BBC News- Vatican denies Pope failed to act on sex abuse claim
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The Vatican has hit back at claims that Pope Benedict XVI did nothing about a US priest who is suspected of molesting up to 200 deaf boys decades ago.
Archbishops complained about Fr Lawrence Murphy in the 1990s to a Vatican office led by the future pope, but apparently received no response.
One of the victims, Arthur Budzinski, now 61, told the BBC: “The [now] Pope knew for many, many years. He knew.”
But a Vatican statement firmly denied there had been any cover-up.
The Catholic Church has been plagued in recent months by abuse cover-up claims in Europe, echoing paedophilia scandals that rocked the institution in America eight years ago.
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ANALYSIS
 David Willey, BBC Vatican correspondent
Hardly a day goes by without new allegations of sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests somewhere in the world being reported in the media. The Pope’s spokesman defended Benedict, saying the Vatican department which the future pontiff was in charge of had not been informed of these latest allegations until 1996 – 20 years after the priest’s victims first informed the police. But the Vatican’s rather lame excuse for lack of any action is that canon law, as Church law is called, “does not envision automatic penalties”. The Catholic Church teaches that paedophilia is a grave sin, but the evidence is that accused priests were usually moved to another parish rather than punished. While the Pope is now promoting a policy of zero tolerance to clerical abuse, the suspicion remains that for many years he failed to react to the damning evidence which arrived on his desk. |
Fr Murphy was a popular priest who is suspected of abusing some 200 boys at St John’s School for the Deaf in St Francis, Wisconsin, between 1950 and 1974.
According to Church documents, an archbishop wrote in 1996 to a Vatican morals watchdog led by the then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, to complain about Fr Murphy.
A canonical trial was authorised by the future pope’s deputy, but was later halted, despite objections from a second archbishop.
Fr Murphy had written to Cardinal Ratzinger saying he was ill and wanted to live out his life in the “dignity of my priesthood”.
The Pope’s official spokesman, Federico Lombardi, said the Murphy case had only reached the Vatican in 1996 – two decades after the Milwaukee diocese in Wisconsin first learned of the allegations, and two years before the priest died.
The diocese had been asked to take action by “restricting Father Murphy’s public ministry and requiring that Father Murphy accept full responsibility for the gravity of his acts”, the Rev Lombardi said.
The papal spokesman also noted that police at the time investigated the allegations, but did not bring charges.
A strongly worded Vatican newspaper editorial said there was “no cover-up” over the case, which was reported in Thursday’s edition of the New York Times.
L’Osservatore Romano labelled the allegations “clearly an ignoble attempt to strike at Pope Benedict and his closest aides at any cost”.
Meanwhile, one of the Pope’s top aides, Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, told reporters there was “a conspiracy” against the Church, without specifying who was responsible.
Ireland letter
Fr Murphy – who admitted abusing boys before he died in 1998 – is said to have targeted victims in their dormitory beds, on school trips and even at confession.
Fr Lawrence Murphy died in 1998 with no official blemish on his record
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Lawsuits have been filed on behalf of five men alleging the Archdiocese of Milwaukee did not take sufficient action against the priest.
Meanwhile, members of a group of clerical abuse victims who were holding a news conference outside the Vatican to denounce Pope Benedict’s handling of the case were briefly detained by Italian police for not having a permit.
Last week the Pope issued an unprecedented letter to Ireland addressing the 16 years of clerical cover-up scandals.
He has yet to comment on his handling of a child sex abuse case involving a German priest, which developed while Benedict was overseeing the Munich archdiocese.
The Rev Peter Hullermann had been accused of abusing boys when the now Pope approved his 1980 transfer to Munich to receive psychological treatment for paedophilia.
The disgraced priest was convicted in 1986 of abusing a youth, but stayed within the Church for another two decades.
Same Difference 
Here is a short story I wrote today. This is an unedited first draft.
Bless me Father for I have sinned
by Arnie Saringer
“Bless me Father for I have sinned,” Jacob said to, Father Gregory, the priest sitting on the other side of the lattice window dividing the confessional booth into two sections.
“How long has it been since your last confession?” the priest asked.
“Two days,” Jacob said.
“And what are your sins?” the priest asked.
“I have taken the name of our Lord in vain four times, I have broken into a house twice, I have murdered two women and I paid for a one zone bus fare and took a two zone ride,” Jacob said.
After a long silence the priest asked, “Why?”
“Because I only had enough for a one zone fare,” Jacob said.
After another long silence the priest said, “Son are you telling me the truth?”
“Why yes father, I wouldn’t lie when in the confession booth, that would be a sin and that would be wrong.”
“And murdering two women isn’t?”
“Yes it is, that’s why I’m here. To ask forgiveness from you father.”
“Why did you do it son?”
“It’s a long story father.”
“We have all the time in the world son.”
“It started a long time ago father, when I was a little boy,” Jacob said shifting in the seat, it creaking. “I was taught that the church was my sanctuary, that you were my hero, that Jesus was my savior and that Heaven was my reward.”
