In a new documentary published exclusively on the Disney+ streaming service, Pope Francis discusses he views on things like pornography, abortion, sexual abuse by clergy, women’s role in Catholicism, and more.
This documentary, interestingly enough, was released at a time when scathing evidence was recently published that reveals that over 600 children and young adults were found to have been sexually assaulted, molested, and tortured by priests in Maryland per an investigation into the Baltimore Archdiocese in Maryland, and how these sadistic abuses have been covered up for many years on end.
The Baltimore Sun reported (excerpts):
A four-year investigation of Baltimore’s Catholic archdiocese reveals the scope of 80 years of child sex abuse and torture and how church officials often covered it up and, in some cases, paved the way for further abuse.
Among the accounts: A deacon who admitted abusing more than 100 children. A priest who chained and whipped boys for his gratification. Another priest who, after receiving psychiatric treatment, went on to abuse 20 students at a Baltimore boys’ school.
The Maryland Attorney General’s Office released Wednesday its “Report on Child Sexual Abuse in the Archdiocese of Baltimore.” Its nearly 500 pages tell how 156 clergy and other Church officials tormented more than 600 children and young adults, dating back to the 1940s. The Baltimore archdiocese covers Baltimore City and nine counties in Central and Western Maryland.
The report names at least 36 abusers who are not listed on the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s online list of 152 priests and brothers credibly accused of abuse. Ten more abusers’ names were redacted. Other diocesan officials’ identities are redacted also, and the Catholic Church paid at least some of the legal costs for a group of people who sought to have their names shielded.
The abuse’s breadth and depravity is “astonishing,” the report’s authors wrote.
Investigators’ discoveries exposed the full story of men like Father John Joseph Mike, who served in parishes around Timonium, Baltimore, Halethorpe and Clarksville before being transferred out of state in 1988. While Mike was charged with abusing a boy in 1987 and pleaded guilty, an archdiocese official said at the time that the case “did not involve sexual contact.”
In reality, Mike sadistically abused at least seven teenage boys for his sexual gratification, the report said. In 1987 at St. Louis parish in Clarksville, one victim was made to wear a loincloth while Mike poked him with a heated pin and forced him to run laps around the parish gym as Mike lashed him with a bullwhip.
I was tied to a basketball backboard by my hands and suspended into the air, where he whipped me 150 times with a bullwhip, from which I shall always carry the scars.
The victim wrote of Mike’s abuse in his diary.
Going beyond the horror of the individual cases, the report reveals the extent of the Catholic Church’s efforts to conceal the depravity within its ranks.
The staggering pervasiveness of the abuse itself underscores the culpability of the Church hierarchy.
The authors wrote.
Priests who abused children were often known to the diocese, yet little was done to stop them, according to the report. For example, Father Lawrence Brett admitted in 1964 to abusing a boy in Connecticut. Church officials there sent him to treatment in New Mexico, where he continued to abuse boys, and he then was transferred to Calvert Hall College High School in Baltimore, where Brett abused at least 20 more, the report states. Brett died in 2010.
According to the report, police, prosecutors, the press and at least one judge treated the church with deference when they became aware of abuse, uninterested in learning what diocesan leadership knew and when.
The Most Rev. William E. Lori, archbishop of Baltimore since 2012, said the “enormous” history of abuse represents a moment of “shock” and “horror,” for himself and Catholics everywhere.
It is a day of deep sadness, but it is also a day for us to focus on the victim-survivors, upon those who have been harmed and who carry around in themselves the effects of sexual abuse.
I think Holy Week is a good time for this to be released, because it is a time when we have to come to terms with a betrayal of trust, and a time when we lay this at the feet of the crucified Jesus and beg for forgiveness.
Lori said in an interview with The Sun.
The Baltimore Sun’s story is part of a much larger series of related stories concerning this abuse and level of coverup.
The documentary, “The Pope: Answers,” was released in Spanish on April 5th – (the same day as the Baltimore Sun’s article) – but still could be viewed with English subtitles. The 83-minute-long film features 10 different children and young adults asking Francis hot button issues of the modern era.
Francis addressed questions about pedastry, sexual abuse, and coverup; providing the same-old responses that Francis, previous popes, and Archbishops routinely say.
I can’t possibly convey the empathy I feel for a person who has been abused, but it pains me deeply. We’ve been clear about this, we’ve disciplined the seminaries, we’ve punished the abusing priests or even the abusing laypeople.
It’s a serious social problem. We’re beginning to raise social awareness. That is key.
He said
The overall gist of the film and critical details on the film were provided by the Catholic News Agency in a post released today.
CNA reported:
Filmed in a poor, working-class neighborhood in Rome, the documentary is entirely in Spanish but accessible to English audiences through subtitles.
Throughout the film, Francis maintains that the Church cannot allow itself to become “a club of nice people,” that is a group of people “who do their religious duties but lack the courage to get out to the ‘suburbs.’”
Using the term “suburbs” to describe those on the peripheries of the Church and faith, Francis shared his belief that it is the Church’s job to go out to those people at the very edges.
