Oh, I really want to look at this map, and check about 4 churches in this diocese, but apparently I must not have the correct internet explorer browser, because try as I might, I cannot bring the map up on my screen. :(

I don’t understand why convicted pedophiles receive such short prison terms. I think that once convicted, particulary if the perpetrator has admitted his crimes, that the sentence, age notwithstanding, should at least be life in prison without the possibility of parole. That, or the death penalty, in places that have the death penalty. Christ himself suggested death by drowning for such people.

In an effort to encourage more victims to come forward in Hawaii I’m repeating here, that:

A Hawaii law passed last year opens a window which allows adult victims of child sex abuse to file civil suits until April 2014.

March 20, 2013

Dear Mr. Clohessy,

I’m thinking that if a link could be made between Adam Lanza having been raped by a Catholic priest when he was 6 years old, and the so-called mental illness that he suffered; that it might in fact be cause to have the Catholic church face our calls for justice and transparency, now, rather than later.

I’m wondering if a posthumous autopsy were performed on Adam Lanza’s exhumed body, if it could be proven that he had suffered rape. I’m wondering if a forensic autopsy might prove that he had been sodomized at a very young age? I think that if this could be shown, and the link to the parish priest in the church his family attended when he was six, was in fact the priest named Fr. John J. Castaldo, perhaps the State’s Attorney General, could convene a grand jury and make a case against both that priest, Fr. John J. Castaldo and the Catholic Church hierarchy who aided and abetted him.

I do believe that when some of the child victims are as traumatized as has occurred, it does seem that if no relief were offered nor any understanding, assistance and solace ever given, that their resulting physical and psychological condition could be mistaken for autism, and without said aforementioned understanding and solace ever being provided, it’s possible that a psychotic break could in fact occur. Additionally, I believe that if it can be proven that such a person was a victim of a pedophile Catholic priest, that the offending priest could also be held responsible for the ensuing murders during such a psychotic break.

With the tragedy of Sandy Hook still so fresh in our collective memories, I do think that this possible theory for Adam Lanza’s mental “illness”, and or existing condition at the time of the shootings, and suggested motive for his killing so many six year olds, bears looking into in a serious manner at this time when there is already momentum building towards holding pedophile priests accountable for their heinous crimes against children and thus all of humanity.

If you can agree with this as being a possible realistic scenario, I think that it should be brought to the attention of the proper authorities in CT, by you and/or the other leaders of SNAP.

Sincerely,
Lani Halter

March 20, 2013

Dear Mr. Clohessy,

I’m thinking that if a link could be made between Adam Lanza having been raped by a Catholic priest when he was 6 years old, and the so-called mental illness that he suffered; that it might in fact be cause to have the Catholic church face our calls for justice and transparency, now, rather than later.

I’m wondering if a posthumous autopsy were performed on Adam Lanza’s exhumed body, if it could be proven that he had suffered rape. I’m wondering if a forensic autopsy might prove that he had been sodomized at a very young age? I think that if this could be shown, and the link to the parish priest in the church his family attended when he was six, was in fact the priest named Fr. John J. Castaldo, perhaps the State’s Attorney General, could convene a grand jury and make a case against both that priest, Fr. John J. Castaldo and the Catholic Church hierarchy who aided and abetted him.

I do believe that when some of the child victims are as traumatized as has occurred, it does seem that if no relief were offered nor any understanding, assistance and solace ever given, that their resulting physical and psychological condition could be mistaken for autism, and without said aforementioned understanding and solace ever being provided, it’s possible that a psychotic break could in fact occur. Additionally, I believe that if it can be proven that such a person was a victim of a pedophile Catholic priest, that the offending priest could also be held responsible for the ensuing murders during such a psychotic break.

With the tragedy of Sandy Hook still so fresh in our collective memories, I do think that this possible theory for Adam Lanza’s mental “illness”, and or existing condition at the time of the shootings, and suggested motive for his killing so many six year olds, bears looking into in a serious manner at this time when there is already momentum building towards holding pedophile priests accountable for their heinous crimes against children and thus all of humanity.

If you can agree with this as being a possible realistic scenario, I think that it should be brought to the attention of the proper authorities in CT, by you and/or the other leaders of SNAP.

