As the far-right pushes "groomer" lies about LGBTQ people and Democrats, it's instructive to look back in time to underscore who the actual "groomers" are and where hypocrisy truly lies.
The Canadians had the right idea way back in 1992, expose the church's connection to the horrible abuse of the boys of St. Vincent. A harrowing foretelling of the worldwide Catholic abuse scandal. Your covering of the Spellman subsequent cover up was superlative lo these years later. The gop rush to destruction nowadays smacks of doomed to repeat history because nothing has sunk in from the losses fueled by trumpanzee. Draconian laws adopted in Tyrannical Texas and fascist florida may have their fear inducing effect but the electoral bloodbath awaiting in 2024 will reset things to where the people want them...
I remember Cardinal Spellman since I attended Catholic School in the 50s and 60s. When the scandals hit the presses, it was just another reason I was happy I left that church in my early 20s. Their treatment of women as 2nd class citizens and baby machines drove me out. Then the closeted priests in denial, condemning people like themselves, as they led a charmed, respected life. How many young men committed suicide or were cursed with a life of trauma and low self-esteem. Is it any wonder I and many others run from organized religion????
Donnab, I know I ran away from organized religion. My family is Baptist, but we didn't go to church very often, thankfully! I saw way too much hypocrisy from people who did go to church regularly. Once I got to college and beyond, the hypocrisy continued with many of those I met in organized religions, so that sealed the deal for me. Organized religion often causes more problems than it solves.
Yes Sakina, rather same here. Being older now it seems quite a bit of “holier than thou” goes on and I don’t feel free to REALLY talk. Cannot say shit with a mouthful. Judge judge judge. Best way I could safely talk with that bunch is if I were to pretend to be a Baptist minister living in a fishbowl, scrutinizing every word very carefully, then I am “safe”. They clutch pearls at any hint of any alcohol at any time, ever. One aunt was something else, my father passed one summer and mom a few months later, that aunt whom I hardly knew from 1,800 miles away, actually chose to cleanse her conscious in the sympathy card for mom, her sister. Derided us and called us non-Christians, mom could’ve done better in choosing a mate. Some sympathy !! I was younger then, now she would get an explicit letter in return. A mere mortal judging as if a god. What a load of blahooey. I found old photo of her and her family on a Christmas card from the 1950’s. Everything was all so very fake perfect. Fake smiles, fake eagerness. Gag me with ET’s finger (and we don’t know where a space alien’s finger has been). Of course about 90% of them are tRump supporters. As adult, no one can drag me into a Baptist church, not even in low gear, feet digging ruts in the grass. Then there is the guilt laid on, maybe not as much as Catholics nor Jewish faith, but that nastiest word in the entire English language I learned to stop using most of the time, “should”. Now when I think or hear “should”, I convert it to “could”. Lordy Lordy, a conversion !! An excellent way to have guilt easily flicked right off the shoulders. I am free indeed. I note many preachers slather that very ugly word “should, should should” all over the congregation, heavily ladened, dripping with guilt. Not on me !! I have my force field up and shield in place, MY armor, “could, could, COULD !!”.
Exactly Rick, especially when you mentioned about the judgmental attitudes and all the should-isms. I eventually learned during my therapist training how very toxic the words "should", "must", and "ought" are. And yes, how many of these same people support the orange nazi and justified slavery and Jim Crow. And oh, how very judgmental they are of LGBTQ people! Plus all the drinking and drugging, and being in the closet, and child abuse of all kinds, and breaking all the 10 commandments, all of which has happened in my family (including murder) and among so-called religious people that I have known. My maternal grandmother was the only exception. She went to St. Luke's Baptist Church in Macon, Georgia regularly and exemplified Christ-like principles. She never judged and was a giver throughout her life. Of course, it was a detriment to herself because she always put herself last. I'll add my former tai chi teacher as an exception, also. He's a Buddhist, not devout, but a great role model in how to carry oneself and how to treat others. He never judged, either.
Sakina, I agree. I don't think I need to belong to a church to be a good person. I can still lead a good life and be honest and charitable without giving money to a church. I feel the church and government work together to control people.
Although not a Catholic (raised Presbyterian) I lived in Boston during the reign of terror of Cardinal Law
and his enabling of Geoghan to abuse all over the Diocese, featured in the film 'Spotlight'. I remember the anger all over the City when Ratzinger pulled Law back to the Vatican where he could not be extradited for aiding and abetting. Thank God, the power has waned somewhat over the years.
