Sad, Sad day but you knew it would come to this. These people will do anything to make the Catholic Church look bad. However, the Church will survive this, as dirty as they may make it, because true believers KNOW the Church is with Jesus Christ and he and HIS church will prevail.

Making a film about a factual event – Bernard Francis Cardinal Law of Boston protecting sexually abusive priests – is not hostility, nor media madness, nor a new tactic against the Catholic Church.
Sex crimes within the Catholic Church, of various types and various kinds, involving minors and adults, boys and girls, men and women, Nuns and lay, Priests and parishioners, have gone on for centuries.  Through Medieval times and later.  None of which shocks the public.  Men [not all] will be men; women [not all] will be women.  No matter what religious vows they take.
What shocks the public today, Catholic and non-Catholic alike, is not that Priests abused young boys.  That is an accepted fact.  It happened.  But, that the Church, including Bernard Francis Cardinal Law, [1] condoned it, and [2] covered it up.
What shocks the public, Catholic and non-Catholic, even further is the fact that instead of being punished – defrocked, and handed over to the civil authorities – Bernard Francis Cardinal Law.  was rewarded.  By the Vatican.  Made the Archpriest of St. Mary Major Basilica, one of the 4 most important Basilicas in Rome.  Along with a palatial apartment.  And, a princely lifestyle.
Making a film about this factual event, this travesty of justice, is not hostility, nor a new tactic, against the Catholic Church.  It is simply an expose of some facts, unpleasant though they may be.
If the Vatican and the USCCB [United States Conference of Catholic Bishops] were smart they would have facts and figures ready to show how much Catholic clergy sex abuse has been arrested since Bernard Francis Cardinal Law was run out of town in 2002 by his parishioners.
And pour these facts and figures in Op Eds, in Letters to the Editors, in appearances on every show on TV and Radio.  And, blunt the effect of this film.
Instead of wailing on and on and on about anti-Catholicism in the media.

Dear Egbert F Bhatty

I suggest you read this book before considering to speak up:

http://www.amazon.com/New-Anti-Catholicism-Last-Acceptable-Prejudice/dp/0195154800

Amen, Mr. Bhatty!

To Melchisedec Pelizer—I will.  Thank you!  Always happy to be enlightened.

Dear Editor, I had followed this with the Leogonnair! I was stund,  to see al those Priests and how wonderful they were in spite of the founder. I prayed for them and now they are on the right tract. Thanks to Pope Benedict,I know he will get the problem back to Chriet.

Unfortunately, Egbert, the “consultants” for this film are reporters at the Boston Herald and if you read their paper regularly you would see that they seldom have concern for facts but do have concern for rhetoric and liberal leaning coverage of what they perceive as “facts”.

But maybe you’re one of those people as well? Someone who is more interested in promoting their own perception rather than actual facts? 

Hollywood and the news media seldom show fair an balanced coverage of most issues and the church in particular. When was there a film showing a priest in a positive light? Hmmmm let me think? Oh, was it Doubt? There has to be at least one current film.

Oh, but there have been several films depicting Che Guevara in a positive light. He did do so much for the Cubans. He was truly revolutionary in the way he slaughtered people.

If you don’t like the Catholic Church then I suggest you find another church. If you can’t find anything good about Catholicism or Catholic priests then why are you on this site? There are other religions out there for you. Why don’t you check out environmentalism? It’s up and coming religion and has already helped push abortion in third world countries! The unbiased reporters at the Boston Herald love it!

Mary S. - You are great at making sarcastic comments about Egbert, but you don’t refute what he says. You don’t discuss what makes his assertions incorrect. Egbert said, “What shocks the public today, Catholic and non-Catholic alike, is not that Priests abused young boys.  That is an accepted fact.  It happened.  But, that the Church, including Bernard Francis Cardinal Law, [1] condoned it, and [2] covered it up.
What shocks the public, Catholic and non-Catholic, even further is the fact that instead of being punished – defrocked, and handed over to the civil authorities – Bernard Francis Cardinal Law.  was rewarded.  By the Vatican.  Made the Archpriest of St. Mary Major Basilica, one of the 4 most important Basilicas in Rome.  Along with a palatial apartment.  And, a princely lifestyle.”  Why does that not concern you Mary? Certainly, no one denies the truth of that matter, even if the story was broken by the Boston Herald. How can you so conveniently ignore the coverup? Why are you yearning to see all of us participate in the coverup?

