The following appeared on The Catholic Thing blog July 16.
In November of last year, I wrote a column here, Crime and Punishment at Penn State, about the infamous sexual assault case involving Jerry Sandusky. At that time, it seemed clear to me that legendary football coach Joe Paterno, who died of lung cancer in January, was complicit in covering up the crimes of Sandusky, his longtime defensive coordinator, and I wondered how a devout Catholic, such as Paterno was known to be, could have failed – over the course of more than a decade of allegations against Sandusky – to see to it that police were brought in, thus protecting other children from the heinous predator. Had the scandals in the Church taught him nothing?
Last week, former FBI director Louis Freeh, also Catholic, released the report on the Sandusky Affair that he had been commissioned to undertake by the Penn State board. His investigation was meant to uncover why it took so long for Sandusky’s crimes to be stopped. (Sandusky was convicted last month on 45 counts of abuse against ten boys.)
As ESPN reported after Freeh’s press conference:
Joe Paterno and other top Penn State officials hushed up child sex abuse allegations against Jerry Sandusky more than a decade ago for fear of bad publicity, allowing Sandusky to prey on other youngsters, according to a scathing internal report issued Thursday on the scandal.
In the aftermath of Freeh’s digest of conclusions, the supporters of JoePa (led by former players and the Paterno family) rushed in to insist, even as they acknowledged the facts in the report, that Freeh’s conclusions couldn’t possibly be true. Penn State linebacker, NFL star, and now pro-football analyst Matt Millen swore to ESPN anchor Chris McKendry that JoePa never cared about bad publicity.
The Paterno family statement flatly admits that JoePa “wasn’t perfect” (which in court would raise an attorney’s objection that it refers to a fact not in evidence) but adds:
To think . . . that he would have protected Jerry Sandusky to avoid bad publicity is simply not realistic. If Joe Paterno had understood what Sandusky was, a fear of bad publicity would not have factored into his actions.
But assistant coach Mike McQueary had told Coach Paterno in 2001 – during a face-to-face meeting the next morning (that included McQueary’s father) – that he had seen Sandusky raping a boy, 10 or 12 years old, in a shower room in the Penn State football facility. So how is it Coach Paterno can be said not to have “understood what Sandusky was”?
As Director Freeh emphasized: “The most powerful men at Penn State failed to take any steps for 14 years to protect the children who [sic] Sandusky victimized.”
And about the reason for the silence of officialdom at Penn State, the Freeh Report could not be more explicit: “In order to avoid the consequences of bad publicity, the most powerful leaders at the university . . . repeatedly concealed critical facts relating to Sandusky’s child abuse.”
As I wrote in November: Football and basketball coaches make much more money and, therefore, command more power than most college presidents. Many believe they are a law unto themselves. The Program above all.
There was much talk on Thursday about how the Sandusky Affair must not be allowed to tarnish the legacy of Joe Paterno, but that’s wishful thinking that is both ridiculous as to the eventuality and immoral as to the circumstances, as we now know them to be. Freeh was not conducting a criminal prosecution, although there are civil cases pending and criminal action against other PSU officials is possible. Were Coach Paterno still alive he would likely be the object of an indictment, since he “was an integral part of this active decision to conceal” Sandusky’s crimes.
Rather like the “sex-abuse” crisis in the Church, Penn State’s nightmare ended in the aftermath of the revelations. Although colleges and universities large and small need to carefully regulate and scrutinize the power and practices of sports programs, the incidences of pedophilia in those programs is infinitesimal. When I say Penn State’s nightmare has ended, I mean the horror of the rape of children, not the dreadful legal consequences and painful moral questioning that will burden the university community for years to come. But we can all move on now, lessons having been learned. (And, contra the likes of author Buzz Bissinger or ESPN’s Joe Bryant, PSU should not drop football. However, Paterno’s statue should come down.)
