73 Comments

• PhlutiePhan | Oct 19, 2012, 01:53 PM EDT

  There are sexual sins which belong to everyone. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. Bill Clinton is a hero of the left for all of his peccadillos. Catholic priests are human and commit sins. 20K for someone with no income is nothing.

• eiriamach | Jul 05, 2012, 11:57 AM EDT

  If it were libelous, hermitTalker, it would not still be here, I'm sure. O'Dowd probably has lawyers on retainer to guard against liability in such matters. But the FACTS are what they are: Cardinal Dolan lied about paying pedophile priests to consent to defrocking and about giving them pensions and health insurance to live on--elsewhere. Court records refute his denials. IF you have an alternative interpretation of Cardinal Dolan's strategy in getting rid of pedophile priests without sharing information about them with law enforcement or the courts (to protect children), then you're free to give it. If you can justify his lies about the payments, then let's hear it. But don't be surprised if most people find your interpretations unpersuasive. Patrick Roberts' interpretation of the known FACTS, however, is quite plausible and therefore not libelous and not slander.

• hermitTalker | Jul 05, 2012, 09:59 AM EDT

  Why is this fake piece of slander still on here after a month. TRUTH and JUSTICE are as essential to journalism as they are to personal and business dealings. You know exactly what Cdl Dolan did in Milwaukee and it was not paying off anyone. Same with your anti-Orange POC today, anything to stir the troops.

• eiriamach | Jul 03, 2012, 09:28 AM EDT

  Kweenie, see Matthew:7 -- "Don't pass judgment, so you won't be judged. Don't forget, the judgment you hand out will be the judgment you get back. And the standard you apply will be the standard applied to you" (Miller's SV translation). I offered an analysis of the way that immoral actions, such as Dolan's protecting pedophiles in Milwaukee and his pogrom against women and gays in NY, blunt the conscience. This analysis applies to leaders AND their uncritical, unthinking followers. You may reject my analysis, but when you go so far as to condemn me to hell for it, you transgress, and when you pile on lies about Obama being a murderer and guilty of genocide, you presume on God's judgment. People may reasonably reject my analysis of how moral blindness damages a human soul, but they'd be insane to accept your analysis of Obama's politics. So I'm content to take the advice of Matthew 7: "Don't offer to dogs what is sacred, and don't throw your pearls to pigs, or they'll trample them underfoot and turn and tear you to shreds" (7:6). When will you realize that such attacks do not silence people like me?

• KweenOHearts | Jun 18, 2012, 07:20 PM EDT

  eiriamach: "Dolan's helping pedophiles made him insensitive--blind--first blind to justice for victims (the $20000 for pedophiles and the manipulated diocesan bankruptcy) and then blind to justice for all--the "common good" of Obama's health plan." ---- Wow... this has got to be amazing, world-class bias by an individual who neither knows AB Dolan personally, nor the in-depth details of the case. But that does not deter her; she dares to saturate every possible article, even mildly critical of the Catholic Church with her vicious blathering and opinions, always acting as though she has ALL THE FACTS!--- I think that in Gaelic her name means 'She that claims to know the heart and mind of those she intends to smear' -- So eiria... obama's actions, by your standards are nothing but "common good" right? Is that what you call his unqualified support for the killing of children up to the 9th month of gestation in those Planned Murderhood and George Tiller type abattoirs? Worse yet since those slaughterhouses, where the victims are somewhere around 75% black, are engaged in a form of genocide against 'his own people!' --- Oh wait, I forgot he is only half-black, so maybe that's why he doesn't give a crap! --- Hopefully when you get to the pearly gates [which sounds like at your age you're well on your way there], you'll find a less harsh judge than you have anointed yourself to be against those you hate. But on second thought....

• KweenOHearts | Jun 18, 2012, 06:43 PM EDT

  It's been some 2 weeks since Roberts put out the story on IC and to this day there has not been a single attempt from whatever authorities handle these type of cases as to an upcoming indictment, arrest or even a reprimand for Archbishop Dolan. --- Which would lead anyone to believe that this was one more case of irresponsible reporting by Roberts, whose record on multiple occasions past has been notoriously bad in verifying facts, proper editing and even false reporting of facts. --- In this particular case, was there ever an actual intent at a cover-up from Dolan... or was Roberts, as per usual, merely sensationalizing another purported 'Catholic Church scandal' to boost his readership? --- Personally, given the silence so far from the more 'credible' press (if there's such an animal in the MSM), I'd be willing to bet this is just one more case of Catholic Church slamming by this website.

• eiriamach | Jun 04, 2012, 02:14 PM EDT

  Another feature of Cardinal Dolan's career path is likely connected with his lies to the press about his payments to accused priests: his apparent lust for power. I'll quote the NY Times' 5/31/12 article "Timothy Dolan": "Indeed, since becoming head of the Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Dolan has struck an aggressive tone. The bishops are struggling to reclaim the role they played in the 1980s and into the ’90s as a nationally recognized voice on the moral dimension of public policy issues like economic inequality, workers’ rights, immigration and nuclear weapons proliferation. Since then, however, they have reordered their priorities, with abortion, homosexuality and other social issues eclipsing poverty and economic injustice." A concern for justice, in particular, might have helped Dolan avoid the mistakes he made in Milwaukee, as well as his current misdirection of the USCCB's political campaign. And certainly "economic inequality" has not diminished since the 1990s, and in the Church only the nuns seem concerned about it any more.

