Jim Taunt’s long-winded critique of the Catholic Church (“What is wrong with my Catholic Church?” AFN, Nov. 7) has an astounding omission: he never mentions the pedophile scandal. Throughout the dismal progress of this immoral fiasco, the Church’s self-perpetuating patriarchy displayed monumental hypocrisy, plus incredible contempt for the priest-molested victims. The Catholic bishops intimidated abused altar-boys’ parents, urging them to keep quiet. They failed to warn parishes to which pedophile priests were irresponsibly transferred; and they failed to report the molesters’ crimes to local law officials.
In stark contrast with their lenience toward pedophile priests, the bishops nonetheless attempt to impose absolute bans on birth control, divorce, and abortion. The hypocrisy is unbelievable. The Church’s catastrophic loss of moral authority should, I would think, be any Catholic’s chief concern, not the incidental failings noted by Taunt.
C.W. Griffin