Leslie, I am not trying to refute the fact that 1) abuses happened and 2) there was an ovious cover up. What I am refuting is the fact that there is yet another movie about thus subject. This subject has been addressed over and over again and yet it is still a mojor focus of the media. Just last week I read a story about a public school principal who abused several children and was promoted in his job. I have a problem with the Hollywood/ news media focus on this subject. I have a problem with the constant demonization of the Church and of most religions. I am not ignoring what happened. Why do you choose to say it’s okay for your religion to be demonized on account of some bad priests and yet it is okay for Hollywood and the mainsteam media to applaud dictators who slaughter thousands of innocents?
What I am trying to say

I think the movie could be done very well. I don’t think the odds are good knowing the biases of the MSM and Hollywood. Still it is possible to make a good film from this story. Something that is tough yet fair with the church. Something that reminds us not to go there again.

Dear Mary S,  I’m not as bad a Catholic as you think I am.  Please read some stuff I’ve written at washingtonhotwire.com And, I hope, you’ll agree that I’m still worthy to be a member of the Church, this great Institution.  Which has it faults.  Which need to be pointed out.  And, which need to be addressed.

Quoting Cardinal George at the Dallas Conference, “The Church has to address the Homo-Sexual Sub-Culture!!!.”

I wonder if the film’s producers will be any more honest than those of ‘Deliver Us From Evil’:

http://www.themediareport.com/topic-john-manly/manly-deliver-us-from-john.htm

http://www.themediareport.com/special/deliver-us-from-evil.htm

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/uproar-as-school-footage-used-in-film-on-paedophile-73219.html

Personally, I won’t keep my fingers crossed.

Per Mr. Bhatty: No one is disputing the claims that priests did bad things. I agree that Cardinal Law — and the others — should have been treated differently (like jail and defrocking). I give JP II the benefit of the doubt due to his declining health and his supposed propensity to not be able to believe priests would do this. Keep on exposing the light to the darkness; the Church does not fear the light. I will read some of your posts — and probably find you a heretic (hee hee!). This being written, however, does anyone think that the MSM and Hollyweird will do a fair, objective, unbiased movie on this? I own a bridge in Brooklyn. Do you think it will explore the homosexual predator reality behind these scandals, as referred to by Rev. Johnson? I refer you to the bridge. You will never hear the truth that these were homosexual predators doing this, not celibate priests. By its nature, that cannot be blamed. These men would have done this even if they were married. Do you think the DMC will expose this fact? The same media that — as far as I know — has not exposed the fact that married Protestant clergy were doing the same thing at the same time? Bridge! The same media that has flat-out covered up the far more prevalent and insidious scandal — and the ever-mounting evidence — of public school teacher abuse? In California alone, the estimate by the state’s Dept. of Education is that 10 percent of its PS schools have been or will be abused by teachers — yet somehow that is not worthy of even a story in the pages of its newspapers. Some states cover up the deed by limiting the damages that can be gained from PS abuse but Heaven help a priest of diocese. All in the name of covering up the disaster in the public schools! As Mary S. refers, the same media that does puff pieces about those like Che, etc., or refuses to expose the lies about Banned Parenthood, er, Planned Barrenhood, er…. when someone else does the job they should be doing, instead of “exposing” the fact that crisis pregnancy centers — GASP! — don’t counsel for abortion? Peace