I was raised Roman Catholic, but luckily my single mom gave me, and my siblings, the option to stop attending Catechism classes on Saturday mornings, and mass/services on Sunday mornings, after each of us successively got confirmed at 13-years-old. I, and my brother and sister, all chose to stop being practicing Catholics because all 3 of us got tired of the guilt trips and the threat of eternal damnation for committing so-called moral sins. To me the Roman Catholic doctrine and dogma causes sometimes irreparable harm to some of its followers.
Mike, a topic like this seems to spark passionate comments, interesting comments, much like some years ago when you’d invite folk to discuss relational troubles with rabid Rumpers at the family table. ‘Tis good to get such off the chest now and then.
Michaelangelo: Thank you for writing/sharing this. I have a friend in Massachusetts who was abused by Father Porter. Further, based on what Pope John-Paul II allowed, (presided over by the future Benedict), his being made a saint is a sham. Neither he nor Pope Pius XII should be saints.
Having just read Playing God: American Catholic Bishops and The Far Right by Mary Jo McConahay, it just further reinforces my distaste and contempt for any religion. The Catholic religion is a shame. Merely a money making corporation spreading lies and false hope. If I had my way there would be no religion. It makes weak minds weaker. And also to run for public office you can have no religious affiliation.
The press and the public dwell on gay paedophiles abusing boys, but there is a much greater, though hidden, history of heterosexual paedophile priests abusing girls. Many of these girls got pregnant. Some were forced to work in Catholic run laundries until their children were born. The babies were then adopted out to 'nice Catholic couples' and the girls would go back to their lives and tell stories of visiting family in another state.
Perhaps the finest teacher I had was a Jesuit scholar of Attic Greek Religion. A sweet gay man. He saved my gay soul. He was celibate but a genuine man of character. This was the sixties when it was still possible to make a better world for everyone. I was passionate about art and politics. I am so grateful he was able to persuade me to take my past with me into these adventures. My Jesuit was a good groomer.
And my friend told wonderful stories about the astonishing 'Shirley Temple' Spellman and the Catholic hierarchy's evergreen gay underground of the 20's - 50s.
Michael, I read your stuff about the church back in the day and I appreciated it then. It just took me a while to say: Thank You!
Excellent commentary Michelangelo. When I was 12 or 13 years old-1958/59- I, like many good Catholic boys, attended the ritual of having our sins forgiven; each Saturday, by attending what was euphemistically labeled "CONFESSION." We would sit on hard wooden benches-while being watched over by the BLACKE ROBE WEARING PRAETORIAN GUARDS know as "BROTHERS." WE had to be controlled while awaiting our turn to enter the confessional booth as the "ONE"- who would determine our fate- sat behind his curtain. Ah! "CONFESSION" where we would tell the man behind the curtain all that we did wrong so that we could be forgiven and enter heaven with cleansed/antiseptic souls. When I entered the darkened small cavern, I knelt as the "one" on the other side slid open his black screened window shade between us. This is when the confession would begin as the ritual/obligatory prayer would be uttered and I would bare my soul to this unseen confessor. As I recited my sins- always leaving out something to frightening to tell- the invisible man asked if I had anymore to add. You see; the amount of sins you told the longer and harder your penance you would be. I thought a moment and blurted out that I had been masturbating. "HEAVAN BE BLESSED" the next thing I knew; the door to my confessional booth was thrown open and this snarling, black robbed, rosary clutching, rapscallion reached in grabbed my ear and yanked me out of my cavern. As he was pulling me by the ear, he continuously called me; "A Murderer, for I had Spilled the Lord's seed." I was dammed to Hell for eternity. By this time the rest of the penitents had begun to shiver in fear. I will never ever forget that incident; although I did try years later to rectify my hatred of the church. My final thought on the subject is; I despise and hate all religions.
Luigi, I understand your feelings. I remember writing 'sins' down on a piece of paper and sticking the paper in my prayer book. I'd read the same sins in the confessional each week because I couldn't think of what to say. We all got grew up with guilt and fear of damnation. It took me years to recover from church-damage.
The Canadians had the right idea way back in 1992, expose the church's connection to the horrible abuse of the boys of St. Vincent. A harrowing foretelling of the worldwide Catholic abuse scandal. Your covering of the Spellman subsequent cover up was superlative lo these years later. The gop rush to destruction nowadays smacks of doomed to repeat history because nothing has sunk in from the losses fueled by trumpanzee. Draconian laws adopted in Tyrannical Texas and fascist florida may have their fear inducing effect but the electoral bloodbath awaiting in 2024 will reset things to where the people want them...