• LordStrisus | Jun 04, 2012, 01:07 AM EDT

  As a resident of Milwaukee, and a Catholic, and a person who had for the longest time had the greatest respect for Cardinal Dolan, I am sicked by these reports. I do have to wonder if he, Dolan, knew a priest had the HI Virus, would he allow him to use a condom during the rape of a child? That is essentially his attitude by allowing these monsters to go out into the community. Why is sex between consensual adults, even married couples, not allowed if there are contraceptives involved, but rape of children is not looked to be an abomination by this man of God?

• skiadvocat | Jun 03, 2012, 10:28 AM EDT

  "...He has an easy manner and a well-developed sense of public relations..." Yes, and he has an ego the size of his hometown, New York City. Along with his buddy, William Donohue, President of the Catholic League, he is considering opening up their own boutique law firm, Dolan and Donohue. U.S. Catholic Leadership.......Money talks and pedophiles walk.

• Mousemess | Jun 03, 2012, 08:44 AM EDT

  dev4, Nil Oir. Wright ina mhinistir ag a aeanseipeal sin aige na bliana seo agus thit an t-Uachtaran Obama agus an t-Oir. Wright amach le cheile. Ta difriochtai mhora phearsanta i gcreideamh idir an da cheile. Rev. Wright is not a minister at that old church of his these years and President Obama and Rev Wright fell out with each other. There are big personal differences in belief between the two of them. Obama has a new minister and has dropped Rev. Wright some time ago.

• ProudCanadian | Jun 02, 2012, 06:59 PM EDT

  Everyone here has missed the biggest person who has ccvered up everything. I'll give you a hint he is head of the Catholic church and actually runs his own country. Like I have said many times on here and I think most people are starting to believe it to, the Catholic Church must come out of the dark ages and stop trying to run peoples lives. Get with it RCC's.

• AGRIPPAMOM | Jun 02, 2012, 06:18 PM EDT

  I love the comments defending Dolan's actions. These fools are missing one very big point: the priests involved walked away out into the world, where, as former priests, they were not only welcome parts of their communities, but all too likely to commit the same heinous crimes again. In fact, only a brain dead fool would tell you that they did. Instead of doing the right and moral thing, not only what was BEST FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, he put the community at risk BY SETTING THESE PRIESTS LOOSE ON UNSUSPECTING PEOPLE. Also, he lied repeatedly about covering this up. As for Obama's health care bill: it isn't unconstitutional. Sorry, Faux Noise viewers, it is perfectly within the bounds of congressional power to establish the healthcare mandate. You want to really go crazy? There would be no question at all if they'd gone the route of a universal mandate. The current Supreme Court, which is the most corrupt perhaps in history, might rule it unconstitutional, but that would not be shocking, given the number of equally decisions they've made showing where their allegiances lie (and no, it is not to the US Constitution, but to corporate America).

• dev4 | Jun 02, 2012, 01:49 PM EDT

  your marching orders are issued from the white house i guess, any mention of rev wright in there

• Robbie69 | Jun 02, 2012, 11:41 AM EDT

  Dolan was caught in a blatant lie. He vehemently denied that payments were made to pedophile-priests, and then the paperwork showed up exposing his deceit. But that is not even the worst of it! Dolan also transferred Milwaukee Diocesan funds to a "cemetery fund" so that the victims of child abuse would not be able to get to it, just before the diocese filed for Bankruptcy Court protection from creditors. This is fraud! Hiding assets from the Bankruptcy Court is illegal, and Dolan was part of the plot. I believe Dolan should be indicted for fraud and OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE in protecting pedophile-priets. When are we going to see church big shots held accountable for their actions?

• eiriamach | Jun 02, 2012, 10:51 AM EDT

  hermitTalker, as William F. Buckley once said, "I won't insult your intelligence by suggesting that you really believe what you just said."

• hermitTalker | Jun 02, 2012, 10:13 AM EDT

  This story appears on the headlines, two days in a row, second such fake "explanation" of the actual facts about what Tim Dolan did in WIS and what the real issue is with ObamaCare and his HHS mandate. That Ap. Dolan story should never have appeared, been taken down IF anyone is awake at the wheel of IC. Some of you regular ranters on here could use a dose of the facts about the stories, learn to recognise "spin" when you see it, and cleanse your souls of the hatred what seems to affect your view of the Church. dwelling on the sins of the few and most from the past and overlooking the sacrifices, sufferings, imprisonment, murder and torture of the many priests over the years is a distortion. It's like everyone blames Congress, the Dail in Ireland when they are both made up of people who are honourable, have integrity, care for the common good. Some are carried away by power and greed but that is par for any human being anywhere on Planet Earth. Your fight is with God who trusted people like ourselves with His Son Jesus and His Church.