Dear James,  I was delighted to read your letter.  And, quite enlightened by it.
You are right, as is Mary S, that the liberal media will not tell the full truth about Church scandals.  That is why I suggested in my letter of May 1 that the Vatican and the USCCB [United States Conference of Catholic Bishops], instead of wailing on and on and on about anti-Catholicism in the media, get ahead of the game.
Before the movie about the Church scandal, the subject of Tim Drake’s column, comes out the Church should have facts and figures ready to show how much the Church has done to stop Catholic clergy sex abuse.  And, how successful they have been.  And, pour these facts and figures in Op-Ed pieces, Letters to Editors, and in appearances on local and national TV and Radio shows.  Thus, effectively, blunting the message of the proposed film.
I hope you find nothing heretical in this proposal, James.  Or, in my other writings at washingtonhotwire.com
Where, all I’m trying to do is explore how a Christian should behave at work, and in the workplace.
In short, a Christian approach to Business.  How a Christian employee, a Christian employer, a Christian entrepreneur, should conduct themselves in the marketplace in the light of Our Lord Jesus Christ’s teachings.
I hope you find nothing here, James, that is heretical.  But, if you do, please let me know.  I shall amend it immediately.  Always happy to be enlightened.

Bhatty: The “heresy” comment was tongue-in-cheek. You are right, though; the bishops, priests and Church officials need to “grow some” and do exactly as you propose, knowing they are going to get the childish “yeah buts” and other “arguments” from the DMC. They also need to point out how these shenanigans need to be dealt with across the board, whomever is guilty. The question that also needs to be asked and answered is “why?” Why did the bishops allow this — the “we didn’t know then what we know now about this” lament is baloney (decorum prevents me from writing the words I’d love to!) and, quite frankly, disgusting. It isn’t even a good “excuse.” Rev. Johnson had his finger on the “why” but, again, that will not brought into the equation of any movie.

Please continue to forward to me items responding to my comments on May 6th. By mistake I emailed instructions to you to discontinue forwarding these items!!!

!@#$%:
Are you kidding me? What a bunch of garbage! “All of these” what? There are far more good priests that would never dream of doing this to ANYONE than the actually few that did. How many priests have there been throughout history? There have always been some bad ones that would do this evil but far, far more that wouldn’t and don’t. And if you really want to talk about abuse, how about the very Nazis in your “name” or the Communists — NOT religious people but anti-religious — that murdered, raped and tortured MILLIONS!!! Where are the media “exposes” of all the coverups done in the media, like those of Walter Duranty??? Grow up, sir!!! Take this garbage back to the sewer where it belongs.

GREAT retort!!! Wow, I am speared through the heart at this display of utter intelligence! I bow down to your character, sir!!!

With your responses, it just makes the Catholic Church that much MORE right. You cannot make an argument based on any facts, so it’s all insult. Typical.

Are you just messing or are you really that foolish? You prefer being a mass murderer — or did you not catch that in one of my posts? — to accepting the truth. The Church is for sinners trying to become saints; no one, NO ONE, ever EVER claimed that people in the Church are perfect. Can you actually write a real response instead of insults? If you cannot, I respectfully request you get off. Did you not see that the last post was nine months ago?

“The Church will survive this”, states one of those who commented.

Well, yes….barely.

This is a scandal which the Church brought upon itself by the ineptitude, treason and immorality of many clerics, even those of the very highest rank.  We must stop kidding ourselves and face this tragic reality.  And on top of all this we have/had Popes who refused to govern the Church entrusted to their care or, sadly, were too afraid to tackle the problem with the necessary degree of seriousness that the situation demanded.  This problem was already well known in the 1930s, and the inaction or cowardice of those who could have and should have done something about it is the main reason we are in the mess we are in today.

That, in a nutshell, is why we must really and truly and meaningfully pray for the Pope…pray that he forges ahead with courage and a sense of discipline and roots out the evil.  And he must stop appointing compromising bishops into high office, and stop giving the red hat to those completely unworthy of that dignity.  Right now, we have a virtual heretic, Vincent Nichols, a Bishop who allows homosexuals their own special masses in Soho, who questions publicly Catholic dogma, who is an inefficient, lax and completely indifferent man deaf to the pleas of faithful Catholics, appointed as Bishop of Westminster.

If you want this scandal to end, pray for the Pope that with the help of Christ he may end it.