I remember Cardinal Spellman since I attended Catholic School in the 50s and 60s. When the scandals hit the presses, it was just another reason I was happy I left that church in my early 20s. Their treatment of women as 2nd class citizens and baby machines drove me out. Then the closeted priests in denial, condemning people like themselves, as they led a charmed, respected life. How many young men committed suicide or were cursed with a life of trauma and low self-esteem. Is it any wonder I and many others run from organized religion????
Donnab, I know I ran away from organized religion. My family is Baptist, but we didn't go to church very often, thankfully! I saw way too much hypocrisy from people who did go to church regularly. Once I got to college and beyond, the hypocrisy continued with many of those I met in organized religions, so that sealed the deal for me. Organized religion often causes more problems than it solves.
Yes Sakina, rather same here. Being older now it seems quite a bit of “holier than thou” goes on and I don’t feel free to REALLY talk. Cannot say shit with a mouthful. Judge judge judge. Best way I could safely talk with that bunch is if I were to pretend to be a Baptist minister living in a fishbowl, scrutinizing every word very carefully, then I am “safe”. They clutch pearls at any hint of any alcohol at any time, ever. One aunt was something else, my father passed one summer and mom a few months later, that aunt whom I hardly knew from 1,800 miles away, actually chose to cleanse her conscious in the sympathy card for mom, her sister. Derided us and called us non-Christians, mom could’ve done better in choosing a mate. Some sympathy !! I was younger then, now she would get an explicit letter in return. A mere mortal judging as if a god. What a load of blahooey. I found old photo of her and her family on a Christmas card from the 1950’s. Everything was all so very fake perfect. Fake smiles, fake eagerness. Gag me with ET’s finger (and we don’t know where a space alien’s finger has been). Of course about 90% of them are tRump supporters. As adult, no one can drag me into a Baptist church, not even in low gear, feet digging ruts in the grass. Then there is the guilt laid on, maybe not as much as Catholics nor Jewish faith, but that nastiest word in the entire English language I learned to stop using most of the time, “should”. Now when I think or hear “should”, I convert it to “could”. Lordy Lordy, a conversion !! An excellent way to have guilt easily flicked right off the shoulders. I am free indeed. I note many preachers slather that very ugly word “should, should should” all over the congregation, heavily ladened, dripping with guilt. Not on me !! I have my force field up and shield in place, MY armor, “could, could, COULD !!”.
Exactly Rick, especially when you mentioned about the judgmental attitudes and all the should-isms. I eventually learned during my therapist training how very toxic the words "should", "must", and "ought" are. And yes, how many of these same people support the orange nazi and justified slavery and Jim Crow. And oh, how very judgmental they are of LGBTQ people! Plus all the drinking and drugging, and being in the closet, and child abuse of all kinds, and breaking all the 10 commandments, all of which has happened in my family (including murder) and among so-called religious people that I have known. My maternal grandmother was the only exception. She went to St. Luke's Baptist Church in Macon, Georgia regularly and exemplified Christ-like principles. She never judged and was a giver throughout her life. Of course, it was a detriment to herself because she always put herself last. I'll add my former tai chi teacher as an exception, also. He's a Buddhist, not devout, but a great role model in how to carry oneself and how to treat others. He never judged, either.
Sakina, I agree. I don't think I need to belong to a church to be a good person. I can still lead a good life and be honest and charitable without giving money to a church. I feel the church and government work together to control people.
Donnab, Yes, indeed. Religion is always defined and divided by belief systems that are everything but open-ended.
I think our secular spiritual connection to nature far transcends politics and even religion.
The animal as much as the angel in us knows to the core of our being the earth is sacred, not divine, but sacred. Whole. A Perfection.
Both entirely empirical and utterly sacred to the sentient beings within. Divinity need not apply.
We live cradled in a tiny blue jewel full of life and death and more life. We recognize that.
We believe, instinctively, in our bones and blood, life is sacred long before we know what those words mean.
Bills, you are so right! It's our good nature polluted by rigid dogma
Spot on. The hate and power and self loathing the Church fostered in NYC and globally is unconscionable
Although not a Catholic (raised Presbyterian) I lived in Boston during the reign of terror of Cardinal Law
and his enabling of Geoghan to abuse all over the Diocese, featured in the film 'Spotlight'. I remember the anger all over the City when Ratzinger pulled Law back to the Vatican where he could not be extradited for aiding and abetting. Thank God, the power has waned somewhat over the years.
