Faithful destroying the church

[beso]

Who among the faithful have done the most to undermine the credibility of the church?

Ratzinger must surely be up there with the best but my vote goes to Cardinal George Pell.

His dismissive attitude to the recently convened Australian Royal Commission investigating the abuse of sexual children is quite spectacular.

[jomifl]

Do you have any links for that Beso? It is strangely missing from the news here in France :-)

[sandyRoe]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/cardinal-george-pell-refuses-to-name-priests-who-admit-in-the-confessional-that-they-are-paedophiles/story-e6frf7kx-1226516240472

You could sometimes wonder if the devil hasn't infiltrated the higher levels of the church.

[mibn2cweus]

//abuse of sexual children//

I strongly suspect you meant to write, "...sexual abuse of children..."?

[naomi24]

The present pope would be high on my list, but having said that the days are gone when the church – and its hierarchy - was held to be beyond criticism. People are becoming aware of what’s happening now – and of what has been happening for centuries – and they are no longer afraid to object. Maybe the church made a mistake in teaching its flock such high moral values. ;o)

[plautus]

Interesting that the present Pope should be frequently referred to by his former surname. How many people could give the surname of previous popes without googling? I suspect that it is the rasping Germanic sound, combined with the term "ratz" which gives it appeal to those who are anti Roman.

[Duncer]

.........and his Nazi connections.

[Duncer]

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/religion-still-main-threat-to-churchs-credibility-2012112149839

[birdie1971]

Plautus - “... I suspect that it is the rasping Germanic sound, combined with the term "ratz" which gives it appeal to those who are anti Roman...”

Yes. That would be it.

Or maybe it's the fact that prior to being voted in as Pope by his contemporaries, he was 'Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith' – a post that specifically and explicitly required him to attempt to cover up and sweep under the carpet the many child-sex abuse scandals that were being perpetrated all over the world by representatives of the Catholic church. He was instrumental in keeping known child sex offenders out of prison and covering up thousands of other cases.

And you think people dislike the guy because of his name?

[Wharton]

The poor, like the persecuted Roman Catholics in Protestant countries, will always be with us.

[jomifl]

The poor, like the persecuted Protestants in Roman Catholics countries, will always be with us.

[Duncer]

The poor and persecuted/abused children in the Roman Catholic church, will always be with us, as will the cover up at the top level.

Perhaps when senior RC prelates start condemning this practice, and opening up to serious police investigations, then people may be more favourable towards them.