• eiriamach | Jun 02, 2012, 08:53 AM EDT

  How did Dolan "lose moral authority"? Covering up evil has effects on a person. Dolan's lawsuit against Obama is wrong. Obama is not trampling on the religious liberty of Catholic hospitals, schools, and colleges. He's defending the right of conscience of the employees of the organizations. Defending the rights of all to consult their own consciences (about contraceptives) and their right to equal treatment (insurance benefits) under the law is his constitutional duty. When employees' rights of conscience are in conflict with the rights of their employers to act according to THEIR conscience, the Constitution does not privilege the employers' rights and wipe out the employees' rights. "Impartial justice" means Not allowing one group's "liberty" to cancel another group's "liberty." Obama's compromise allows both groups liberty. It's so obvious to me that Dolan's sense of "religious liberty" is confused that I've wondered why he does not see it. Here's my answer: suppressing evidence of sexual abuse by priests does violence to the conscience. It blunts moral reasoning and makes him less able to see facts in moral perspective. In effect, Dolan's helping pedophiles made him insensitive--blind--first blind to justice for victims (the $20000 for pedophiles and the manipulated diocesan bankruptcy) and then blind to justice for all--the "common good" of Obama's health plan. In effect, his sins made him stupid enough to misread the US Constitution! When you defend him, you move into the same mindset.

• borefield | Jun 02, 2012, 07:09 AM EDT

  IrishandProud , you stated my feelings exactly. All the Catholic haters are having a field day now. In today's world of social media they can digress their hate and resentment every day all day. Cardinal Dolan is a good person and will back up his reasons given a chance which, he won't get because there are those who will never be satisfied.

• IrishAndProud | Jun 02, 2012, 05:17 AM EDT

  The Catholic Church was WRONG to hide the pedophiles, and Barack Obama is WRONG to try to force them (or any other religious organization) to pay for things that violate their beliefs -- that is blatantly unconstitutional, and the Catholic church's blatant failings on the other matter do not change or negate that, in the least. Two wrongs do NOT make a right. They are BOTH wrong, each on these two respective issues. The Catholic church is in decline overall, and Obama is in serious political trouble anyway...and this matter did not help him, to say the least.

• connemaragirl | Jun 02, 2012, 04:20 AM EDT

  So they throw them out of the Catholic Church and lets them loose on some poor unsuspected innocent children in order to protect the Catholic Church ,well here 's some news for these priest s,bishops ,whom ever ,its not your Church to protect its the Community of people that go to that Church that those Churches belong to ,not the Pope or anyone else either .I'm disgusted totally with these people what Hippocrates but I knew that even as a child ,I always felt that a lot of them were anything but holy

• jamthecat | Jun 02, 2012, 01:30 AM EDT

  Kilgara, reread what you wrote! Those creeps were given money, drummed out of the priesthood and sent off to continue their child-raping ways...and you think there's nothing wrong with that? Seriously? Are you that morally corrupt? Those men committed crimes. The Church helped them get away with those crimes. That is criminal conspiracy, and Dolan should be tried for it and sent to jail, not be considered a good candidate for the papacy. Jesus Christ, what is wrong with you? This is sickening and you think it was wise and humane. What a devil you are.

• kilgara | Jun 01, 2012, 11:23 PM EDT

  Roberts, as usual you don't have a clue as to what you are pontificating about!Are you"missing something here" , Duh yeah you are. Dolan gave these creeps some money so they would become laicised pronto and cease being priests preying on children. Absolutely nothing wrong with that indeed it was the wisest and most humane thing to do.But Irish Central bashes faithful Catholics at any and all opportunities so they hire a stooge like you to advocate their hateful agenda. Disgusting.

• irishpjk | Jun 01, 2012, 11:20 PM EDT

  Pope hell no, I think he should resign and run for president of the US he could do better than anyone running at the moment. I am assuming you are all smart enough to know anyone with a sixth grade education could do better than the one in the white house now.

• bfg9000 | Jun 01, 2012, 09:14 PM EDT

  "There are even whispers that he could be an outside candidate for pope in the next conclave." Well, what did you expect? I mean, with the current pope being a former Hitlerian Youth and all...

• eccles64 | Jun 01, 2012, 07:40 PM EDT

  The Evil Rotten Roman Catholic Church is doomed to extiction in Europe, the UK and Ireland. It is about time for it to collapse in the US, The problem is that as long as the United Christian States of America is under the control of the evil JESUITS, the Evil Roman Catholic Church will continue poisoning the country with the GOD VIRUS. THERE IS NO "GOD", SO STOP WORRYING.

• weeknocky | Jun 01, 2012, 06:34 PM EDT

  President Obama does not have morals - he's a politician.

• irish-77 | Jun 01, 2012, 05:08 PM EDT

  HE IS NOT A GOD HE IS A MAN DRESSED IN BLACK AND WHITE.IF THIS MAN WAS INVOLVED IN A COVER UP THEN HE IS PART OF THE CRIME.HE SHOULD NOT BE HARBOURING THESE MEN FOR THE SAKE OF THE CHURCH. LIKE YOU SAID HE HAS SOME NECK ON HIM CRITIZING THE GOVERNMENT ABOUT MORALS AND BIRTH CONTROL . THE DAY HE AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH START PAYING TAXES IS THE DAY I WILL CONSIDER HIS OPINION, HE LIVES A VERY NICE LIFE ,CHAUFFERED DRIVEN EVERYWHERE , WHAT DOES HE KNOW ABOUT HARDSHIP AND WHAT FAMILIES GO THROUGH, HE TURNS UP AT A SOUP KITCHEN ONCE A YEAR AND HE FEELS LIKE HES BLESSED .I ONCE READ THAT THE AVERAGE SALARY FOR A PREIST IS 40K IN THE STATES (TAX FREE)WHICH IS MORE THAN THE AVERAGE INCOME IS IN THE STATES AND WHAT ABOUT DONATIONS THAT THEY GET . I GREW UP IN IRELAND AND I SEEN WHAT MEN OF GOD CAN DO,SOME GOOD AND SOME BAD

