Vatican's Secret Rules for Catholic Priests Who Have Children

[Eugene]

Source: New York Times

Vatican’s Secret Rules for Catholic Priests Who Have Children

By Jason Horowitz and Elisabetta Povoledo
Feb. 18, 2019

ROME — Vincent Doyle, a psychotherapist in Ireland, was 28 when he learned from his mother that the Roman Catholic priest he had always known as his godfather was in truth his biological father.

The discovery led him to create a global support group to help other children of priests, like him, suffering from the internalized shame that comes with being born from church scandal. When he pressed bishops to acknowledge these children, some church leaders told him that he was the product of the rarest of transgressions.

But one archbishop finally showed him what he was looking for: a document of Vatican guidelines for how to deal with priests who father children, proof that he was hardly alone.

“Oh my God. This is the answer,” Mr. Doyle recalled having said as he held the document. He asked if he could have a copy, but the archbishop said no — it was secret.

Now, the Vatican has confirmed, apparently for the first time, that its department overseeing the world’s priests has general guidelines for what to do when clerics break celibacy vows and father children.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/18/world/europe/priests-children-vatican-rules-celibacy.html

[PJMcK]

1. The hypocrisy of the Catholic Church is overwhelming and unending!

All of these priests are in positions of power and moral authority and yet they are the worst offenders of the very rules they write!

In a related story the other day, one priest commented that a third of the clergy is gay, a third is straight and the rest don't know what they are.

What a disgusting mess.

I'm really not sorry that I don't take their foolish, illogical and unscientific mythology seriously. Their entire worldwide cabal is nothing more than a criminal enterprise.

If Jesus existed, he'd be weeping.

Which leads me to this rhetorical question: If god is omniscient, why has it allowed its representatives to bastardize its message?

It's all phony.

[sprinkleeninow]

6. PJMcK...

"If..."

It's been 'said' their clergy not allowed to enter into Holy Matrimony bc it saves $$$,

Eastern Orthodoxy allows priests to marry if they choose to, and it's mighty fine.

Just sayin' dot dot dot

[Act_of_Reparation]

2. This is the height of delusion.

Priests have kids. Any asshole with a history book and five minutes to kill knows it. That Vatican cannot truly think we don't know about it.

No, they just don't want us talking about it. They want to pretend it doesn't happen, and so require the rest of us to play along with their fantasy.

[MineralMan]

3. Here's the thing: Child support.

Men who make women pregnant have a legal responsibility to provide support for the child that they fathered. That is true in every state in this country. In court case after court case, men are required to pay child support regularly to help the child survive and prosper.

So, take the fathers to court and force them to provide that support. Or, force the church to provide that support, if the priest involved follows the rule of poverty. Mothers of children fathered by priests should contact attorneys and sue for that support for their children.

The court can order DNA testing. The court can compel payment of child support on a regular basis.

The Roman Catholic Church needs to be held to account for its priests. Period. Priests who do not comply with child support judgments can be held in contempt.

Let's force the RCC and its priests to be good citizens. It's past time to insist on that.

[Major Nikon]

4. Taking the priest to court probably isn't going to win you many friends in the congregation

That's how priests are able to escape legal ramifications for child rape and other abuses of authority. There's no shortage of scumbag apologists who are willing to provide cover for them.

[MineralMan]

5. That's true. A Google search for "My father was a priest" brings up

many stories about individuals who have discovered that situation. Almost universally, they have been attacked by even lay people for daring to speak the truth. The RCC has cowed its followers into acceptance of the most horrible things. It's long past time for it all to be exposed to the light. I'm disgusted by this new revelation, frankly.