Sincerely,
Lani Halter

Good morning, from California. Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Dear Mr. Clohessy,

Although I know that you are traveling today, I want to write and ask if you were present at the Pope’s inauguration, and if so, was it possible to hear a translation into English of his homily as he spoke? I was not able to view the inauguration live and only saw snippets of it on TV news broadcast later in the day.

This morning, I read online in USA Today, the written translation of the Homily provided by the Vatican, from yesterday. (The report did not give the sources of both the Scripture Gospel readings, so I had to do some research to find the source of the First Reading in order to be better able to understand P. Francis’ reference to David, in his homily.) And, not being a “cradle catholic” myself, only a “Catholic light” as my friends told me they used to refer to former Lutherans, I do not know if the readings of this Inaugural Mass were selected specifically by the incoming Pope, or if those were just the Church “pre-selected” readings for that given day of the year in that given year, or not.

I found the new Pope’s references (or lack thereof) to the readings, interesting in light of the horrible conditions obviously still present, the heinous crimes of Catholic Church prelates and clergy who are pedophiles still, currently preying on innocent children daily, around the earth, that he did not specifically state that such abuse will be stopped, by him and the Church, if at all humanly possible. I suppose he refers to that tangentially, when he preaches that we must PROTECT the children and protect the “weakest”. Of course I wish he himself had actually had the courage and kindness and gentleness he did encourage in the rest of us, to specifically have said we (meaning he, and all of the church, including the Curia, as well as civil authorities) to have said at his inauguration, we must protect the children from pedophile predators found in the church as well as the world; but firstly, those predators found in the Catholic Church, today.

I think and believe that he needs to say that. I pray that Pope Francis be brave enough and Godly enough himself and I pray that he will speak of this openly and publicly to the masses, soon. Silence and evil hidden in the dark recesses of the Church, must be broken publicly.

David, I have to wonder if someone at the Vatican was watching and reading all of the posts on the SNAP website in these days leading up to the new Pope’s election and inauguration. And, wonder if perhaps anyone there were relaying anything that they deemed important to him (e.g. a copy of your letter to him)? I only wonder about this because I found it interesting that the first reading selected for the papal inauguration had “David” referenced. I know that he did not use the analogy of David and Goliath, but rather that of Nathan in the Second Book of Samuel, telling us that Nathan tells David that God builds his church and that God wants him to be faithful to God’s word and God’s plan, as sealed by the Holy Spirit. Hmmmmm? I don’t know if the new Pope believes that YOU, David Clohessy and your efforts on behalf of all those victims of pedophiles in the Catholic Church, could be part of God’s plan, but, I sure do!

However, that would be the positive spin on a somewhat cloaked and veiled message to you and the whole group of those abused. Sadly, it could also be a somewhat “subliminal” negative message to you and the survivors to again, “bide your time”, and telling you he’s not ready “now” to make these crimes and criminals public.

In any case, if we (those of us in SNAP) were not able to make as strong a case as we wanted, I still think that this has been the best combined effort (from all sources, including Mr. Gibny, and other victims) of those fighting this scourge, to date. And I truly believe that with timely continued effort we are on the precipice of the Catholic Church making the necessary changes perhaps because we are all of us, actually inspired by God, and the Trinity at this specific time in the history of the world.

You know, I’m reminded of a time during WWII I believe it was, when an American mother lost all four sons in one battle of the war, and the U.S. Government and military, decided they would not again allow four brothers to serve in the same unit of any part of the military, in order to prevent something like that ever happening again (at least to try to prevent and insure against the possibility of the death of one person’s entire family of children being slain in one fell swoop), ever again.

Well, I hope that having been all four brothers, and yourself, been a victim and survivor, (but also having a brother that did not well-survive such heinous acts) continues to inspire you to seize these days and times in the world, to continue with renewed purpose to be the light at the end of the tunnel, and a real victor in the fight bringing the needed actual changes in the Catholic Church at this time. And, I continue to hope that having the same first name of David of the Bible, will be of significance to you in your dealings with the Catholic Church and this new Pope!

Good Health and Strength to You, David Clohessy!

Lani Halter
(now afternoon here, from California. Wednesday, March 20, 2013)

Good morning, from California. Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Dear Mr. Clohessy,

Although I know that you are traveling today, I want to write and ask if you were present at the Pope’s inauguration, and if so, was it possible to hear a translation into English of his homily as he spoke? I was not able to view the inauguration live and only saw snippets of it on TV news broadcast later in the day.