To read the entire posting, click here.
wow 45 counts of abuse against ten boys. This is really sad. All these children were harmed, i wonder if there were more that didn’t come forward. God help us. Just yesterday I saw on Nancy Grace of a mother who killed her 7 year old with a hammer. She was a mother who also had an abortion prior to killing her 7 year old. All this violence on children. I can only imagine the torture that the unborn are having to endure, those poor innocent victims whom we do not hear their cries from the womb as they are being murdered limb from limb. Perhaps the allowing of abortion could be a reason why many do not act quick to defend children that are alive, all this molesting of children, many just turn the other way. This is such a great evil.
One doesn’t need to be Catholic, or to have any religious faith, to know that rape and other abuse or misconduct against a child is morally wrong and is usually a criminal act. Just because the perpetrator is a friend or popular sports figure does not justify remaining silent while someone is harming helpless children. Sandusky deliberately founded the Second Mile organization for children who needed help and were usually without a father figure in the home, which made them vulnerable. That he took credit for, and was honored for, allegedly befriending and guiding these needy children makes it all the more disgusting. It appears that Sandusky’s wife knew, or should have known, about some of his criminal activities and claims to have no knowledge of it. Though these people probably will not be charged with any crime, they should not be allowed keep their jobs at Penn State University.
So many self declared “moralists” rightfully condemn the immorality of the pedophiles but there certainly is no reason but pure hatred in denigrating their accomplishments in life. So you hate what they did to unwilling and impressionable kids but your error is condemning all that they did that was right. Why shouldn’t remembrances of their talents or contributions to society be acknowledged. It had nothing to do with his demons in life.
Hi, Bud – I disagree. I think what you say is the epitome of moral relativism: Everything should be judged in context. Respectfully, this is what has allowed society to morally devolve to its current point. Just because an actor and actress live in sin doesn’t mean we should judge their filmography; right? Back in the day (my mother’s day, as I am 62), people’s work would be shunned because of their morally unacceptable private actions. The result of this was that they either hid it very well (thus protecting innocent children and others in society from viewing their moral rot) or they changed their ways. Morals are meant as societal pressure to ensure correct behavior. That is, unless you are saying his private behavior WAS correct?
I understand what you say Laura and I certainly did not want to encourage “moral relativism” but how many evil people do we honor or at least acknowledge something they did totally irrelevant to their sins. Start with some of our own Popes who were in fact sinners like the rest of us. Then go on to the great totally decadent but brilliant artists with their works hanging everywhere as a tribute to their talent. Probably DaVinci comes to my mind! Would simply moving the statues and plaques to less obvious places maybe on the grounds of the university where he used his talents? The Amish shun etc. to enforce their beliefs on their own but we are a minority and have no such powers.
this mess at penn state has revvealed, ONCE AGAIN, that child abuse is not a cathlic problem, but a societal problem.
i really wish that coach Mike McQueary and his dad had gone directly to the police, instead of to Joe Paterno, but hindsight is 20/20, just like with the church crisis.
as for taking down paterno’s statue…i don’t know. if we tore the statue of every person later found outt to be a rat, our parks would be pretty empty…
Better empty parks than destroyed morals!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
You are totally correct of course but, take a look at California who recently rejected any attempts to enact laws regarding pedophiles in their public school systems backed by the Unions and Gay Activists in the state Senate and House. The Activists are getting more and more power to infest our schools like vermin to influence our children.
The same situation applies to Notre Dame, don’t let the institution be tarnished with the fact that heresy is taught there. Invite dissident politicians to uphold the reputation, It’s the same story!
