Prominent Catholic friar express sympathy for Sandusky; says boys seduce priests

[Dusty Bake Activate]

Critics slam New York friar who says pedophile victims seduce priests and coaches - NY Daily News

Critics blasted a nationally renowned Catholic priest Thursday for his outrageous claim that underage victims of pedophiles such as Jerry Sandusky and rogue priests are sometimes the seducers.

In an interview with the National Catholic Register, the Rev. Benedict Groeschel, former head of the Office of Spiritual Development for the Archdiocese of New York, appalled victims rights advocates when he offered sympathy for disgraced ex-Penn State coach Sandusky and suggested that first-time sexual predators deserved no jail time.

“It’s disgusting,” said David Clohessy, director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.

Former Penn State football defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky was charged with sexually abusing young boys who attended his youth camp over a 15-year period. Also, Penn State athletic director Tim Curley and Penn State vice president for finance and business Gary Schultz, 62, were charged with perjury and failure to report under Pennsylvania’s child protective services law in connection with the investigation into the abuse allegations against Sandusky. (AP Photo/The Patriot-News, Andy Colwell)

“It’s wrong to demonize children who were raped, and it’s even worse to turn it around and turn the victims into the villains,” said Clohessy. “This is not only backward and wrong, but hurtful and counterproductive.”

Groeschel, a Franciscan friar and longtime Catholic radio and television host, made his comments during a seemingly routine sitdown with the religious publication timed to the 25th anniversary of Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, the religious order he founded.

For some reason, Groeschel launched into his disturbing remarks about child sex abuse.

The priest suggested that kids “looking for a father figure” make overtures to adults such as clergymen or coaches.

“People have this picture in their minds of . . . a psychopath,” Groeschel said, referring to pedophiles. “But that’s not the case.

“Suppose you have a man having a nervous breakdown, and a youngster comes after him,” he continued. “A lot of the cases, the youngster — 14, 16, 18 — is the seducer.”.

Monsignor William Lynn walks to the Criminal Justice Center before a scheduled verdict reading, Friday, June 22, 2012, in Philadelphia. Lynn was convicted of child endangerment but acquitted of conspiracy in a groundbreaking clergy-abuse trial, becoming the first U.S. church official convicted of a crime for mishandling abuse claims. The jury could not agree on a verdict for Lynn's co-defendant, the Rev. James Brennan, who was accused of sexually abusing a 14-year-old boy. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

He went on to express his sympathy for “this poor guy Sandusky” — the former Penn State defense coordinator convicted in June of abusing 10 boys over many years.

“Interesting: Why didn’t anybody say anything?” Groeschel asked.

And he asserted that first-time pedophiles should receive a pass on jail time because it was more a sin than a crime.

“It was a moral failure, scandalous,” he said. “But (pedophiles) didn’t think of it in terms of legal things.”

The article was pulled Thursday from the Register’s website amid an outpouring of ire against Groeschel — who had previously attacked the media for its coverage of the pedophile priest scandal.

Groeschel, who was in a serious car accident a few years ago and had recently suffered a fall, issued a written apology through his order.

“My mind and my way of expressing myself are not as clear as they used to be,” said the 79-year-old priest. “I deeply regret any harm I have caused to anyone.”
Joe Zwilling, spokesman for the New York Archdiocese, condemned Groeschel’s statements as “terribly wrong.”

“What Father Groeschel said cannot be allowed to stand unchallenged,” Zwilling said in a statement. “The sexual abuse of a minor is a crime, and whoever commits that crime deserves to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Groeschel, known for his work with the poor, was also a popular author, television host and speaker during his long career in the priesthood.

 

[The Real]

How the fukk does a child "looking for a father figure" count as or lead to seducing a grown man? This is some of the most twisted, embarrassing reasoning I've heard yet. This guy is probably a pedo himself and uses the same justification to convince himself that he isn't in the wrong.

 

[OG_StankBrefs]

 

[SumBlackguyz]

demonic

 

[Dusty Bake Activate]

How the fukk does a child "looking for a father figure" count as or lead to seducing a grown man? This is some of the most twisted, embarrassing reasoning I've heard yet. This guy is probably a pedo himself and uses the same justification to convince himself that he isn't in the wrong.

Definitely a pedo. Even if we buy his ridiculous blame-the-victim reasoning that the kid who is in the powerless position "seduces" the man who is in the position of power, he's making it sound like a well-adjusted man (supposedly) heterosexual man is open to the idea of fukking a teenaged boy.

Like the average man gets propositioned for sex by a boy and they're like

 

[Slystallion]

As a catholic can we please allow priests to get married so that we stop attracting these fukking gay pedo losers to the priesthood

That shyt about not getting married or even priests aren't in the bible!

 

[The Real]

As a catholic can we please allow priests to get married so that we stop attracting these fukking gay pedo losers to the priesthood

That shyt about not getting married or even priests aren't in the bible!

It's not the marriage thing that makes them pedos. What kind of man turns to young boys/girls just because they can't get married? Remember, priests and even Popes at one point had tons of mistresses and illegitimate children. That wouldn't be difficult to do today as well.

The reason so many priests are pedos is that pedos tend to gravitate towards work that gives them easy access to children. That's why there are many in the priesthood, schools, children's hospitals, etc.

 

[Fillerguy]

Plz tell me this is a joke. The fukker even blatantly used the word "seducer"to describe these boys.

 

[Jello Biafra]

Dude sounds like a dues paying member of NAMBLA.

 

[GoddamnyamanProf]

lol religion

 

[mbewane]

Damn it's becoming way too easy to make fun of religion

 

[Slystallion]

It's not the marriage thing that makes them pedos. What kind of man turns to young boys just because they can't get married? Remember, priests and even Popes at one point had tons of mistresses and illegitimate children. That wouldn't be difficult to do today as well.

The reason so many priests are pedos is that pedos tend to gravitate towards work that gives them easy access to children. That's why there are many in the priesthood, schools, children's hospitals, etc.

If I was pope i would stop the use of alter boys and have Sundays school taught by women only...and allow priests to get married I think that can curb some of it

But I have personal issues with all the religions I believe in God and spirituality and Jesus Christ as the savior but I feel humans done fukked up Gods message and nobody has it right

 

[Hawaiian Punch]

How is he even allowed to still walk this earth?

Man if I was global dictator there would be a lot of decapitated heads rolling down these streets

 

[Julius Skrrvin]

its so demonic, friend