This morning, I read online in USA Today, the written translation of the Homily provided by the Vatican, from yesterday. (The report did not give the sources of both the Scripture Gospel readings, so I had to do some research to find the source of the First Reading in order to be better able to understand P. Francis’ reference to David, in his homily.) And, not being a “cradle catholic” myself, only a “Catholic light” as my friends told me they used to refer to former Lutherans, I do not know if the readings of this Inaugural Mass were selected specifically by the incoming Pope, or if those were just the Church “pre-selected” readings for that given day of the year in that given year, or not.

I found the new Pope’s references (or lack thereof) to the readings, interesting in light of the horrible conditions obviously still present, the heinous crimes of Catholic Church prelates and clergy who are pedophiles still, currently preying on innocent children daily, around the earth, that he did not specifically state that such abuse will be stopped, by him and the Church, if at all humanly possible. I suppose he refers to that tangentially, when he preaches that we must PROTECT the children and protect the “weakest”. Of course I wish he himself had actually had the courage and kindness and gentleness he did encourage in the rest of us, to specifically have said we (meaning he, and all of the church, including the Curia, as well as civil authorities) to have said at his inauguration, we must protect the children from pedophile predators found in the church as well as the world; but firstly, those predators found in the Catholic Church, today.

I think and believe that he needs to say that. I pray that Pope Francis be brave enough and Godly enough himself and I pray that he will speak of this openly and publicly to the masses, soon. Silence and evil hidden in the dark recesses of the Church, must be broken publicly.

David, I have to wonder if someone at the Vatican was watching and reading all of the posts on the SNAP website in these days leading up to the new Pope’s election and inauguration. And, wonder if perhaps anyone there were relaying anything that they deemed important to him (e.g. a copy of your letter to him)? I only wonder about this because I found it interesting that the first reading selected for the papal inauguration had “David” referenced. I know that he did not use the analogy of David and Goliath, but rather that of Nathan in the Second Book of Samuel, telling us that Nathan tells David that God builds his church and that God wants him to be faithful to God’s word and God’s plan, as sealed by the Holy Spirit. Hmmmmm? I don’t know if the new Pope believes that YOU, David Clohessy and your efforts on behalf of all those victims of pedophiles in the Catholic Church, could be part of God’s plan, but, I sure do!

However, that would be the positive spin on a somewhat cloaked and veiled message to you and the whole group of those abused. Sadly, it could also be a somewhat “subliminal” negative message to you and the survivors to again, “bide your time”, and telling you he’s not ready “now” to make these crimes and criminals public.

In any case, if we (those of us in SNAP) were not able to make as strong a case as we wanted, I still think that this has been the best combined effort (from all sources, including Mr. Gibny, and other victims) of those fighting this scourge, to date. And I truly believe that with timely continued effort we are on the precipice of the Catholic Church making the necessary changes perhaps because we are all of us, actually inspired by God, and the Trinity at this specific time in the history of the world.

You know, I’m reminded of a time during WWII I believe it was, when an American mother lost all four sons in one battle of the war, and the U.S. Government and military, decided they would not again allow four brothers to serve in the same unit of any part of the military, in order to prevent something like that ever happening again (at least to try to prevent and insure against the possibility of the death of one person’s entire family of children being slain in one fell swoop), ever again.

Well, I hope that having been all four brothers, and yourself, been a victim and survivor, (but also having a brother that did not well-survive such heinous acts) continues to inspire you to seize these days and times in the world, to continue with renewed purpose to be the light at the end of the tunnel, and a real victor in the fight bringing the needed actual changes in the Catholic Church at this time. And, I continue to hope that having the same first name of David of the Bible, will be of significance to you in your dealings with the Catholic Church and this new Pope!

Good Health and Strength to You, David Clohessy!