How many Joe Paterno-like readers does California Catholic Daily have? “Had the scandals in the church taught him (Joe Paterno) nothing? As Director Freeh emphasized: The most powerful men at Penn State failed to take any steps for14 years to protect the children who [sic] Sandusky victimized.” History is repeating itself on California Catholic Daily. When Charles Wilson, a very courageous man from the St. Joseph Foundation told many Catholics at a Catholic conference, “Rome knows how bad it is. They are waiting for the laity to speak up.’ he was being a powerfully courageous man. Even on California Catholic Daily we see the advocacy for the homosexual agenda with certain posters. One individual is consistently crossing the penalty line with back up support from his team players. All of these players know Church teaching but if your paying attention, you will notice that a game of silence and deflection is taking place. Just when a poster named MD makes a great truthful touchdown post that is filled with charity, a deflection poster named k rushes in to take away that touchdown by calling a terrible and unjust penalty to distract, deflect and protect their teammate who is advocating dissent. Catholics are not supposed to sit in the stands silently and protect sin. If Catholics are not paying attention to the game being played they should be careful to not aid and assist the opposing team by remaining silent when a CCD teacher supports homosexual lifestyles and homosexual adoptions while mocking the men in Rome. This particular game is not about kindness or respect toward homosexual individuals. The Catholic Church has always taught that homosexuals are to be treated with dignity. This particular game is about the repeated passes that deflect the teachings of the Catholic Church. After the many terrible penalty calls that a poster named k made on MD’s many charitable touchdowns , ONLY *2* powerful men came back to personally show support towards their faithful Catholic teammate named MD with his many fine touchdown posts. Congratulations to MD for his fine performance on the field. Congratulations to the posters named JLS and Rick DeLano for running down the field to block opponents and defend their teammate. Powerful men indeed! Did all of the Penn State Officials care about those children? No they didn’t. They looked the other way, but before you criticize them, ask yourself? Do all Catholics care about what is taught in CCD classes to children? Probably not but we should care shouldn’t we? We have the lessons from the scandals and the lessons from Penn State. Can you imagine a Catholic parent who hears that his or her child is being taught in a CCD class that homosexual lifestyles and homosexual adoption is good for children or that the teacher is mocking the men in Rome? Now imagine that same parent going to the pastor to express their concerns about their child hearing many teachings that run contrary to the Church. Imagine the frustration when that pastor tells that parent, yes, as the pastor I do accept the teachings of the Catholic Church but as a pastor I just won’t defend them and then I will run an interference play for this teacher every time and if you try to stop him I will discredit you as a parent. Then the pastor will yank at the heartstrings of the gullible and naive by saying, “Please leave this poor CCD teacher alone because you might hurt his feelings in the process of trying to get him to stop teaching error to the little children.” Can you imagine that parent’s nightmare when the pastor does nothing to correct the teacher and allows the teacher to continue to influence children? The scenario taking place on this website was also the living nightmare of many Catholic parents and that is why they pulled their children out of Catholic schools. That terrible reality should not be a permission slip for powerful men who do read CCD to remain silent. Now for those Catholics silently sitting in the grandstand, Do you want to wearing Penn State’s same official tee shirts that read * Welcome to Penn State Home of Apathy & Bystanders United? Does California Catholic Daily have many apathetic bystanders? A Catholic poster named Bud had the courage to write: “Speak up openly or you will be trampled!!!!” k tried to trample MD and ONLY two powerful men stood up to bolster their faith-filled teammate when he was powerfully proclaiming the Catholic truth. California Catholic Daily provides the tremendous opportunity to speak up and defend the Catholic faith. Does the California Catholic Daily audience have it’s own share of men who follow in the footsteps of Joe Paterno? Are they also just giving up when it comes to defending children and looking the other way when it come to courageously standing up for the teachings of the Catholic Church? Don’t be a bystander! Be powerful Catholic men. Innocent children are always the victims when powerful Catholic men remain silent.
I know nothing about football but is there something called a Hail Mary pass? Catherine, if you really want to support MD find something from the Catholic Church that says all sin comes from Satan. The question has nothing to do with homosexuality. You like to distort things to make the offense seem bigger than it really is. If MD says “I believe all sin comes from Satan” that is his personal theology. If he says the Catholic Church teaches that all sin comes from Satan, then he should be able to produce a Catholic source to document it. So rather than trying to ruin someones reputation (another sin) why don’t you research it? This discussion has been going on for over a year and no one has ever produced documentation, including MD. I asked the cousin of Father John Harvey, who started COURAGE; there is a catechism of homosexuality on the COURAGE website; Bishop Bruskewitz has a statement on his website. None of them support MDs contention. Catherine, I spent more time trying to prove MD right than MD did, and I found nothing. Stop lying and slandering people because you don’t like the Church’s teaching.
Excellent comments Catherine!