• eiriamach | Jun 01, 2012, 05:02 PM EDT

  From the NY Times article today on this news: "The minutes say that those at the [Milwaukee Archdiocese] meeting discussed a proposal to 'offer $20,000 for laicization ($10,000 at the start and $10,000 at the completion the process).' Instead of salary, they would receive a $1,250 monthly pension benefit, and, until they found another job, health insurance." Though $1,250 per month sounds like it'd add up well over time, it represented a great savings for the diocese over the salaries it paid the priests.

• BulldogMania | Jun 01, 2012, 04:29 PM EDT

  Do you all realize that campaigns spend MILLIONS of dollars digging up dirt on their political enemies. You all realize this is a FACT of both political parties. After reading some of the responses to me I'm SHOCKED at the naive nature of your comments. I am in NO WAY defending Tim Dolan...not in the least...but be specific about what he did...he LIED about his actions. That's it. There is no evidence that he violated any laws in this case...I say this case because I'm quite certain there are easily many cases where he did break the law. And that's the problem...unfounded attacks only strengthen the bishops...they claim they are being attacked while they are innocent. REALLY? Innocent...tell that to Msgr. Bill Lynn who is about to go to jail...Philly sex abuse case. Come on people, you all know about that right? One of you said I'm on the defensive, LOL, are you serious? Like I care that a bunch of radical mindless liberals don't get it and because of that I'm the one that's wrong. I've been an independent ALL of my life and I'm very used to getting it from the radical left and radical right. I did read in the NY Times that the cases of these priests were under legal review, and as such the community would know who they are...registered or not...they were known to the community. AGAIN...the point...what do we want the Church to do with pedophile priests...if the answer is throw them out, as many say, then you have to live with those consequences, which means in some cases they will be set free on an unsuspecting public. I suppose that's why so many of them move. They might be known in one place...but if they move they are not known. I do love the attacks on Bush...did you all see President Clinton on TV last night. Really, study economics before you post. Decades of mess hit home...and we are going to pay for it for a long time. Ireland is in terrible trouble...and getting worse. The government there is about to collapse.

• Mousemess | Jun 01, 2012, 04:21 PM EDT

  Bulldog, Your words about aborted fetuses are yours... not mine. I did not say one single identifiable word one way or another about fetuses or aborted fetuses.

• pilib04 | Jun 01, 2012, 03:58 PM EDT

  There is a simple answer to all of this: Our Church must actually support child-rapists!

• pilib04 | Jun 01, 2012, 03:54 PM EDT

  Just as a side note, do you supporters of Dolan really believe that artificial birth control is a sin???

• pilib04 | Jun 01, 2012, 03:52 PM EDT

  I take it that this is a news story because it is so surprising that an American Catholic Cardinal would hide some child-rapist priests? Certainly that may be true if it weren't for the number of powerful American Cardinals already on the lam for their proclivities, for example: Bernard Law and William Levada (he heads the Congregation for the doctrine of the faith, the outfit that has gone after the American Sisters). Dolan, like the other Carinal Monsters, needs to resign!!!

• Woodman | Jun 01, 2012, 03:52 PM EDT

  The priests were not convicted of anything And the $20,000 as severance pay, don't seem like much to me but I guess Irish Central reporters are not payed much. But whatever it is, it's more than they are worth.

• Mousemess | Jun 01, 2012, 03:49 PM EDT

  Phlutie Phan, Inconveniently for you, Kathleen Sebelius is married to a man named Gary Sebelius. So much much for your convoluted idea of her being a so-called "lesbian." And if Obama surrounds himself with both black and white people, and can handle being a leader who deals with leaders of different nationalities and races, he isn't a racist. And as for him being a "socialist" (a real yawner by now) that is the conservative's favorite smear as they can't find much else to pin on him so that is their main and very stale means of conveying their disdain.

• Bythebay | Jun 01, 2012, 03:33 PM EDT

  If Dolan is a huge star in NY then it shows NY's ignorance. Candidate for Pope is pie in the sky, there are other far more likely candidates in rest o'world.

• eiriamach | Jun 01, 2012, 03:30 PM EDT

  Another fanatic with no regard for truth! No, Phlutie, the HHS mandate is about insurance coverage for contraception, and it specifically excludes all abortion procedures and abortifacient meds under layers of federal law and executive order, signed and sealed. This falsehood about abortion in the ACA has been copiously dealt with in other comments on IC. I now challenge you to support this oft-repeated lie about abortion connected with the ACA. If you can't (and I know you can't), then now's the time to turn off the blather about it.

• PhlutiePhan | Jun 01, 2012, 03:22 PM EDT

  That is the way that you read it! You want to read it in a deliterious manner. So, you would put these men out on the street with no food just as SNAP would wish. The mandate from Obama is not about "contraception". It is about abortion used as a form of contraception. Obama is a socialist just like Gerry Adams and both would destroy organized religion just like their "Uncle Joe". Obama is also a racist who gathers lesbian white Catholic women like Sebelius around him "like a blanket" in memory of his very own mother.