Lani Halter
(now afternoon here, from California. Wednesday, March 20, 2013)

Monday, March 18, 2013
Mr. Clohessy, I am wondering if you have received any acknowledgement from the vatican and/or the Pope regarding your letter requesting a meeting? If he has received it, I pray to God, that he says “Yes.” that he will meet with you as the founder and representative of all the SNAP members. Saying yes to you should not be difficult for a new pope who chose to liken himself to St. Francis of Assisi.
If he has not responded, please send your letter again, before you leave Rome and the Vatican. There is still time for him to reconsider not having responded to you and your/our request. If the pope hasn’t yet had an epiphany on this matter of pedophile priests and laity, maybe God and the Trinity, in it’s infinite wisdom will cause the new pope to experieince a “seismic shift in perspective”, while you are still there. I pray that he does!
Thank you for all your continued, conscientious, and hard, work on behalf of all the children and surviving victims, Mr. Clohessy!
Lani Halter

CORRECTION TO THE PREVIOUS POST: perpetuating crimes OF pedophile priests…

This morning: Monday, March 18, 2013 in California, the reports on the local news are more about the new pope’s comments to those assembled in the square for his address to them yesterday afternoon, were “centered on mercy and forgiveness”. Whereas, to me, his emphasis at this time of the very beginning of his papacy, and repeated extolling of the virtue of being merciful and forgiving without specific mention of exactly what it is he wants all of us to be merciful and forgiving of in the church; is more a matter of the new pope taking a preemptive “strike” at SNAP, and evading from the “get go”, dealing with the pedophilia in the church clergy. I think he does need to be reminded that we (many of the catholic masses) are determined to first put an end to the church institutionally, and endlessly perpetuating crimes on pedophile priests against children. We should remind him that rather than asking and seeking forgiveness for himself and all the clergy at this time, that he would be better known for being a “saving pope” for extolliing Christ’s words and preaching in Matthew 18:6, Mark 9:41 and Luke 17:2. Whereas, Christ himself does not say forgive or have mercy on the one who causes children to sin in his name, rather, Christ says death by drowning would be appropriate. So, the Pope and all the heinous predator pedophile priests and laity, should BE GRATEFUL THAT WE AREN’T ASKING FOR THE DEATH SENTENCE AT THIS TIME!!!

We are demanding that the enabling, aiding and abetting of pedophile priests and laity, CEASE! That these particular criminals be arrested, prosecuted and if legally found guilty as charged in a secular court of law, they be defrocked by the church, sentenced to prison time and listed on an international registry of sex offenders.

To Rosemary McHugh,
Thank you for your comments and encouragement of me in my efforts here, and now. Yes, you know, I did also read while researching Mr. Burke’s comment that he was from Ireland, and I was struck by that fact and interested. However, in trying to quickly find where and when he made that statement (about how evil continues without the concerted efforts of good people protesting loudly in unison against it), I ended up copying and quoting what seemed to be the most salient explanation and context wherein he was described as being English. (I guess the British and Americans thought him so fine a man, that they all wanted to “claim” him!!!) Happy Saint Patrick’s Day to you, Dr. McHugh, and thank you for your work with victims of clergy sexual abuse! I’m sorry to tell you, but my goal is to someday make an end to there being any patients for you to treat who have suffered this particular tragic mental and physical trauma caused by other humans. I’m sure you would be happy as well, to be able to turn your focus to patients who are sick with other illnesses than those caused by pedophile, Catholic priests and laity, though! The silence must be broken! Shining the light on this evil, will change the circumstances substantially. I am convinced of that.
Best regards to you, as well,
Lani Halter

Mr. Clohessy, Thank you very much for going forward tomorrow at the Vatican. Thank you in particular for making the aforementioned suggestions to other survivors and those with knowledge of ongoing abuse by prelates, to contact the SNAP organization and to be brave enough to speak now and be “whistleblowers”. I believe it is absolutely necessary to break “the silence” regarding pedophile Catholic priests and laity everywhere, but especially there in Italy while you are at the Vatican for this historical changing of Popes.

I also appreciate your giving and making public the information about the ongoing litigation at the International Criminal Court at the Hague. (I have known of the ICC at the Hague, since I was a young girl growing up a “baby boomer”, and I have always respected it and been glad of its existence.) So, I’m also glad to learn that the CCR has helped SNAP in its efforts to that end. And, it also good to learn of your work with the UN on this matter.

Quite honestly, Mr. Clohessy, the thought of asking the new Pope to create a “whistleblower’s fund” within the church, goes beyond what I could have possibly imagined to suggest. I actually had believed that if he as leader of the church had acknowledged that such crimes have happened in large number and the he, as leader of the church will institute and adopt all of the changes SNAP as an organization has put forth; and to pronounce directly from the papacy that zero tolerance will be the new standard of the church on earth, and completely everwhere, globally on earth. I think, that the Pope just actually being willing to say to all the world, all of that and to encourage all members of the church to report suspicion and/or proof of such crimes immediately to BOTH the church hierarchy AND, more importantly, the public, secular legal systems, would actually be effective in stopping priests and laity from being pedophile predators.