Right on, Law was a smarmy fake from the day he arrived in Boston.
Law was a tool of the GOP, another disgusting hypocrite.
I was raised Roman Catholic, but luckily my single mom gave me, and my siblings, the option to stop attending Catechism classes on Saturday mornings, and mass/services on Sunday mornings, after each of us successively got confirmed at 13-years-old. I, and my brother and sister, all chose to stop being practicing Catholics because all 3 of us got tired of the guilt trips and the threat of eternal damnation for committing so-called moral sins. To me the Roman Catholic doctrine and dogma causes sometimes irreparable harm to some of its followers.
*mortal
Mike, a topic like this seems to spark passionate comments, interesting comments, much like some years ago when you’d invite folk to discuss relational troubles with rabid Rumpers at the family table. ‘Tis good to get such off the chest now and then.
Michaelangelo: Thank you for writing/sharing this. I have a friend in Massachusetts who was abused by Father Porter. Further, based on what Pope John-Paul II allowed, (presided over by the future Benedict), his being made a saint is a sham. Neither he nor Pope Pius XII should be saints.
Having just read Playing God: American Catholic Bishops and The Far Right by Mary Jo McConahay, it just further reinforces my distaste and contempt for any religion. The Catholic religion is a shame. Merely a money making corporation spreading lies and false hope. If I had my way there would be no religion. It makes weak minds weaker. And also to run for public office you can have no religious affiliation.
The press and the public dwell on gay paedophiles abusing boys, but there is a much greater, though hidden, history of heterosexual paedophile priests abusing girls. Many of these girls got pregnant. Some were forced to work in Catholic run laundries until their children were born. The babies were then adopted out to 'nice Catholic couples' and the girls would go back to their lives and tell stories of visiting family in another state.
Perhaps the finest teacher I had was a Jesuit scholar of Attic Greek Religion. A sweet gay man. He saved my gay soul. He was celibate but a genuine man of character. This was the sixties when it was still possible to make a better world for everyone. I was passionate about art and politics. I am so grateful he was able to persuade me to take my past with me into these adventures. My Jesuit was a good groomer.
And my friend told wonderful stories about the astonishing 'Shirley Temple' Spellman and the Catholic hierarchy's evergreen gay underground of the 20's - 50s.
Michael, I read your stuff about the church back in the day and I appreciated it then. It just took me a while to say: Thank You!
Excellent commentary Michelangelo. When I was 12 or 13 years old-1958/59- I, like many good Catholic boys, attended the ritual of having our sins forgiven; each Saturday, by attending what was euphemistically labeled "CONFESSION." We would sit on hard wooden benches-while being watched over by the BLACKE ROBE WEARING PRAETORIAN GUARDS know as "BROTHERS." WE had to be controlled while awaiting our turn to enter the confessional booth as the "ONE"- who would determine our fate- sat behind his curtain. Ah! "CONFESSION" where we would tell the man behind the curtain all that we did wrong so that we could be forgiven and enter heaven with cleansed/antiseptic souls. When I entered the darkened small cavern, I knelt as the "one" on the other side slid open his black screened window shade between us. This is when the confession would begin as the ritual/obligatory prayer would be uttered and I would bare my soul to this unseen confessor. As I recited my sins- always leaving out something to frightening to tell- the invisible man asked if I had anymore to add. You see; the amount of sins you told the longer and harder your penance you would be. I thought a moment and blurted out that I had been masturbating. "HEAVAN BE BLESSED" the next thing I knew; the door to my confessional booth was thrown open and this snarling, black robbed, rosary clutching, rapscallion reached in grabbed my ear and yanked me out of my cavern. As he was pulling me by the ear, he continuously called me; "A Murderer, for I had Spilled the Lord's seed." I was dammed to Hell for eternity. By this time the rest of the penitents had begun to shiver in fear. I will never ever forget that incident; although I did try years later to rectify my hatred of the church. My final thought on the subject is; I despise and hate all religions.
Luigi, I understand your feelings. I remember writing 'sins' down on a piece of paper and sticking the paper in my prayer book. I'd read the same sins in the confessional each week because I couldn't think of what to say. We all got grew up with guilt and fear of damnation. It took me years to recover from church-damage.