“We all like to be comfortable,” said Francis, but that desire for comfort can lead priests to forget they are the shepherd of a flock.
“If you want to see reality, go to the ‘suburbs,’” said Francis, “To find out what social injustice is, go to the ‘suburbs.’”
Among the group of 20- to 25-year-olds were Catholics, Protestants, atheists, agnostics, and one Muslim. Each has a unique problem with either the Church or God. They question the pope on some of the Church’s most controversial teachings and difficult problems.
Throughout the film the pope listens to the young people calmly, responding gently and retaining a smile even as some of his answers evoke anger and indignation.
They discuss immigration, depression, abortion, clergy sexual and psychological abuse, transgenderism, pornography, and loss of faith.
Here’s a taste of the conversation on these hot-button issues facing the Church and the world.
Women In The Church
One young woman, Milagros, from Argentina, describes herself as a feminist and asks why the Church objects to having women priests or even a woman pope.
Therein lies a theological problem. Women have a function within the Church because the Church itself is female … The Church is a wife, Christ’s wife. It is not his husband. Christ is the husband. That is our faith.
Answers Francis.
A few young women smirk, but the pope goes on, saying,
There are two constituting streams within the Church. Two principles. So, the ministry is for men. On the maternal side, which is far more important, are women. The promotion of women is aligned with their own vocation as women … otherwise, women would be diminished.
The Dignity Of Life
Milagros also objects to the pope’s description of abortion as “hiring a hitman” and argues that abortion is a woman’s right.
“I think Jesus would walk with that woman. He wouldn’t judge her like they would during Mass at a church,” Milagros says.
With tears welling up in her eyes, Milagros hands the pope a green bandana with the words “Keep abortion legal, safe, free” written in Spanish. She shared that she would keep that bandana in her backpack as a symbol and wanted to give it to him “lovingly and respectfully.” The pope accepted the gift with a smile, kissing Milagros on the cheek.
Though he agrees that the Church should never condemn a woman for having an abortion, Francis stands firm in his position that abortion kills an innocent child.
Any embryology book shows us that a month after conception, the DNA is aligned, and all the organs are drawn. It is therefore not just a bunch of cells put together, but a systematized human life. So, the question that should be submitted when talking about the morality of this is; ‘Is it valid to eliminate a human life to solve a problem?’
His response sets off a debate among the young women in the room in which many insist abortion must be kept legal to protect women, while one lone girl, Maria, from Spain, disagrees, asking Milagros; “You are surrounded by women who have had abortions. Don’t you see the suffering abortion causes?”
Throughout the exchange, the pope listens attentively and waits until the conversation has settled to give his thoughts.
A woman who has an abortion cannot be left alone, we should stay with her. We should stay by her side. But we should call a spade a spade. Staying by her side is one thing, but justifying the act is something else.
Francis says.
Child Sexual Abuse
Tearing up, one young man in the group by the name Juan, from Spain, shares that when he was 11 and 12, he was sexually abused by a teacher at a Catholic school in Spain.
“There is so much hypocrisy [in the Church],” Juan says through tears. “What about pederasty in the Church?”
“It’s usually said that lives should be protected, there’s a right to live … But then, when it comes to other aspects … many people from within the Church reject the victims or stand on the perpetrator’s side,” says Juan. “You must be aware that there are many priests and bishops below you who are bad people.”
Francis responds, saying;
There are men and women who destroy. The abuser destroys a child, and if it’s a church person, the hypocrisy and double life are horrific.
I can’t possibly convey the empathy I feel for a person who has been abused, but it pains me deeply. We’ve been clear about this, we’ve disciplined the seminaries, we’ve punished the abusing priests or even the abusing laypeople.
Francis said
Another member of the group Lucia, from Peru, objects, “I don’t think enough is being done, considering the people who have survived this have to wait for years for some type of reply, and alone! … You’re reinforcing something that’s been proven to be useless.”
It’s a serious social problem. We’re beginning to raise social awareness. That is key.
The pope says.
Sex And Pornography
Another, Alejandra, from Colombia, challenges the Church’s position on pornography. She shares that to earn a living she creates pornographic content on a social media site, asserting that it is the best job she has had because it allows her to stay home to care for her daughter.
The pope responds by reminding the young woman of the obligation to use social media responsibly.
There should be a distinction between the richness of social media and the morality of what you do … The morality of social media depends on what you use it for. Pornography diminishes, it doesn’t help you grow. Those who use pornography are diminished in human terms.
The pope says.
Francis adds that he believes sex is often greatly misunderstood, even in Christian circles.
“I think we Christians haven’t always had a mature catechism regarding sex,” he says. Responding to the group’s discussion of pornography and masturbation, Francis says that neither are true expressions of the fullness of human sexuality.
Sex is one of the beautiful things God gave human beings. To express oneself sexually is something rich. Anything that diminishes a true sexual expression, diminishes you as well, it renders you partial, and it diminishes that richness.
Says the pope
Gender Ideology
Another member of the group, Celia, from Spain, describes herself as non-binary, asking the pope if he knew what that meant. He responds that he understands.