“Yes, go on son.”
Heather and Mary were sitting at the lobby bar in the Hilton Hotel in downtown Vancouver, each nursing a glass of wine. Both of them wearing too much make-up and not enough clothing, the skirts were short and the tank-tops skinny.
“Trust me Mary this is easy,” Heather said.
“I can’t do this, I just can’t,” Mary said.
“Listen girl our rent has gone up to almost two-thousand a month, the car and insurance is now over five-hundred a month, tuition is due in three weeks that’s going to be close to a grand for each of us plus, plus, plus,” Heather said sipping her wine.
“We can just work longer hours,” Mary said.
“Girl we are working longer hours, we can’t put in any more hours and still have time for classes and life.”
“It’s immoral,” Mary said.
“Hey it’s no different than what it is you do with some of the guys you bring home. From the sounds coming out of your bedroom it’s pretty evident that something immortals going on in there,” Heather said.
“Give me a break. The sounds coming out of your room are downright scary.”
“Listen,” Heather said, “We don’t have to go with anyone who looks weird or scary.”
“For a guy to come to a place like this to buy a girl he’s going be not only weird but scary too,” Mary said.
“You heard what Monica said, that most of them are married men looking for a little action on the side. She said they’re more afraid than she ever was. She’s been doing this all semester and hasn’t had any kind of problem what-so-ever, except that she has more money than she knows how to spend.” Heather said.
“I don’t know it just doesn’t feel right.”
“Look they pay three hundred dollars for what a half-hour? We can each make a couple of grand a weekend and take the rest of the week off. Play, study, do whatever,” Heather said.
Mary looked over to the door where the slightly overweight man in the black suit with a blue scarf wrapped around his neck was standing staring at Heather.
“That guys staring at you Heather.”
Heather turned to the man, looked him up and down and then smiled.
“Can I buy you ladies a drink?” the man asked.
“Sure,” Heather said, “We’re drinking a chardonnay.
The man ordered two glasses of wine and a double scotch on the rocks for himself. When the bartender left he extended his hand and said to Mary, “Where are my manners, I’m Father George.”
“Father… George?”
“Yes,” the man said partially unwrapping the scarf exposing the priest collar.
“Who, I mean what do you think we are father?” Mary asked.
“Working girls I hope,” he said.
“See I told you this was wrong,” Mary said to Heather. “He’s here to save us.”
The man chuckled and said, “I’m here for you to save me. We’re men as well as priests. I understand the going rate is five hundred dollars each for an hour. I’m not into anything kinky. My house is ten minutes away and my car is just down the street.”
They left in the man’s car. It would prove to be Mary and Heather’s first and last trick.
The night before Jacob was at the back door of Father Gregory’s house. Jacob knew that Father Gregory was out of town for the next two days so once inside he had the house to himself.
“You broke into my house?” Father Gregory said to Jacob. “Why? I didn’t notice anything missing.”
“That’s because I brought everything back, well almost everything I have one thing with me that I’ll give back to you shortly.” Jacob said now starting to sweat; the confession booth was heating up.
“What?”
“I borrowed one of your priest suits and a blue scarf,” but I returned them.
“I don’t understand.”
“You will.”
Jacob had left the front door of Father Gregory’s house unlocked. He took the two women into the kitchen saying he wanted to do it here. Who was going to be first? The other one could wait in the living room sip on some wine.
“I’ll be first,” Heather said. “You go wait in the other room Mary.”
When Mary was gone Jacob asked Heather to bend over the kitchen chair. He brought out four silk scarves and said he wanted to tie Heather to the chair.
“You said nothing kinky,” Heather said as Jacob tied her ankles to the chair.
“This isn’t really kinky, besides your friend is in the next room,” he said now tying her hands up in front of her.
“I don’t know about this,” Heather said. “I don’t know if I like this.”
“You’ll like it because I’m going to tell you that you like it,” Jacob said now slapping a six inch piece of duct tape over Heather’s mouth.
Now Father Gregory was sitting very straight in his chair in the confessional booth listening to Jacob’s story.
“You took these two women to my house? When? Father Gregory asked.
“Yes I took them to your place, couple of hours ago. I few minutes after you left actually.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Like I said you will.”
Jacob went into the living room with the big carving knife. Holding it to Mary’s neck he marched her into the kitchen. Mary looking at Heather bent over and tied to the chair, trying to scream.
“You try anything and I slice your throat,” Jacob said. “Now bend over the edge of the kitchen table I’m going to tie you up to it nice and tight.”
Jacob used four more silk scarves to secure Mary to the table. He slapped a six-inch piece of duct tape over her mouth and said, “Show time girls, show time.”
The girls struggled but to no avail as Jacob pulled down Mary’s shorty-shorts and lifted Heather’s mini-skirt up over her hips.
“You said you wanted to be first,” he said to Heather as he was pulling his pants down and rolling the rubber over his thick erect penis. Moving closer to Heather, getting ready to start the nasty business.
