Pope says he won't be intimidated by the petty gossip".

[Philosoraptor]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/28/pope-condemns-critics-catholic-sexual-abuse

Pope Benedict today risked inflaming opinion as he appeared to round on critics of the Catholic church over the widening sexual abuse scandal, saying he would not "be intimidated by ... petty gossip".

The 82-year-old pontiff led tens of thousands of people in a Palm Sunday service in St Peter's square. He did not mention the scandal engulfing the church directly, but parts of his sermon alluded to it.

The pope said that faith in God helped lead one "towards the courage of not allowing oneself to be intimidated by the petty gossip of dominant opinion".

He also spoke of how man can sometimes "fall to the lowest, vulgar levels" and "sink into the swamp of sin and dishonesty".

[tsuki]

1. "Petty gossip". Shame on him. nt

[mix]

2. the destruction of young men's lives= "petty gossip"

grotesque

[TommyO]

10. While the focus is on boys and young men

Plenty of girls were abused also.

[rfranklin]

20. Let's just put it all under the heading of "child sexual abuse"

And everyone can be included regardless of gender.

[mix]

22. Thank you for pointing that out. nt

[peekaloo]

3. more like minor gossip

FrankenPope mad!

[havocmom]

4. Always a mistake to start believing your own PR. Pope starts to think he IS infallible

And he is just a man. He can sink into swamps of sin and dishonesty just as easily as the next guy. Looking at his political sway, one might conclude he sank a lot further into the mire to get so far in the HUMAN political realm.

[janedum]

5. Pathetic! Makes me ashamed of being a Catholic. SHAME on the Pope!

[Rabrrrrrr]

6. Damn. So he cares about women only when it comes to abortion, and cares about children

only to the extent that there is 'petty gossip' when they, apparently, allow themselves to be abused (maybe even bring it on with their seductive ways!) and then bitch about it like it's something wrong.

What a fucking asshole.

[unhappycamper]

7. Hang in there Ratzi.

You've been pushing pedophiles around for almost one fourth of 100 years. It's all you know how to do.

[ananda]

8. Pope Ratso says child abuse is petty.

Sound like a Nazi to you?

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

13. I'm speechless. Ratzi the Nazi is saying that the abuse of

of children by priests that happened in his Diocese in Germany under his watch is "petty gossip"? You know something, I'm beginning to believe Ratzi is the Anti-Christ. What an a**hole.

He can't possibly claim that he didn't know what going on when he was Archbishop of Munich...

Hey Benedict, do you think that all Catholics are that naive?

Well this is one that ain't. May God forgive you for saying that, because I certainly won't... :mad: :puke: :mad: :puke:

[mrs_p]

25. i honestly can't go to mass because of him

at least with JPII i didn't get nauseous when we have to pray for the pope. with his rat, i just want to shout to hell with him.

[Heidi]

9. "Sink into the swamp of sin and dishonesty"? Like those priests who preyed on little kids?

Church leaders allowed their own clergy to violate kids and, in fact, made kids available to the predators, but we're not supposed to discuss it? :puke:

[Bluenorthwest]

11. Tens of thousands of accomplices

They call him Holy Father and that gives him the courage to do crime and to slander good people across the globe. Were it not for the legions, he'd be a man in jail.

[Brickbat]

12. Shame! "Dominant opinion?" Shame on this corrupt and craven figurehead!

[UTUSN]

14. Let's up the ante on "gossip," pope-Old-Boy (below). & "gossip" doesn't mean UNtruth!1

*************QUOTE**********

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1728239,00.html

The Heartthrob from the Vatican

By Jeff Israely/Rome

When Pope Benedict XVI touches down for his first papal visit in the United States next week, you may notice that he doesn't have the same onstage flair as his predecessor, John Paul II. But you may also begin to notice a very handsome man of the cloth never far from the pontiff's side. That would be Monsignor Georg Gänswein, the Pope's personal secretary, responsible for everything from deciding who gets to see Benedict, to keeping His Holiness on schedule, to discreetly handing him his papal reading glasses just before a homily or other public discourse. While he is the paradigm of discretion, others have taken liberties with his image. Fashion designer Donatella Versace said her Spring 2007 collection was inspired by Gänswein, confessing: "I was thinking of an austere, severe and ethical man. I find Father Georg's austerity very elegant."