• eiriamach | Jun 01, 2012, 03:20 PM EDT

  @Bulldog, I have not seen mention in any news story that the priests Dolan paid $20,000 to had already been prosecuted. The reports tell about Dolan paying "accused" priests, not convicted priests or priests under indictment. They were "unassignable," but not because they had criminal records, apparently. Maybe they had been "prosecuted" by Church lawyers under canon law? But that procedure would not put them on any state's Sex Offender list, and the public would not be alerted. So I'd like to know where you got your information about the priests being already "prosecuted and registered" when they received the money. It seems not to be true.

• PiperMac52 | Jun 01, 2012, 03:15 PM EDT

  If this is true it is another wound to the Body of Christ(his church) however, pointing out one wrong/sin to excuse another is never sound logic.

• BrianinKent | Jun 01, 2012, 02:50 PM EDT

  The trouble is the Catholic Church, like MacDonalds, Google Facebook,Goldman Sachs, is a Corporation and like all Corporations is most concerned about their image and profitability. And like in Corporations, many of the managers (Clergy)within the Catholic Church PLC are self serving and ambitious. only concerned with self preservation and personal survival...

• pndirishandprou | Jun 01, 2012, 02:50 PM EDT

  @BulldogMania: Ignorance is bliss, isn't?! It is no coincidence that you are on the defensive in this forum. With the support of a Republican Congress, Bush had six years to run the economy in the ground, and he did an excellent job at that. It wasn't until 2006 when the Democrats took over, but it was obviously too late to reverse the disastrous conservative policies that lead to a global depression. Had McCain won in 2008 there would most likely not have been a stimulus package, the US auto industry would be dead and unemployment would be well above 10% by now, and very likely America would be at war with Iran. Yes, the economy is still bad, but America has recovered and is in much better shape than most other countries that were dragged down by the Bush/Republican infused global depression. If the US economy was really in such bad shape and if voters thought that it is all Obama's fault, why do you think Romney is still not ahead in the polls? Romney's only hope is a huge turnout of the habitual racists, gun-crazy lunatics and the ignoramuses like yourself. But it will not be enough to unseat Obama.

• eiriamach | Jun 01, 2012, 02:14 PM EDT

  Bullydog, this point is simple and straight-forward logic, so you should get it. You write, "I know what's driving it. Obama is desperate." First, you don't know that Obama is driving it, it's highly unlikely, and you haven't presented a shred of evidence. But more important is the logical point: even IF Obama were behind some kind of exposé of Cardinal Dolan, Obama's motivation ("out to 'get' him") would be completely irrelevant to the (im)morality of Dolan's actions. Acting logically, we assess the facts independently of the circumstances that uncovered them. IN NO WAY would Obama's involvement diminish Dolan's moral responsibility. If Obama were involved in an exposé, that fact might reflect badly on Obama, but the moral judgment on Dolan would still be the same. So your wild-eyed conspiracy theories have no effect except to show your irrationality on this issue.

• BulldogMania | Jun 01, 2012, 02:00 PM EDT

  @ Andrew007 Mr. Bond I agree with your post, parts 1 and 2, with one exception. You said this has been going on since at least the 19th century. I think its been going on since the get go. Sadly, those with positions of authority abuse that authority. Hans J. Morgenthau, in his 1948 classic, Politics Among Nations, said absolute power corrupts absolutely. I especially agree with your comments about the bishops needing to be purged. They knew what was going on...they all have to go. If the Catholic Church is truly God's Church, as they claim, then don't tell me there aren't honest men to administer and lead it. Are we to believe the Holy Spirit only calls corrupt men into service?

• Andrew007 | Jun 01, 2012, 01:29 PM EDT

  PART 2: I utterly believe that God Himself is absolutely FURIOUS with not just the child-abusing monsters and traitors to the Faith who’ve damaged and even destroyed many innocents (to the extent that most if not virtually all of them, I utterly believe, are rightly burning in Hellish torment), but also those who effectively aided and abetted in the devilish crimes (in line with Jesus Christ’s repeated stern warnings). I utterly believe that the if the RC Church is to survive AT ALL, the hierarchy itself needs to be PURGED of ALL who are tainted by this evil, and the ludicrous and UNBiblical medieval dogmas concerning enforced priestly celibacy (&c) be forever spewed out. Only then can the RC Church be cleansed, healed and restored, and only then can God’s Message be untainted when spoken by RC leaders, and only then can the wounded People be healed and restored … the question however as to whether this will actually happen is quite another thing … I will pray but I won’t be holding my breath …

• Andrew007 | Jun 01, 2012, 01:26 PM EDT

  PART 1: There is a moral principle, which says that to see evil being done and yet do nothing to prevent it even when one has the power to do so, makes one complicit to the evil, even to the point of becoming a willing accomplice to it (if by our inaction and silence evil doesn't just continue but actually prospers). Edmund Burke is said to have succinctly declared "Evil succeeds when good men do nothing". I don’t blame all within the RC hierarchy, and certainly not almost all within the laity – who no doubt would’ve been ignorant of the putrescence occurring behind the walls of those whom they trusted to spiritually lead their communities; BUT, given the extent to which Dolan and FAR TOO MANY within the RC hierarchy since at least the 19thC have overwhelmingly allowed the monstrous abuse of the little ones to go unpunished, and worse, effectively actively assisted through the covering up of the abuse and even the punishing of complainants and those who fought for them (such as Saint Mary MacKillop of Australia), the RC hierarchy itself must be considered to be complicit for its demonstrated gross negligence and indifference, and must be held accountable for the abominable evil it has allowed to occur on its watch.

