extraordinary deference from civil authorities.
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Posted by barragan on Mar 16, 2010, 12:51 PM EDTWhy is it always the Church's fault for this? Most of the pedophiles whether priests or not, are homosexuals. The focus should be on homosexuals not the Vatican and the Church. The Church isn't out there actively recruiting gay pedophiles. But let's be politically correct and not question homosexuality as the root ...problem, instead let's accuse religion and the Church for this.
Posted by killowen on Feb 15, 2010, 04:39 PM EST
The Irish are responsible for all the world's ills.
That planting of those Jesuits in Maynooth by god's
gifted British Empire mavens had nothing to do with
what befell humanity. The tradition laid down by Mother
is being kept alive and Cousin this side of the pond. Overlording all of the above is an entity (whom aware
folks know) that has humankind ensnared. Serving their
every need.
Posted by barneyjo on Dec 15, 2009, 11:41 AM EST
I merely make the point that there is an Historical context to this issue which has to be considered. I do not seek to indulge in "Catholic Bashing" as some people describe it. I am a practicing Irish Catholic, I will continue to be a practicing catholic, as are all of my five children (which is a miracle in itself in the present climate). No, I seek to understand, what could have gone so terribly wrong that would allow paedophiles to infiltrate the Church body for their own sordid ends. My late uncle was a member of a Missionary order which provided one of the priests named in the Murphy Report, to the Dublin Arch-Diocese. He was a good genuine, holy man who gave his life totally to his ministry for over seven decades. I am glad he did not live to see the shame this has brought to his brother priests who continue to do good work all over the world, but who also have been dragged into the controversey through no fault of their own. Catholic bashing aside, the question still has to be asked "how was this allowed to happen" because what was done to keep this all quiet was not done in my name, nore in the name of decency or humanity.
Posted by PaddyDeMucker on Dec 14, 2009, 09:18 PM EST
What has been exposed in the Catholic church in Ireland is appalling. I must however remind people that a small percentage of priests, nuns and brothers are involved. I attended Catholic school until I was 18, having served as an altar boy when younger and had nothing but good experiences. The majority were/are decent caring, people. Some of them weren't good at teaching, but that is the same with lay teachers also. There is a priest who I served mass for as a kid that I have remained in contact with. He is deeply ashamed (on behalf of the church) at what has been revealed. I feel sorry for him and the many other 'good' religious people.
Posted by 2BorNot2B on Dec 11, 2009, 01:13 PM EST
Blame the Cath of culture of Ireland for paedophilia?? --This is the level to which this insane "BLAME ONLY THE CATH CHURCH!!" has sunk ---barneyjoe says: >>Bear in mind that all these things have been done in the name of "Mother Church" in our name<< -- Really?? Where exactly do you have anything other than supposition, speculation or hear-say to claim such stupidity? -- Do you have video/audio, or sworn written evidence from any credible visual witness or source to say that, as this despicable conduct by a small minority of men is taking place, the perpetrator seduces or rapes the victim claiming to do it "in the name of the Church"? And has the Church itself publicly justified the conduct of any of the perpetrators?--- This is rampant idiocy! Yes, there may have been plain stupid or overly zealous bishops who rather than think straight sought to contain scandal, protect the Church and deal with the derelicts within the clerical structure, very unwisely, granted. But to imply there was malice and forethought in every case goes beyond the bounds of reason. --- I would be loath to excuse either any of these vile men who cannot even be called Christians, nor those who tried to shield -not the very sinners who were undermining the Church from the inside, but the whole structure- however, to blanket-condemn the whole organization for the sins of a few (and there are statistics to compare their numbers, as a part of a universal pandemic of paedophilia that affects every organization) reeks of virulent hatred rather than desire to know and accept the truth. -- ENOUGH of blatant Cath bashing by columnists, and anti-Catholic bloggers on these boards! -- When, and if you decide to investigate and blame other religious and state organizations in the same way you do the CC singly, you do nothing more than propitiate, vent, blather and rant. Furthermore, you provoke the rage of those of us who actually know history and the good that the Church has done for some 2000 years.
Posted by gobdawpaddy on Dec 11, 2009, 02:21 AM EST
It is a characteristic of the Irish to 'turn a blind eye'. They collectively suffer from what I refer to as 'snowdrops and daffodil syndrome'. They tell themselves that if the pretend something didn't happen, it will go away. They did it with peed priests, brothers, nuns etc, 'ah shur fadder Murphy wud never do tings like dat', their police force wouldn't listen to complaints etc. etc. It continues today when blatant crooks like Charlie Haughey are exposed, Paddy continues to see the good side, 'ah shur he was a dacint man all de same'. When it was revealed that Bertie was accepting payments/digouts from various people the Irish dismissed it 'ah shur he was having martil diffikultees'. Of course he was, by his own admission he was involved with his wife's best friend. The Irish are for the most part a 'simple' race' and their tolerance of behavior such as I have highligthed underscores this reality.
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