The Vatican expressed ‘shock’ on Friday at the raid on Thursday by the Belgian police of church offices in their search for hidden evidence of child sex abuse by priests.It also voiced its ‘indignation’ at what it called the ‘violation’ of two cardinals’ tombs in the search.”
So says The New York Times article published Friday, June 25, 2010.
Notice they don’t use the word “homosexual”—liberals never use the word in a negative context.
The book School of Darkness was published in 1954. It was written by Bella Dodd, an organizer for the Communist Party USA (CPUSA) from 1932-1948 who, for four years, sat on the organization’s National Council. She says: “In the 1930s we put eleven hundred men into the priesthood in order to destroy the Church from within.” In a Fordham University lecture in 1950, she said: “Right now they are in the highest places in the Church.”
There is little doubt this article will anger Catholics and non-Catholics alike. As the old saying goes, “Never discuss religion or politics.” This article discusses both. If you are sensitive, you might prefer another topic.
It is interesting to count the ways in which people can abuse power and impose the cruelest of life-changing experiences on others while, simultaneously, holding themselves and their association with the abuse, above it all—because of position. Politicians do it, teachers do it, policemen and judges do it—and priests do it. All are human.
It is equally important to realize that those who abuse the power of position are those with the greatest sense of personal powerlessness; the most insecure among us. Not all politicians, teachers, policemen, judges—or priests—gain a sense of personal power from their occupations. Most seek to serve. Too many, however, do not.
With words like “sex abuse by priests” being flung about by the liberal/progressive New York Times, it is important to keep the facts in mind. Emotion can carry us into the darkness of half-truths, but there is a greater point to be made. It involves ongoing, persistent attacks against Christianity, family, and everyday goodness. Be aware of the attack and why it is occurring.
The Catholic Church isn’t the only institution with “sex abuse” problems—but the media circles like a buzzard with a fresh carcass when sex crimes involve a church. It is lax in its reportage. To prove that point, a recent Associated Press investigation found that sexual misconduct is rampant in our public schools. AP found 1,801 educators were guilty of sexual misconduct with youths between the years 2001 and 2005.
In a 2004 report for the U.S. Department of Education titled “Educator Sexual Misconduct: A Synthesis of Existing Literature” done for the “No Child Left Behind” program, Dr. Carol Shakeshaft said that a study she did of complaints against Catholic priests over a 50-year period, “the physical sexual abuse of students in schools is likely more than 100 times the abuse by priests.”
Pope Benedict XVI has begged forgiveness from victims. He has promised to “do everything possible” to protect children. And, from the Church’s perspective, he is—but the Church needs to better define “everything possible” because protecting priests from the legal ramifications of their behavior and giving them rehabilitation then letting them re-enter the priesthood obviously continues the problem.
When the first Catholic priest abused his power to sexually assault a child and was protected by the Church rather than reported to the police, a Holy obligation to “let the children come unto Me” was violated. That command was given by the highest possible authority within any Christian Church.
The Vatican said in a statement Friday that sinful and criminal abuse of minors by members of the Church must be condemned. They agree there is a need for justice and amends. I say the Church needs to clearly define at what point it’s time to dial 911 and let law enforcement handle unlawful behavior. All humans must be held to the same standard before the law. An Oath to God does not change that simple rule of the most basic definition of civilization.
In the Thursday raid, Belgian law enforcement authorities are said to have seized the records of an independent panel that is investigating sexual abuse by priests and may involve “some 500 cases in all.” Reports indicate that victims are mostly men now grown and mature—in their 60s and 70s.
And that takes me back to Bella Dodd’s book, School of Darkness. A graduate of Hunter College and New York University’s School of Law, Mrs. Dodd was a school teacher and lawyer by profession. She was an organizer for the Communist Party USA (CPUSA) from 1932-1948 and for four years sat on the organization’s National Council. Reading Bella Dodd’s book made me realize the Church has been fighting an entire recruitment program put in place in the 1930s by CPUSA. All Christians have been fighting this battle.