And, prior to joining SNAP to be any ally of your cause, I really thought that the denial of the existence of this specific problem was so entrenched and the school of cardinals so intractable that the only thing that might actually “shake them up enough” would be the actual, literal, verbal and public rebuke and threat of excommunication if such heinous criminal actions were not ceased immediately, and guaranteed prosecution in public courts of law, all stated to them by the sitting Pope might be exactly what it would take to stop the “infestation” of the church. But, maybe you are right to request more victims come forward and maybe it is good to suggest that such a fund be set up. As I said, the thought would never occur to me to request that of the Pope, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t.

Because I truly do think that this is a pivitol time in the world’s and the the Catholic Church’s history, and because I believe the time has actually arrived to be able to put an end to this horrible blight on the victims. I believe the church has no excuse to continue denial and no excuse to continue abetting such heinous crimes.

Again, thank you Mr. Clohessy and Ms. Dorris and all the other members of SNAP for all of your concerted efforts and hard work to end this malady and travesty in the Catholic Church. Thank you. I say that in all seriousness and sincerity, and with prayers and high hopes for your now timely, success.

Lani Halter

Dear Mr. Clohessy,
Please send your letter to the pope, again. (I almost wish it were possible to "hammer and nail a copy of it onto the church doors, as martin luther did during the reformation.) In my opinion, your request and suggestions for change should be made very, very public, and now is really an ideal time to make it known and public.

So, since you cannot hammer and nail a copy of your letter to the doors of the church, please send your letter again and try to tell the press and media representatives staying there for tomorrow’s installation (of the pope), that you have sent this letter to the new pope, twice. And, please let the “outside” media/press there, know the content of your letter. Please let the rest of the world know that there are in fact good people such as yourself, and me and other people of faith, who WANT THIS TRAVESTY in the church, THE SEXUAL ABUSE OF CHILDREN IN THE CHURCH, STOPPED!!!

I suppose that possibly, the only good thing about roger mahoney having taken part in the conclave, may be that his presence made our complaint all that much more vociferous; and, even though we couldn’t prevent him from taking part in this conclave, according to him (when he was interviewed shortly after the new pope was elected), he was the ONLY cardinal in the conclave to bring up the issue of pedophile priest and clergy currently in the catholic church.

I seriously doubt that he was encouraging the actions that SNAP has put forward, but if it is true that he was the only commenter on this heinous situation, then maybe, with much continued encouragement by SNAP and others, maybe more cardinals and the pope, in particular will finally have an epiphany.

Please try to keep in mind the very old quote of Edmund Burke, ending the paragraph below.

from: The Henrik Hudson School District Library Media Centre http://www.lhric.org/henhud/library/RGModelPaper.html provides a model essay for students which ends with the words,

“Perpetrators, collaborators, bystanders, victims: we can be clear about three of these categories. The bystander, however, is the fulcrum. If there are enough notable exceptions, then protest reaches a critical mass. We don’t usually think of history as being shaped by silence, but, as English philosopher Edmund Burke said, ‘The only thing necessary for the triumph [of evil] is for good men to do nothing.’ (this is a commonly known quote and does not need to be cited)”

So, please Mr. Clohessy and all the members of SNAP, take heart and stay bolstered in your efforts and know that there now exist notable and numerous exceptions to the silence. We bystanders are no longer willing to “do nothing”, nor are we any longer willing to allow those who might otherwise be good and decent people in the church hierarchy, to do nothing. The Pope must take action!

dear christine, i’m so sorry that you were abused. it is precisely because as a child, you never “gave” them the power to hurt you, and because i have grandchildren baptised in the c. church, that i have stayed involved this long.

i’m sure i could not stay, if i myself had been abused, particularly if it had happened many years ago when it seems nearly no one would speak of these crimes, publicly. but, i am equally sure that if i had been abused, i would need all the compassion and understanding i could receive, and all the strength that with help of sympathetic adults i could garner, to survive it!

oh, the vulnerable…how sad

I have believed in God and Christ and the Holy Spirit, my whole life. First, though, I believed in Christ from the time I was a very little girl, I did believe from the time i identified with “doubting Thomas” and had the reality of Christ explained to me, I believed. And, I don’t want this church to make me feel as though there will very soon be no church on earth that will be free of pedophile clergy and safe for people like me and you and my children, to continue to believe, and go to pray and be with other Christians. I can see how all victims of pedophile catholic clergy and laity would quit the church, and it makes me even sader that they have had to do so. SHAME ON THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. SHAME!!!

