“The Mind Reels”

by | March 30, 2014

Update: The Catholic Register has a March 23, 2014 article on the canonization, which warns

pilgrims that unscrupulous tour operators already were trying to sell fake tickets to the [canonization] Mass.

What could be more unscrupulous than the Vatican peddling miracles?

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“The mind reels” says Richard Young in his incisive editorial on the Catholic Church, “Actions Speak Louder Than Words,” published in issue 188 of Humanist Perspectives.  If you don’t subscribe to Humanist Perspectives, you should.

Until then, here are some truths about the Catholic Church’s actions and inaction:

News stories in recent years have raised our awareness of the horrific and long-lasting effects that In­dian Residential Schools have had on First Nations, Inuit and Métis children. On paper, these schools – run by Christian churches and financed by the government – existed to integrate First Nations kids into mainstream Canada. But with the benefit of hindsight we now see that something truly sinister happened – sinister far beyond the systematic destruction of First Nations languages and cultures.

 

Of the 150,000 children that were removed from their communities and forced to attend these schools, a shockingly large number endured physical, mental and sexual abuse. Moreover, thousands died. . . .

 

In 2007, the government and surviving victims reached a settlement in the form of a $1.9-billion compensation package. Formal apologies plus payment have come from the Canadian government along with three of the four Churches responsible. As of this writing, there remains one that has held back with its apology and with the tens of millions of dollars owed. It is the one Church that is by far the largest and wealthiest, and it is also the one that ran three-quarters of these schools. It is the Roman Catholic Church. (emphasis mine)

Now, the federal government is forced to sue because, according to Grouard-McLennan Archbishop Gerard Pettipas,

“We were to take up a Canada-wide campaign to try to raise $25 million,” Pettipas said. “It is evident to us now we are not going to meet that goal.”

That’s right, the sleazy Catholic Church is fundraising, trying to get Canadians to pay for the Catholic nuns and priests’ systematic destruction of First Nations languages and cultures, and the physical, mental and sexual abuse perpetuated by Catholic nuns and priests.

Of course, this should come as no surprise. The Catholic Church is working to undermine and deny the findings of the UN Com­mit­tee on the Rights of the Child.  The report claims

the Holy See has not taken measures to systematically provide training on the Convention to individuals and institutions of a religious nature working with and for children including, teachers in Catholic schools, as well as to clerics in seminaries.

Meanwhile, Ontario has created a special day for one of the popes responsible for the cover-ups and on-going abuses of the Catholic Church.  Furthermore, the Royal Canadian Mint has issued two coins to honor Pope John Paul II who is “set to become a saint next month.”  However, the Mint may be getting ahead of itself because there has been little or no news on John Paul II’s canonization since October 23, 2013.

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