Specifically, Mrs. Dodd said: “In the 1930s we put eleven hundred men into the priesthood in order to destroy the Church from within.” The idea was for these men to be ordained and progress to positions of influence and authority as Monsignors and Bishops. Just 12 years before Vatican II, held in 1962, she said: “Right now they are in the highest places in the Church.” The plan was to weaken the church’s effectiveness against Communism. She stated that these changes would be so drastic, “you will not recognize the Catholic Church.”
During her Fordham University lecture in 1950, Dodd talked of the chaos planned. A monk who attended the lecture is quoted from Christian Order:
“I listened to that woman for four hours and she had my hair standing on end. Everything she said has been fulfilled to the letter. You would think she was the world’s greatest prophet, but she was no prophet. She was merely exposing the step-by-step battle plan of Communist subversion of the Catholic Church. She explained that of all the world’s religions, the Catholic Church was the only one feared by the Communists… The whole idea was to destroy, not the institution of the Church, but rather the Faith of the people, and even use the institution of the Church, if possible, to destroy the Faith through the promotion of a pseudo-religion: something that resembled Catholicism but was not the real thing. Once the Faith was destroyed, she explained that there would be a guilt complex introduced into the Church... to label the ‘Church of the past’ as being oppressive, authoritarian, full of prejudices, arrogant in claiming to be the sole possessor of truth, and responsible for the divisions of religious bodies throughout the centuries. This would be necessary in order to shame Church leaders into an ‘openness to the world,’ and to a more flexible attitude toward all religions and philosophies. The Communists would then exploit this openness in order to undermine the Church.”
Dodd went to Washington to argue an immigration appeal and met with a friend from the old East Bronx area of her childhood. He talked with her about testifying against the Communist Party in front of the House UnAmerican Activities Committee and asked if she wanted FBI protection. He then asked if she would like to see a priest. She was startled by the question, but was amazed at the intensity of her own answer as she said she would.
“Perhaps we can reach Monsignor Sheen at Catholic University,” he said, and an appointment was made for her late that evening.
From School of Darkness, Chapter 16:
“A thousand fears assailed me. Would he insist that I talk to the FBI? Would he insist that I testify? Would he make me write articles? Would he see me at all?
“...By what right, I thought, was I seeking the help of someone I had helped revile, even if only by my silence? ...I rang the doorbell and was ushered into a small room. While I waited, the struggle within me began again. Had there been an easy exit I would have run out, but in the midst of my turmoil Monsignor Fulton Sheen walked into the room, his silver cross gleaming, a warm smile in his eyes.
“He held out his hand as he crossed the room. ‘Doctor, I’m glad you’ve come,’ he said. His voice and his eyes had a welcome which I had not expected, and it caught me unaware. Monsignor Sheen put his hand on my shoulder to comfort me. ‘Don’t worry,’ he said. ‘This thing will pass,’ and he led me gently to a little chapel. We both knelt before a statue of Our Lady. I don’t remember praying, but I do remember that the battle within me ceased, my tears were dried, and I was conscious of stillness and peace.”
Cardinal Fulton J. Sheen (as he was at the end of his priesthood) never hesitated to point out the evils of communism on his popular television broadcasts of the 1960s. He was an exceptional man and, to me, a modern-day Saint. He counseled Bella Dodd as disease sent her to her death.
The impact of Cardinal Sheen’s counseling is apparent in Bella Dodd’s words:
“On my way to the airport I thought how much he understood. He knew that a nominal Christian with a memory of the Cross can easily be twisted to the purposes of evil by men who masquerade as saviors. I thought how communist leaders achieve their greatest strength and cleverest snare when they use the will to goodness of their members. They stir the emotions with phrases which are only a blurred picture of eternal truths.”
There is no doubt the current crisis and liberal attitudes within the Catholic Church have hurt many people. The headlines achieve the objectives set by CPUSA over 70 years ago. This, then, established the battleground of the Catholic Church from 1950 until—today. It is also the battleground of our schools, families and all other character-building tools used by humanity to keep evil in its cage and civilization moving forward and not “progressing” back into the cave.
As Bella Dodd said, “I thought how communist leaders achieve their greatest strength and cleverest snare when they use the will to goodness of their members.”
That is a danger all Christians face. Goodness misdirected can deter us all from its very purpose. I try to stay away from books (and philosophies) that promote Goodness for Dummies in One Easy Lesson… those written by Karl Marx, for example.
SIC: CFP