shuggy's blog
Courage, from the Church, would have taken the form of a Vatican inspired confession of this business, before it was exposed by other means. It didn't happen. The Church does not make embarassing, or expensive disclosures. Business as usual.
I do not expect that this problem was confined to Ireland, it has probably been going on here too. Because there is a common factor at work.
Religious institutions and the people within them have always commanded a degree of deference and respect, to which they have little entitlement. We should have grown out of this stuff generations ago.
By all means let them keep their plaster saints and magic invocations, let them have their festivals and processions. Let them even provide services to the poor, disabled, the young and the old. Just don't ever take them at face value. Don't trust, verify. And verify through inspections without advance notice.
"Let them even provide services to the poor, disabled, the young and the old."
Is that Monty's version of a - 'what have the Romans ever done for us?' - speech?
Er, the Romans presented themselves as an invasion and occupation force, with overwhelming military superiority. I have no doubt they were cruel, vicious, and beligerent. They never pretended to be a branch of bloody social services. Neither did the Vikings for that matter.
And the stuff they left behind is so spectacular, we take the Japanese tourists to see it. It's called history.
The Church presented itself as a blessing to the poor, the old, the disposessed, the lame, the ignorant, the sick, and the orphaned. And now we are presented with the surviving results of their efforts.
Bairns beaten up, left to go hungry, sexually assaulted, or just ignored and neglected. It's called cruelty.
What kind of tourists are going to line up to see that?
Oh well, at least they didn't burn any of them at the stake.
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