Catherine,
Well written. We invite all of you to join CRCOA, Inc. when it demonstrates against the complicity of the Knights of Columbus in their refusal to expel from our Order the many pro-abortion, pro-sodomite public figure members August 2 to the 3rd from 9 AM to approx. 6 PM in front of the Anaheim Hilton hotel. We also urge you to join us yearly as we demonstrate in front of the Lost Angels Religious Education Congress.
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Thank you Abeca and Kenneth!
Kenneth, please mention to the Knights that they should also stop selling Christmas cards made in China!! I was really angered to find that the box I bought last Christmas, thinking I was supporting a good cause was made in a communist, atheistic country. Shame on them!!
Catherine, you state that the Catholic Church teaches that homosexuals are always to be treated with dignity. How come you really don’t follow this? Dignity and disdain are not synonymous. It seems to me that gay people have become the new Jews. Many people view gay people like some viewed the Jews years ago. Did it ever occur to anyone that if Sandusky were gay that he would have been kicked out and thrown in jail years ago. Because he wasn’t gay and because he was a “nice guy” people looked the other way and let him get away with the garbage that he did. Why didn’t people confront him about what he was doing and tell him how sick he was? This is a lesson for people and maybe they will have a better understanding of this. Hopefully young people will learn that they don’t ever have to be treated like this.
MarkfromPA, You made the comment that your son once told you that he did not care about your opinion because you like everybody. If this comment is true, your own son is trying to communicate something to you. Mark is your son aware of the fact that you do have strong opinions that show dislike for those men in Rome?
My cousin and my friend who died from AIDS became very appreciative of the faithful men in Rome. The faithful example of those men in Rome was a beautiful catalyst for many priests in the United States to be inspired by so that they could evangelize the Gospel and bring back many souls home to the Catholic faith. To disdain or hate the individual who is a heterosexual or the individual who is a homosexual would be to completely ignore them as if they did not exist. To ignore you or to disdain you is to not care about you or care about the silent readers of this site. You will be challenged if you promote homosexual lifestyles and homosexual adoption on a Catholic website.
Mark, Right before my cousin died from AIDS he made the comment that he was marveling at society’s acceptance of homosexuality. He was not talking about the homosexual as an individual or their temptations of same sex attraction. He could not believe that young boys and very young men were talking so openly about the immoral things that they had done with such prideful glee. He worried about them and he wondered what basic frame of reference of goodness and morality would they have to return to since society was now showing such signs of Godlessness by validating their choices to act out in immorality.
My cousin admitted that he did not like having to spend the majority of his life closeted in secrecy so he could live a duplicitous life. What was truly important to him was his interior awareness of the knowledge that he knew he had a foundation of morality and goodness to return to. The reason that he kept many things closeted in secrecy was that he was deeply ashamed and he knew that these sinful immoral actions were offensive to God. He worried about the upcoming generation who was not going to have that same Godly foundation to fall back on, especially when this generation was being told that God accepts these immoral actions because it is two people just loving each other so don’t judge them.
No Mark, you are wrong. I loved my cousin and I loved my friend who died from AIDS. I also work in interior design, (although I must admit I prefer the truth of God’s true interior design for all of us) and there are many homosexuals who I come into contact with and work well with. One individual that I worked with used to live by Liberace’s house and sometimes when we would talk he would get a very sad and worried expression and say to me, “Catherine, I can’t tell you how shallow I feel about my lifestyle.” He recognized it and I respected him for at least calling a spade a spade. He was calling sin shallow. Mark for this individual to be so open and honest means that he was not threatened when he heard the truth. He wanted to hear the truth. Mark, I have even highly suspected that you are an activist and I am still communicating with you. On the contrary Mark, that is not disdain. I will remind you that my cousin was baptized 2 months before he died. Many, many rosaries were prayed for him during his life. Aside from the fact that he was held captive by a lifestyle that gave him AIDS, my cousin showed incredible kindness to many. I have shared that I have a special needs daughter and my cousin always showed such tender kindness to her. Each birthday he would send her a card with her age amount in money folded an taped in the shape of a beautiful fan.