• BulldogMania | Jun 01, 2012, 01:24 PM EDT

  @ Mousemess You are really proud of yourself and your opinions..."the light of the world." REALLY? I'm sure the millions of aborted babies think you are wonderful too. Oh wait, I forgot...its not a baby its a fetus, which means what in Latin? I do agree the ideal country lets the individual citizen decide if they want to be a person of faith or not, if they want to be a part of an organized religion or not. Unfortunately, when one of those religions, as with Secular Humanism, wants to impose its belief system on everyone there is a problem.

• BulldogMania | Jun 01, 2012, 01:20 PM EDT

  @ eiriamach I believe these priests had been prosecuted and were registered, so no one was sending them away to an unsuspecting public...as the Church has done for Centuries when moving priests from place to place without telling anyone. Personally, I've always felt the Church should be made to pay for these pedophiles, not laicize them...but put them some where...a monastery in the middle of no where...so they can be monitored. People seem to want them thrown out of the priesthood, but once that happens the Church has no authority over them...they are free agents. I'd rather see them remain as priests...and sent to a place where they work for their room and board. That seems like a fair and SAFE trade off for society. Of course, for every one priest abuser, there are probably ten more to match him already in society. What to do about them? It's a mess, but the children must be protected.

• BulldogMania | Jun 01, 2012, 01:14 PM EDT

  @ Mousemess LOL! I can't believe you don't see the connection to this story and the HHS mandate. That's funny. Long story short...the country is in a mess. Blame Bush if you want...history won't back you up on that one...but that's okay, radicalized liberals never let the truth get in the way of what they think. So many factors, some Bush's fault, converged and the result was a near freeze of global markets. This story is just one more example of a powerful figure telling LIES and getting away with it. Your economic analysis was pretty amusing...you sound like a talking head from CNN. Have you ever studied economics. We are $16 TRILLION dollars in the hole, nearly $6 TRILLION the past 3 years alone. It's got to stop. Let's get back to the facts...a big reality check for the world, especially the west. We can't look the other way because someone claims to be a "man of the cloth" and we can't look the other way when politicians spend money faster than the Fed can print it. I'm glad I've left the corruption of the Church. Not one more dime of my money until they clean house.

• susan724 | Jun 01, 2012, 01:12 PM EDT

  Let's face it, the Catholic Church is imploding and this Pope is part of the problem -not the solution. He has issues and is the most ineffective "leader" in my life time.

• Mousemess | Jun 01, 2012, 12:59 PM EDT

  Liberal people of faith who balance their faith with social justice and concern for the least of God's children are the light of the world. They advance human life forward while rigid and blind adherence to ultra-conservative dogma holds it back. And as far as secular goes, the government and the state need to be secular more than I do (just speaking for myself) as separation of church and state are necessary to be able to fairly and efficiently represent a diverse country like the USA of many ethnic minorities, faiths and non-faiths or of people who generally believe in a God but who join no faith and to be respectful to Native Americans as well who may have native traditions and beliefs of their own. The ideal country lets its peoples decide for themselves on an individual basis whether they want faith or no faith and does not demand either religion or atheism of its people.

• slainte9 | Jun 01, 2012, 12:55 PM EDT

  "Down, down, croppies lie down!" -- Patrick Roberts, Orange Order

• BulldogMania | Jun 01, 2012, 12:55 PM EDT

  @ eiriamach Can any of you radicalized liberals READ! I didn't once defend Tim Dolan. I condemned him for the LIAR that he is...but to spin the story into something else, as the author of the article has done, misses the point and let's him off the hook. I don't care what he did...even if I think it was a good idea...the POINT here is that he LIED about it. That's the issue...that he LIED. And if you are denying the radicalized liberal left are behind some of this recent attacks against Tim Dolan and his confederates you are pretty blind...but then again...aren't all liberals and right wingers? This is hard ball politics...there is so much more to come. I'm thinking that every week for a long time we are going to hear more about Tim Dolan. If it gets to the truth I applaud the effort...but I'm not naive...I know what's driving it. Obama is desperate...his economic policies are a failure. Jobs numbers today are HORRIBLE! He doesn't want the campaign to be about the economy...fortunately for him...the bishops are playing right into his hands. If the election is going to be about the "pill" President Obama will win by more than 6 to 8% points (popular vote) maybe higher. As for the accusation that I'm defending Tim Dolan and his confederates...you should sue your first grade teacher for failing to teach you to read. Stop spinning the story and NAIL him on the facts...he LIED and COVERED UP...and for that he is made a "Cardinal"? If only it were so...then he could fly away! Finally, I've read your liberal rant twice...and no, I don't get your point.