MR. CLOHESSY, PLEASE KEEP ASKING TO MEET WITH THE NEW POPE WHILE YOU ARE THERE IN ROME. PLEASE PERSEVERE. PLEASE CONTINUE TO BELIEVE IN THE RIGHTOUSNESS AND RIGHTNESS OF YOUR CAUSE. I BELIEVE THERE IS NO ONE, ON EARTH WHO SHOULD TRY TO STOP YOU IN YOUR EFFORT.

THE POPE, PRIESTS AND LAITY CANNOT CONTINUE TO HAVE IT “BOTH WAYS” ON THIS ISSUE. THE CATHOLIC CHURCH EITHER PREVENTS PEDOPHELIA BY CATHOLIC PRIESTS AND LAITY, NOW, OR IT DOESN’T. IT REALLY IS THAT SIMPLE.

THANKS TO PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND ALL THE MEMBERS OF SNAP AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, THERE IS NOW A LANDSLIDE OF EVIDENCE MADE PUBLIC (AND CURRENTLY BEING UNEARTHED IN CATHOLIC CHURCHES AROUND THE WORLD),THAT SURELY IF WE ALL PERSEVERE, CAN NO LONGER BE IGNORED BY ANY OF THEM, AND WILL NO LONGER BE TOLERATED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH.

THANK YOU FOR NOT “LOSING HOPE” IN YOUR EFFORTS!

I agree with the previous comments by Dr. Rosemary Mc Hugh. I agree particularly with the following two paragraphs:

“Jesus had harsh words for anyone who would destroy the innocence of a child. SNAP is focused on the protection of children from sexual abuse by priests.”, and;

“If the leadership of the church is serious about dealing with this issue, then it would be wise for the leadership to work with, and not against, SNAP.”

Sadly, today I saw brief television news coverage of the first mass the new pope said at the vatican, today, March 17, 2013. I say “sadly”, because he spoke in a language I don’t understand, and the news commentator summarized (and I’m paraphrasing, here) that the pope talked about the huge and immense capacity of God, to forgive.

I don’t hear or see yet, in this man, this priest who is the new pope of the catholic church, any sign that he understands or feels any need to speak to the abused catholic children and their families, and/or to literally help the survivors of such abuse by telling the world that he plans to change the status quo. I don’t hear or see yet, any sign from him of wanting to deal with this overwhelming and overriding issue of the 21st century church. And, pope francis specifically speaking about “God’s forgiveness” today, at this specific time, seems antithetical to acknowledging the Gospel as told in Matthew, Mark and Luke, and the joyousness most of us Christians feel about Christ and the gospel HE brought to this earth.

(Readers, you may note that I often do not use capitalization when speaking of the catholic church and its priests and popes and saints. it isn’t because i don’t know how to type in that fashion, it is because sometimes I just do not “have it in me” to make the extra effort to type that way, and sometimes I feel like neither church nor any of its laity, deserve my respect yet, in taking the extra effort.)

I am a disabled adult, and I am thus very grateful to the founders and members of SNAP who it seems WILL PERSEVERE until the catholic church changes itself or the rest of the world changes the church, for them. A practicing, pedophilic catholic clergy and laity CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE. full stop!!!! (period!!!!)

Dear Mr. Clohessy,

Please remember your own advice earlier last week, of not jumping to conclusions (or entertaining premature conclusions) that this new pope would be, or is in fact any better than the last pope.

Personally, I was disappointed about many things having to do with this particular conclave. I for one, did not want roger mahoney to be able to participate. And two things really struck me as being “negative” and lent a foreboding to my sense of it all, when this pope now called francis, was elected: first, that the conclave only took two days to vote in a new pope, and second, that this new pope is still, literally, an old pope.

Seventy-six years old, is not young, it is not even middle-aged. And, in his case, it looks like it’s not even “spry”.