Mark does this tender kindness that my cousin showed or the tender kindness that you have shown to fellow posters mean that no one should have challenged him while he was self destructing with sinful actions or you when you promote homosexual lifestyles that run contrary to Church teaching? Whether you are an activist or an individual who just happened to drop into a California Catholic website from PA, makes no difference when it comes to challenging you to stop distorting or promoting things that run contrary to the Catholic Church teaching. Mark behind the scenes you may even be spitting with disdain on every one of my posts but whoever you are, you will know that you were lovingly challenged to stop the homosexual activism that you are encouraging in the same way I challenged my cousin and my friend who died from AIDS. You have a free will to either choose to accept, promote and defend Church teaching or the free will to distract, confuse, deflect and protect and agenda that leads souls to ruin. Of course I want you you to accept, promote and defend all Church teaching, but if you absolutely cannot Mark, it is best for your own soul if you do not lead others to sin with your misleading statements. You will be held accountable for that.
Mark, We should all fast forward and reflect on what should be the most important thing when we are about to face Almighty. We should be sorry for the sins that we have committed and we should be sorry if we have led others to sin. You are leading others to sin when you promote the homosexual union of your friend and the adoption of children by homosexuals. Defend those faithful men in Rome Mark who inspire many to care about the salvation of all souls. Thankfully, my cousin did. I have told this story before but it bears repeating. It still gives me great hope to reflect on the beautiful truth that right before my cousin died, he lifted his head up focusing on something in the upper corner of the room and he kept repeating the words, “WHO IS THE BEAUTIFUL LADY!” Mark, Would you like to be greeted by the beauty of our Blessed Mother at the moment of your death? I know that I sure would. If this true story of my own cousin’s repentance for his sins isn’t the product of Christ’s love passed down through Apostolic Succession and the teachings of the Catholic Church through those faithful men in Rome, then what is love Mark?
What a beautiful story, Catherine. I’m so sorry about your cousin. I have some cousins who are just like siblings, so I can appreciate your loss. You certainly do have some reason for comfort from the vision he had at his death. It was no coincidence that you were there to experience it. Our dearest Mother has such perfect timing!
Catherine, thank you for what you just wrote. I may not agree with everything you said but you did say many beautiful things which I do agree with. I hope that your cousin is now a saint in heaven. Catherine, I want the men in Rome to be holy, I want them to care about all our children. They need not only to love the Church as an institution but also the Church as the people of God.
I found out recently that the priest that taught me Religion in high school had died. A fellow student commented, “I was numb. I was neither happy nor sad that he had died. Many have told me that he is going to get his in the next life. I don’t believe there is a next life. I don’t believe in hell. He escaped this life and atonement for his crimes with the aid of the Diocese and the Church.” The man went on to comment on the Penn State situation. I talked to my mom often about the priest. It was hard for me to understand many of the things that he did. The man hardly ever spoke to me outside of class so in a way he was a stranger to me. He didn’t have the power to take away my faith and for that I am thankful.
Yes Catherine, I agreed with bloggers here who says otherwise about your long sentence of defense of lies because you do not like the teaching of the church. the teaching has been always there for 2012 years. It is the student who did not grasp it. It is like our instructor in line dancing who is very patient in emphasizing to us which is right and left foot. .Some of us still do not know what is there left and right foot when re-instructed so many times. Catherine, you are not that perfect either.
“I must decrease, He must increase,” words of wonderful St John the Baptist. Pride and a huge ego, often present in coaches (but not all) was the downfall of Joe Paterno. To be ‘so important,’ is it ‘so important’?
Should the statue be torn down? When it comes to abused children, maybe. Take a vote, if most people want it to stand, move it to a less prominent spot. The library will still be standing!