FLASH! A distant memory was now exploding in Jacob’s head. It was thirty ago he was nine years old standing in the rectory wearing his alter-boy uniform. Now the priest was bending him over the chair, pulling down Jacob’s pants saying what he was about to do was God’s will.
“Please father it hurts,” Jacob said.
The priest was grunting, breathing hard pushing faster and saying, “It hurts son because this is God’s way of punishing you for your sins. I want you to whistle.”
“Please father.”
“I want you to whistle with me,” Father Gregory now pounding the boy’s backside.
Father Gregory started to whistle Compton Ladies. Jacob didn’t
“You whistle with me or I’m going to give you a whipping,” Father Gregory said.
Now they were both whistling Compton Ladies, Father Gregory coming close to finishing. Then in an instant he was. He let Jacob get up and get dressed.
“If you say a word about this to anyone I will whip you until you bleed, do you understand?”
“Yes father.”
In the confessional booth Father Gregory was beginning to silently pray as he listened to Jacob continue.
Now Jacob was standing behind Heather, pounding her backside saying, “I wish we could whistle together but I’m afraid that if I remove your gag you’ll scream. So I guess I’ll just have to whistle on my own,” he said now starting to whistle Compton Ladies.
Mary was desperately trying to get free. Jacob had positioned the chair so that Mary could see what it was he was doing to Heather.
“Oh my but you’re good,” Jacob was saying his breath now short gasps of air. “Yes, yes,” he said now exploding into the condom.
When he was finished he picked the carving knife up off the floor poked the tip of it into the jugular vein and sliced. Blood pumping out to the beat of Heather’s heart.
“At first she just sat there in shock, but then she went wild. She fell to the floor managed to get one leg free and was dragging the chair all over your kitchen floor. I’m afraid she made quite a mess,” Jacob said. “Are you starting to understand father?”
“Yes.”
“Open the window I want to see your face after all these years.”
Father Gregory slid open the partition window and looked at Jacob thirty years older than the last time he saw him.
“I did Mary next. I actually got her to whistle with me. Told her that if she whistled I’d let her go.”
“Did you?”
Of course I didn’t. After I finished, and you know it takes a guy longer for round two, I whipped her and then sliced her from ear to ear. She made a big mess too.”
“Now what? Are you going to kill me now?”
“No I brought you a gift actually. But first let me return that last item,” Jacob said pulling an iPhone out of his pocket.
“That’s my phone, I wondered what happened to it,” Father Gregory said.
Jacob pushed 9-1-1 the operator said, “9-1-1 please state the nature of your emergency.”
“Jacob said, “I have a confession to make, I’ve killed two women.”
“Where are you now?”
“It’s not where I am that’s important it’s where they are that’s important.”
“Where are they sir?”
“They’re in my kitchen, 2714 West Fourth.”
“Sir, may I…”
Jacob hit the end button and gave the phone to Father Gregory saying, “I also found the pictures.”
“What pictures?”
“The pictures you and your fellow men of the cloth took of us naked children in many different posses.”
“Where are they?” Father Gregory said.
“I left them mostly in the kitchen, some on Heather and Mary actually.”
Jacob now reached down to the floor and picked up what looked like a shoebox. He said, “And now for your gift.”
He handed the box to Father Gregory, it was heavy and it had Holy Bible in gold embossed letters written on the front.
Father Gregory said, “You think this can save me now?” opening the box.
“It’s the only thing that can save you now father,” Jacob said.
Father Gregory looked in the box. There wasn’t a bible in it instead it contained a big black shiny Magnum 44.
Jacob said, “It’s loaded and the safety is off. The best way is to put it in your mouth and try to point it to the back of your eyes. It works better if you use your thumb to pull the trigger. I’ll see you in hell, I think you say ‘Take me Satan for I have sinned’ to get in the gates.”
Jacob stepped put of the confessional and as he walked down the aisle to the front door he was whistling Compton Ladies.
From the confession booth came a muffled “Bless me father for I have sinned,” This was followed by a short silence and then BANG.
The bullet travelled through Father Gregory’s skull, continued through the roof of the confessional booth, and across the length of the church until it lodged itself into the plaster statue of Jesus who was on the forty foot high cross that was hanging behind the alter.
‘Not a bad ending to a Good Friday’ Jacob thought as he pulled the paper with the list on it out of his pocket. The list contained six names; he crossed the first name, Father Gregory, off and looked down to the second name, Father James. Father James address was 3487 Marine Drive South.
‘That’s a three zone fare,’ Jacob was thinking, ‘I’d better pay the full fare otherwise I’ll have far too much to confess.’
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Thank you so much for sharing this. It made great reading! I hope you have plans to get it published, or if not, that you at least have a blog of your own where you post your writing. If you do, please share the address with us. If not, I strongly suggest you set one up!
Keep up the great writing!
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Have just visited your website. Didn’t realise you were already a published writer, though after reading that story I’m not at all surprised! Your website is now on the blogroll here.
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