Italians have taken notice of Gänswein, and nicknamed him "Bel Giorgio," which Americans might translate as: Gorgeous George. Paparazzi have snapped photos of him playing tennis in his tennis whites, while the Roman and Bavarian press eagerly report his bravura on the ski slopes and appearances at evening Church functions. Nevertheless, despite the glamour imposed on him by the celebrity press, the tall, athletic and dirty-blond Monsignor in his clerical black, concentrates on his pivotal but quiet job choreographing papal appearances. And that is how Americans will see him, in a supporting role buoyed by his scene-stealing good looks. ....



http://disembedded.wordpress.com/2006/11/18/pope-benedict-issues-formal-vatican-decree-a-smile-is-not-a-sin/

Pope Benedict Issues Formal Vatican Decree: A Smile Is Not a Sin

November 18, 2006

POPE BENEDICT AND MSGR. GANSWEIN, THE POPE’S DEVOTED PERSONAL SECRETARY

The New York Times published an article today that disclosed some of the jokes making their rounds about Pope Benedict and his secretary, Msgr. Georg Ganswein. This brief extract from the Times article describes some of those satirical moments:

Perhaps it is his good looks, or his work in the ever-so-serious Vatican, but for whatever reason, Msgr. Georg Gänswein, Pope Benedict XVI’s secretary, has suddenly found himself the butt of jokes in the Italian news media. ....

In a curious “non-response” to this growing wave of satire, the pope’s secretary told his radio audience that “the Vatican was not offended.” “We’re convinced that smiles bring religion closer to the people,” he said, “because a smile is never a sin.”

Pope is Wrong: This One’s Very Sinful.

In response to the Times article, Andrew Sullivan published this irreverent, biting criticism of the article (and the Pope) today on his Time Magazine blog, The Daily Dish:

“The NYT runs a very curious article today about Italian humor about the current Pope. None of the jokes cited seem to me to be very risque or even funny. The entire argument of the piece is undermined by lack of any real evidence that this pope is subject to any more ridicule than has historically been the case. Except of course for that photograph (see above, seated with Msgr. Georg Ganswein). It shows the actual source of the jokes circulating in the Vatican and elsewhere about this Prada-preferring, Gucci-wearing, high-drama German intellectual (Pope). The actual jokes – which the NYT won’t print – are about how good looking so many of the men are who surround Benedict, especially his personal assistant, Msgr. Georg Gänswein, shown holding the large phallic microphone in front of Benedict’s face. The Vatican gossip merchants call Georg 'Gay-Org.' He is inseparable from Benedict. And he surely is easy on the eyes. There is no evidence that Benedict has ever broken his vows of chastity; but there is no evidence that he is heterosexual either. Hence the gossip; hence the jokes. When you’re a Pope who declares that even closeted, chaste gay men cannot be priests, it’s pushing your luck to clothe yourself in Prada, bedeck your Pope-mobile with luxurious Natuzzi Italian white leather, and surround yourself with assistants who look like they strayed from the pages of 'L’Uomo Vogue.'

"Butch it up, sister. Or the jokes will only get louder.”

******************UNQUOTE************

Padre Alberto CUTIE:

Video of beach romp: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf6rXBnLc3Y&feature=rela...

Him preaching Prodigal Son: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyAww8sol5I&feature=rela...


And then there's THIS creepazoid:
************QUOTE***********



http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/legion-christs-father-maciel-father-mexican-men-molested/story?id=10009430

Father Maciel Is Our Father, Say Two Mexican Men, And He Molested Us

Two Men Claim That Founder of Catholic Order Legion of Christ, Already Disgraced by Pedophilia Charges, Used Fake Name in Long Relationship With Their Mother

*************UNQUOTE***********

[asjr]

15. The scandals have been around for ages! So many

knew so much but didn't tell. What came to mind was Father Flannagan's Boys Town in Nebraska. Now that has been around for a long long time and for years and years has been praised. Time to rethink.

[ixion]

16. I wonder if he would be intimidated if he got the same treatment

the children who were molested by Catholic priests received. I wonder how he'd feel then.

[piratefish08]

17. fuck you pope nazi. you are a disgusting, vile piece of shit.

you are a pedophile enabling human animal.

you make me wish there were really a hell for you to suffer in eternally.

[City Lights]

18. I'm really sick of hearing what the pro-child molesters at the Vatican think.

pope benedict and his ilk really need to STFU.

[Rockholm]

19. Wait til the "petty gossip" becomes a "loud in your face statement."

[spanone]

21. fuck you, your excellency

[HereSince1628]

23. What else do we expect from an authoritarian but system justification?

and acceptance of power assymetry in justice?

He's SPECIAL, and he KNOWS it!

[Solly Mack]

24. So it's people talking about the rape of children and not the rape itself causing the problem...

Golly...Did Bennie and Rumsfeld go to school together?

[Walk away]

26. Catholics must love it because they keep going back for more.

Wake up people! You are in an abusive relationship with an organization that has been lying to you about EVERYTHING since the day you were born. You don't need to change the church....you need to get away and be deprogrammed.

[piratefish08]

27. there have been fewer and fewer Catholic defenders out the last few weeks.

it may be reaching the tipping point where a rational mind can no longer defend or pretend the problem doesn't exist.......

[madrchsod]

28. the most corrupt and evil institution in human history

i fail to understand why anyone who believes in christ`s message could give a penny to that corruption.