Bud, Laura is right. I am so disappointed in you Bud. I am going to have to seat you on the sidelines. Your defensive moves are weak and vulnerable and not very good for entering the Super Bowl in the sky. You need to get in a huddle with some powerful Catholic teammates. You need men like St. Paul, St Augustine, St. Stephen to discuss in prayer your weak points or you will be tackled down on your own first yard line of life by your own foolish pride. You just dropped the ball big time Bud! You just showed that male egos can be blinded by a piece of leather pigskin. . Bud, Do you think for one second that if Joe Paterno was given the chance, (knowing what he does now know) to come back to earth and relive his choices that he would be worried about a statue? Look at the pain suffered by the victims. Look at the pain that will be suffered by his family. Yes, Bud IT WAS CRUCIAL ERROR that Joe Paterno looked the other way to defend the reputation of a football program over children being raped in Penn State showers. Last week you told Catholics to speak up openly or they will be trampled. Today you proved the vulnerability of men when they are lost or wandering aimlessly on the spiritual battlefield of life. St. Alphonsus Ligouri once said, When it comes to gaining eternal life, if each parent truly realized the many obstacles that will be placed in front of every newborn baby they would weep with fear in knowing how difficult it it to stay on the narrow road to heaven. Bud, Joe Paterno veered off of the narrow road because his priorities were disordered. Now you have shown us that you need help too! Don’t defend mediocrity Bud, just pray for Joe Paterno’s soul and learn from his terrible choice to not speak up. You were right in one aspect Bud. For not openly speaking up, Joe Paterno’s entire reputation and his families peace is being trampled. No piece of pigskin or statue is worth that kind of eternal cost.
Well, Catherine, I can actually agree with most of this.
To Bud; Pedophilia is a very serious sin. Raping young children for as long as Mr. Sandusky did, begs questions about most of what he did in his life. Did he become a coach because he liked young men? Did he set up a school for boys, because he ‘liked’ young boys’? Did he adopt boys because he wanted them around him? Did he have ulterior motives, sinister plans, when he made certain choices in his life? Only God can make the full and final judgement, but anyone who has studied pedophilia, knows that it encompasses the whole person, and is a very immoral addiction. His pedophilia may have dictated more than you know. So, the question remains were his accomplishments truly good? To hate him, we cannot do, to stop him from harmong others, we could do….
I love Football as a game and continued to play Football into my early 30’s, but Football today has become a False god. When Superboals are on, attendance at Mass and other religions services seriously decline.
Every Catholic University that adopted Football eventually has become a non-Catholic University, eg. extraordinaire, Notre Shame U.
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
The Church has always taught that the devil is the father of liars and a murderer from the beginning. Also, it is the devil who initiated idolatry and all the other sins. So, yes, all sin comes from the devil, and the Church has always taught this.
John 8:42-47 Jesus said to them [the Jews], “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I proceeded and came forth from God; I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father, the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth , because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and father of lies. But, because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? He who is of God hears the words of God, the reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”
There are many souls who decide in an instant to give up their life to safe that of another. Penn State cannot even give up a bronze statue. What a puke university community!!!
A. Melt down the Paterno statue and sell it for scrap. B. Instead of rebuilding the gym area, it should be raized and a memorial to the victims created on that Hell’s half acre.
In the same vein, JLS, guess what happened to a big bronze statue of Lenin? Melted down? Smashed to bits under an earth mover? Maybe you’ve even seen it. It’s sitting next to a pizza joint in a suburb of Seattle. It really upset me when I saw it…I was shocked to the core. So glad my kids have moved to another state. Having a statue raised is one of the highest forms of praise a community can give an individual. It says much about the type of community it is by who they honor. You don’t see many statues of artists, eg. because so many lived unsavory lives. Their works are highly valued and no one cares what kind of person they were as long as their work was wonderful…Carravagio comes to mind. But are there any statues of him in Italy? Isn’t the person supposed to be noble in someway? Heroic? The powers that be at Penn State will show their true colors by what they decide, don’t you think?
Yes, that’s it; put a memorial to the silence that made a winning football school. After all in ancient times Moloch was not worshiped for lack of results.