• BulldogMania | Jun 01, 2012, 12:46 PM EDT

  @ pndirishandprou I realize the radicalized left, devoid of any real ideas, wants to blame President Bush for all of the worlds problems. Have his policies created some of this mess, absolutely...have the democrats created some of this mess, absolutely. Remember, Nancy Pelosi ran Congress from January 2007 until 2010...two years under President Bush. Secular humanism is a rudderless and utterly pathetic attempt at justifying all human behavior as acceptable. I'm sorry, I'll never buy that argument. And I'm NOT defending the Church...far from it...but mindless attacks are ineffective and EXACTLY what the Church wants...it allows them to avoid doing anything. PIN them down hard with the FACTS...leave them no wiggle room. And finally, please, understand the US tax code before you say one more time that Bush's tax cuts were for the rich. That's just stupid.

• eiriamach | Jun 01, 2012, 12:43 PM EDT

  No, johnnymac60, I'm NOT "saying that a person who defends another is guilty of the accused crime specifically because they defended the accused." I'm not arguing guilt by association. I AM saying that rushing in to defend the guilty entangles one in the same kind of immorality one defends. I trust the evidence that 1) Cardinal Dolan lied about giving at least two priests $20,0000 and 2) He did make the payments. Moreover, it was morally wrong for him to send the priests on their way while issuing no alerts to those they might harm, and to lie about doing so. Defending those actions is at least a mistake since they are indefensible, but I ask further WHY do the posters not see that they should not be defending those actions? Isn't there at least a kind of moral insensitivity at work in defending Dolan?

• Mousemess | Jun 01, 2012, 12:28 PM EDT

  I still attend churches regardless of my feelings about certain church hierarchy including Catholic churches (which have some prayers and hymns similar to the ones in my Episcopal church). My relationship is between Christ and I. And I give not one thought to any high church official of any Christian faith regardless of my church or of a Catholic church. When I go to a Catholic church as I did for the funeral Mass of a dear Catholic friend as I did just a few days ago, I go there for my friend, and to see my friend honored in a way that does credit to his life and worth as a human being with beautiful hymns and prayers and to hear a kind word or two about him and pay no heed to anything else. Same as I may go to an Irish-language Mass during an Irish-language immersion weekend.

• johnymac60 | Jun 01, 2012, 12:28 PM EDT

  eiriamach; Sorry but you have lost me. Are you saying that a person who defends another is guilty of the accused crime specifically because they defended the accused? What about the fact that this rubbish attack piece interprets alleged events in the most heinous way possible, and another opinion, more reasonable or thoughtful, is actually correct? Your attack on someone reasonable, while you ignore the extremism of this piece, seems to indicate significant bias and lack of reason on your part. Hopefully you simply mis-spoke. I would consider rewriting or withdrawing this pretty extreme comment. Good Day to you.

• Mousemess | Jun 01, 2012, 12:06 PM EDT

  BulldogMania, As for whether or not Obama is desperate or not, who knows. But buyer confidence is OK under Obama. People are buying homes and cars and things they need. Jobs numbers under Obama has improved as did the economy for a while. Things are not quite as good with the economy but much of the world is not enjoying an huge economic rebound. Things are not rosy in the Eurozone and they are not buying as many Chinese-made goods contributing in part to an economic slowdown in a China that depends in part on in being able to sell its goods in Europe. Obama's team does not need to feel guilty over what is a general world-wide malaise in that Obama's policies did not cause that. There is no connection between Obama's policies and how people perceive Cardinal Dolan (O Dubhshlain in Irish). Not related one bit. Cardinal Dolan's own words and actions are the sole cause of whether people in general like him or don't. Same goes for other in the Church. As for the very last part of your posting, maybe the over the top nature of that last sentence might mean that your morning coffee maybe had just a little too much caffeine in it.

• Bythebay | Jun 01, 2012, 11:57 AM EDT

  Defend Dolan's diseased institution, that's one of the sickest sentiments ever.

• Bythebay | Jun 01, 2012, 11:55 AM EDT

  Bonus checks for priest rapists,victime ignored. Dolan denied doing it when asked ten years ago. That's on record Americans. How you can defend this useless excuse for a clergyman is unfathomable.

• eiriamach | Jun 01, 2012, 11:54 AM EDT

  Dolan looked bad enough in light of irrefutable evidence that he denied making the payments to the priest-pedophiles. (Why deny the payments if there's no reason to be ashamed of them?) But with Bully dog, Carroll09, hermitTalker, slainte9, Laochra and Chris1791 rushing in to defend the Cardinal and excoriate Patrick Roberts et al., it certainly looks like systemic corruption in the Roman Catholic Church, complete with conspiracy theories starring George Soros and Obama, and counter-attacks on those who report or comment on the news! Paying off pedophiles to go away and sin again elsewhere and then lying about having paid them are really not the kinds of activities one should boast of or try to defend, even as the lesser of two evils. Defending Dolan makes you look complicit after the fact. It shows an inability to deal with facts--with truth when it's embarrassing or unpleasant. It shows enslavement to authority figures who seem to be made of clay. I could go on, but you get the point....

• MrSinatra | Jun 01, 2012, 11:54 AM EDT

  this is yet another insane, hyperbolic leftist rant from this site. when will you guys get credible? shameful.
  
  has it occured to you that this might have been the BEST thing to do? what good would it be to turn them over to the police, IF you have no evidence? there are lots of times when something is known without evidence. if he doesn't pay them off to leave, then what happens if the police drop charges? what do you do then? don't you understand the carrot and the stick philosophy? you threaten with the stick, and use the carrot. there are times when you have to do that b/c you don't know if you can SUCCESSFULLY prosecute.