“I’m non-binary, and I’m a Christian,” Celia continues. “I’ve been meaning to ask you if you see some space inside the Church for trans people, non-binary people, or LGBT people in general.”
The pope responds firmly with a smile,
Every person is a child of God, everyone. I don’t have the right to kick anybody out of the Church. My duty is to always welcome.
Reaching The Peripheries
Celia pushes further, asking what the pope’s opinion is on “church people or priests” who use the bible to promote what she described as “hate speech.”
Reaffirming his stance that the Church exists on the peripheries, the pope answers that every person is welcome in the Church and that those who use the faith as a justification for hate are “infiltrators.”
In general, those who judge are inconsistent. There’s something within them, they feel liberated by judging others, when they should look inside at their own guilt.
But the day the Church loses its universality – the blind, the deaf, the good, the bad, everybody – it will stop being a Church.
Says Francis.
AUTHOR COMMENTARY
Another day, another allegation and proof that priests and the clergy are raping, molesting, and children; and the hierarchy and the police working with them to cover it up. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. But this is common for the “Church that Christ founded,” whom “the gates of hell shall not prevail against,” Catholics boastfully say.
Seriously, if you are a Catholic reading this: please, enlighten me: how can you still attend and claim that Roman Catholicism is of God with all the abominations it commits on a daily basis?! You say, ‘Well, the Protestants and Baptists do it too!’ Exactly, which is why I am none of those things or ever want to be associated with. I serve my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, not an organization, especially one controlled by the government no less.
Nevertheless, while some of these people may have gotten away with it here on this earth, I can ASSURE you they did not when they left it.
Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.
1 Timothy 5:24
And Pope Francis’ answers, well, what else would we expect? Just more contradictions and rhetoric as usual; who, expectedly, is there to downplay the abuse while he tells these people porn and masturbation is bad.
Rome is to NEVER be trusted. Everywhere they go and everything they touch they destroy.
[1] And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: [2] With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. [4] And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: [5] And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. [15] And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. [18] And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth. Revelation 17:1-2, 4-5, 15, 18
[7] Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8] Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10] Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (1 Corinthians 9:7-10).
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There is nothing new in the Roman Catholic Church. There’s all sorts of evil things going on in secret, and just plenty of vain traditions of men, blaspheming Jesus Christ. When will Catholics wake up? Unfortunately not that many. They love their magnificent church. They feel special and accepted and comfortable in it.
The Roman Catholic Church is Mystery Babylon and it is satanism central!
THERE SHE BLOWS!! they’ve been bursting at the seams to let themselves out to this point. Open glory of their perversive-blasphemeous-dark-ways.
just about 2000 years and the evil deeds of the wicked repeat and to their own damnation. Once a pagan always a pagan.
real Christians dont have these problems only the fake ones do. thats how you tell them apart. Devils children cant resist their wicked nature thats why they lost their first estate.
Ezekiel 8
1 And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me.
2 Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber.
3 And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.
4 And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain.
5 Then said he unto me, Son of man, lift up thine eyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted up mine eyes the way toward the north, and behold northward at the gate of the altar this image of jealousy in the entry.
6 He said furthermore unto me, Son of man, seest thou what they do? even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? but turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations.
7 And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall.
8 Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door.
9 And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here.
10 So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed upon the wall round about.
11 And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of incense went up.
12 Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth.
13 He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do.
14 Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD’S house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.
15 Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.
16 And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD’S house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.
17 Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose.
18 Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.
Thank you LORD for your judgements and wrath!
I see the cover photo of this story shows Pope Frank striking his “Homer Simpson “Doh” pose again.
Haha! Good one Liz.
Mother church Mystery Babylon is still going to be destroyed? D’oh!
Sometimes I wonder if the scammers that come to this site are AI bots or real people…
I think both, either way, it’s devils. Satan’s time is OH SO SHORT and these scammers are just little helpers for him.
Tell Jacob and he’ll delete and block them.
Vile. 19x in as many verses in the King James Bible. And instructive in identification, and the end of such both, humbling the proud: how long, O Lord?
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De 25:3 Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed: lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee.
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Jg 19:24 Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing.
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1Sa 3:13 For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.
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1Sa 15:9 But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
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2Sa 6:22 And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.
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Job 18:3 Wherefore are we counted as beasts, and reputed vile in your sight?
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Job 40:4 Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.
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Ps 15:4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
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Isa 32:5 The vile person shall be no more called liberal, nor the churl said to be bountiful.
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Isa 32:6 For the vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the LORD, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.
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Jer 15:19 Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them.
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Jer 29:17 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.
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La 1:11 All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul: see, O LORD, and consider; for I am become vile.
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Da 11:21 And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.
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Na 1:14 And the LORD hath given a commandment concerning thee, that no more of thy name be sown: out of the house of thy gods will I cut off the graven image and the molten image: I will make thy grave; for thou art vile.
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Na 3:6 And I will cast abominable filth upon thee, and make thee vile, and will set thee as a gazingstock.
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Ro 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
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Php 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
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Jas 2:2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;