To Bud; You may be deceiving yourself into thinking that Sandusky’s accomplishments had nothing to do with the demons in his life. Sandusky was abusing young boys for a very long time, and the choices he made, may have had everything to do with the demons in his life. Did he become a coach so he could be near young men? Did he set up a school, so he could be near young boys? Did he adopt young boys so he could have them in his home? We cannot judge his motives fully, but anyone that has read up or studied pedophilia realizes what a grave and depraved addiction this is. The mind of a pedophile is always on his pedophilia! He may have had accomplishments, but if they were concealed by a more sinister and evil motive, than were they truly good accomplishments? We are not allowed to hate him, but he has been found guilty of very serious crimes. No matter what accomplishments have been acquired, abusing children almost always precedes those accomplishments. The public does not do this, the pedophile himself has done this, it is that depraved. Jesus says he can forgive any sin, but Sandusky must be repentant, he will be given some time to repent. Much prayer on our part will be needed, we cannot forget the incarcerated. Our Lady of Fatima said that most people go to hell because of sins of the flesh, I would think that also includes murder and abortion murder. The abuse of innocents is beyond my understanding. St. Michael the Archangel, protect us from evil.
And, the teacher’s unions in California along with their homosexual state politicians defeat any effort to impose the same rules on the Public School Teachers Unions while SNAP turns their head since at this time not much money would be gained. Is this how the radical gays impose different rules for the same crimes against children, of course!
**We are not allowed to hate him**: This idea is a rumor.
JLS, Don’t know what you meant exactly, but the statement in not an idea but a command. Like, thou shall not hate. Hard not to hate a pedophile, at least for me, and I’m a woman. Even God the Father couldn’t get His chosen to listen to his commands, so maybe your right, (this idea), it is only a rumor. After all, it is easy to hate these days! But I do read the WORD, I remember Jesus saying something about loving thine enemy. I think I better listen to that command….in so many words He did say I’m not allowed to hate, that is, if I want to get into the kingdom. My choice though, that old free will thing.
The statue is bronze? Excellent. Metal thieves will take care of it. Eventually. Where I live they steal church bells and grave ornaments.
JLS…Don’t know what you meant, but *not allowed to hate him* is not an idea it is a godly command. Kind of like, thou shalt not hate. I use to say to my children for example, “You are not allowed to commit suicide.” I had 6 children, I ask them if that statement ever helped them, some, I can’t remember how many, said, yeah mom, we just know not to go there. God Himself saw His chosen ones turn from the 10 commandments, but those commandments still stand. Don’t you love the words
PA, you homosexuals do not have the authority to define what dignity consists of. All you do is whine that you’re not being treated with dignity. The heck with that. Dignity is defined by people whose lives are not disordered by homosexuality. You homosexuals need to listen and learn, and stop trying to teach falsehood.
I am not sure that the Freeh report established protecting the football program as the reason the Sandusky crimes were not reported. It was wrong not to report them ASAP. I didn’t see anything in the report that establishes the reason for not reporting as protecting the program.
That is the reason we have the sacrament of reconciliation/confession. That is why we are always reminded to be pure before we receive the host. That is why just being inside the church or looking at it from a distance, intuitively, we right away examine our conscience. It is constantly asking ourselves every second, how am I with my God? What happened if today is my last day? If I have fame, fortune now, what does God say when I have all of this wealth? Bottom line for me as a RCC is to always asked myself every time I take my breath, how am I with God? It has been the teaching of the church for 2012 years and always will. Unfortunately, some of us goes to our grave ignoring it
Please he’s “catholic” cause he attended mass? Look i have been in a hospital but that doesn’t make me a doctor. paterno is as GUILTY as sandusky.
I am not sure why so many people here are ready to destroy this man’s good name without any real evidence. Where is the smoking gun? Louis Freeh did not interview Sandusky, McQueary or Paterno before concluding that Coach Paterno intentionally protected this serial child abuser. Where is the proof? All I see is conjecture without real evidence. I am not ready to trash this man’s good name (and neither should you) until I see some real proof. May God have mercy on his soul!
Striving, cover up of pedophilia is a felony, and conspiracy to cover up serial pedophilia is a big time felony … say about 20 years. The others need to pack their bags.
JLS, where is your proof? In this country you are presumed innocent until proven guilty. It is a shame that so many are ready to hang this man without a trial. It is not Christian behavior!!!