• pndirishandprou | Jun 01, 2012, 11:40 AM EDT

  @BulldogMania: You are trying to defend the indefensible - the Catholic Church. Secular humanism is the way forward that the vast silent majority in this country and most other enlightened countries subscribe to. Secular humanism is anathema to the Taliban, the Vatican and a number of other radicalized religious societies. Obama does not have to hide his track record on the economy or any other policies. He did all he could to pull this country out of the cesspool of an economy he was handed by his Republican predecessor, who left the world economy and financial system in a free fall. All Obama has to do is point out Romney's "cure" for the economy: more tax cuts for the rich. There are simply not enough fools like yourself voting against their own economic interests.

• rainbowbrew | Jun 01, 2012, 11:35 AM EDT

  BullDog please provide the proof about Soros funding this effort. I believe your are hyperbolizing too.

• BulldogMania | Jun 01, 2012, 11:08 AM EDT

  Here we go! I said it yesterday. This whole story is being driven by the radicalized liberal left funded by George Soros and others. This story, and the attempt by the Obama administration to promote the religion of secular humanism have nothing to do with each other. The spin on this story is pathetic, but like I said yesterday, and even more so with MORE EVIDENCE brought forth today by terrible jobs numbers illustrating that President Obama's policies are a failure, the attacks on Tim Dolan and others in the Church will only increase. The Obama team is desperate. Until this is all over they will have us believing that Mitt Romney is Jack the Ripper, the Boston Strangler and Adolph Hitler reincarnated.

• Carroll09 | Jun 01, 2012, 10:49 AM EDT

  It is nothing more than sensationalist rubbish to say that the money was a reward or bonus for abuse. SNAP have used the term reward too, even though they have been harping on for years about bishops who failed to take measures to defrock guilty clergy. As we have seen in numerous Milwaukee abuse cases, the civil authorities were not able to act on abuse allegations because of the statute of limitations - only the Church authorities had the means to ensure that abusers were stopped immediately. If "due process" - i.e. the long route - had been taken, the archdiocese could have been paying abusers salaries and benefits for years, while delaying the defrocking or laicization process. Presumably that would have been the better option, Mr Roberts? In which case you probably would have had a field-day on that version of events. Archbishop Dolan got the abusers out of ministry immediately - not an ideal situation, but his options were limited when the civil authorities had already failed the victims. One must really ask whether an organisation like SNAP - and yourself, Mr Roberts - are really FOR abused children or merely AGAINST the Catholic Church. From what I have read on this page, I would have to say I think it's the latter.

• hermitTalker | Jun 01, 2012, 10:28 AM EDT

  Why write another fake story again today. The facts are that Tim Dolan gave cash to tide a dismissed priest over until he got insurance. He did not need to "bribe" a sinner-immoral man out- there is a Church Court process that does that quite efficiently when it is a serious matter. Cdl. Brady is maligned also, for not knowing that the Abbot would take care of a sick monk from his community.

• slainte9 | Jun 01, 2012, 10:18 AM EDT

  Niall is very ecumenical employing Orangemen at Irish Central. The title of his columns ought to be "No Pope Here!"

• Laochra | Jun 01, 2012, 10:14 AM EDT

  Mr. Roberts: your Catholic bashing has now reached new heights. Your statement that "These two pedos were not handed over to the police. They received a $20,000 reward and walked away Scot-free as far as Bishop Dolan was concerned." is a falsehood, irresponsible and actionable. Both of these priests had already been prosecuted at the time of the payments by the Church. The Church paid them as the way to get rid of them as fast as they could. If they hadn't, they would have been criticized for keeping them on the payroll. Only an irresponsible journalist (if you can even call what you do as journalism)and self-loathing catholic could ever call this a cover-up or payoff. You should be ashamed of yourself. If you have any decency left in your soul at all you will print a retraction immediately.

• pndirishandprou | Jun 01, 2012, 09:39 AM EDT

  Who cares what Catholic church leaders are saying? Not even the faithful do. The Catholic Church has become irrelevant.

• Chris1791 | Jun 01, 2012, 09:39 AM EDT

  So Patrick Roberts is voting for Obama. Obama just said yesterday he is ok aborting girl babies just because they are girls. Where is your 'moral' outrage? You must be one of the too many liberal Catholics in the US. We need to purge the liberal Catholics because they are not really Catholic.

• CaptainCon | Jun 01, 2012, 09:39 AM EDT

  Peculiarly enough this is a mirror image of the cardinal sean brady situation in Ireland where Brady also lied his head off about not being involved in a cover up and even said he would resign if found to have done so. Needless to say this is what has happened in the case of Brendan Boland and some other children who were left in danger by Sean Brady- who now refuses to resign. I'm not even sure these two cardinals are worthy members of any church given their ability to lie blatantly to their congregations. Chancers- the pair of them and they need to be turfed out by those roman catholics who care anything for their church.

• hollabackgurl | Jun 01, 2012, 09:24 AM EDT

  And not a peep yet from Bill Donohue, either. It's disgraceful.