Hello, Your Holiness!

Let us spare ourselves the details,
other than to say that the case of the priest in Wisconsin
who was reported to the Vatican by two Bishops
for having raped about 200 deaf kids
demonstrates how a theological idea can result
in allowing horrible crimes to happen.

It has been the case that, not only Catholics,
but many other religious people, deal with crimes,
such as those that outrage and embarrass people
all over the world--the rape of children by clergy--
by calling it a sin, and asking the criminal to repent.

It is not a sin: it is a crime, and
it does not call for repentance: it calls for punishment.

I don't care if the monks in the Monastery on Mt. Mythos
look good to each other! I blame it on poor eyesight.
But raping children is a crime! Churches tend to protect
their priests by calling it sinful, and calling for repentance.
Naughty, naughty!, they said, and transferred the sinners
to a parish or an orphanage in a different region.

Children require care, nurturing, and adult protection.
Violating that plain, human responsibility is a crime.
Not treating it like a crime is a crime, too.

Hello, Your Holiness!

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