UNITED STATES
The Pensive Quill
Anthony McIntyre
It’s sad that America’s top Catholic official won’t answer a simple question: How many predator priests got how much money to quietly move on . . . perhaps to molest again? This is a predictable tactic bishops use when forced to defend the indefensible: they attack the messenger – David Clohessy
How often does the following point by Valerie Tarico need to be made before futher reiteration becomes superflous?
After all, these are men who claim to speak for God. They have direct access to the White House, where they regularly weigh in on issues ranging from military policy to bioethics, and they expect us all to listen – not because of relevant expertise or elected standing, but because of their moral authority. If paedophile payouts weren’t enough to convince you that this “moral” authority is often anything but moral, take a look at some of their other sins against compassion and basic decency.
There is no edge in moral authority that clerics of any hue could possibly lay bona fide claim to. To assert otherwise seems fraudulent. What creative primal moral force would contemplate allowing responsibility for its moral precepts to fall into the hands of any group comprised of such fallible men?
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