It seems to me that it is very possible that any priest or pope as old as this new pope is; any priest having been ordained in his youth, in this recently past century in the Americas at least, would by now, have had so very many, many YEARS of mental and actual physical evasion and denial of priest pedophelia. Which is a sad phenomenon.

It also seems that any new pope “worth his salt”, either could and would institute immediate changes in the catholic church OR, sadly for the rest of us, he could, and maybe he would continue tenuously along an ever thinning “ice”, “fence” or “line of demarcation” trying to keep an imaginary balance between the good and evil people existing in the clergy of the catholic church today.

You know? It seems that as many of us think that the steps required to put an end to pedophile priests being in the clergy and to put an end to the catholic church not only being a magnet but a “haven” to pedophiles, would actually be easy. The plan you have presented over and over in these last 20+ years is not so mysterious or difficult. It is neither difficult to comprehend nor, difficult to enact. PERIOD!!!

Still, I was hoping and praying that this change in popes, would be better for all decent catholics; and most importantly, better for those who have actually survived being abused by catholic priests and laity.

I am going to take this opportunity to put here in my “reaction”/comment section, put here on the SNAP website, a copy of something another person has written about what being raped by a priest is like for a very little boy:
“They think they are being anally stabbed to death by “Christ on earth”, because that is what Catholic priests call themselves. The pain is excruciating. They think Christ is trying to kill them, and God won’t help. They feel grunting, and groaning, and violent movement.
Then the pedophile priest typically tells them it is their fault, and that they will get in trouble if they tell anyone, and that no one would believe them. They believe they are going to hell, and don’t know why.

They (a child victim) have more psychological pressure than anyone could endure, let alone an undeveloped 7 year old.

The pedophile priest goes to Catholic confession, is forgiven, and forgets about it.”

Once, you believe that catholic priests have been predators and perpetrators of sexual abuse of children, you cannot stop believing it. At least, I can’t. For a while, I was persuaded by my other catholic friends that there weren’t many pedophile priests after all and that the public in general had many more, than were in the catholic church. They tried to persuade me that our children weren’t any more vulnerable being catholic and attending catholic schools, than being in any other organized religion or any other children’s group, e.g. boy and girl scouts, youth soccer, etc. I can’t believe that anymore. Not, because there aren’t pedophiles in all walks of life, but rather because nowhere else does it now seem to me, (a heretofore, catholic mother and catholic grandmother), no where else is it that pedophiles are in fact, encouraged in their crime, aided and abetted and accepted into and kept in the clergy.

Now, because of all the hard work actual survivors have managed to do and done to bring this travesty in the catholic church into the light, out in the open, I no longer can agree with my friends. I now believe the church must reform itself or be reformed. Once the church fully acknowledges the current account, the current state of affairs of the whole catholic church, it is, in my opinion the same as the devil incarnate if it in fact refuses to change.

Again, I ask all of you, what sane and loving parent would, once knowing of these abuses and atrocities, once knowing of pedophile catholic priests and laity preying on children of and in the catholic church, what parent would stay in this church as it currently is, stay with their family. I tell you, no sane and loving parent, would. There are in fact, some sins that cannot be forgiven.

Still, Mr. Clohessy and all the SNAP members, I encourage you to persevere for a little longer (with this pope). I say that only because I see that your efforts do in fact have effect, even if it seems painstakingly slow. Efforts by you and other people like you, your efforts have quite likely and possibly helped cause Benedict to vacate the papacy, and perhaps to have caused the cardinals of this conclave to have unwittingly chosen someone who although they themselves may hope will die in the not too distant future without acting on this heinous situation and thus give the offending prelates some more time to “circle their wagons”; but in fact, he MIGHT turn out differently. He might be different than even any of them expected, as well. Wouldn’t it be fun to imagine that when this new pope did meet with Bernard Law, he actually chastised him and told him to “get out” and go home and stop aiding and abetting pedophile priests? And, for all we know, God might have better plans for us all with regards to the catholic church, and this may actually be the time that God and the Trinity, will intervene on all our behalf, now, and in our lifetimes! I truly do pray so. Amen.

Please, do not attempt to understand, nor argue with certain church official’s “logic”. e.g. Rev. Federico Lombardi comments, or indeed those of roger mahoney while he is there.

I believe that such people, can and will quite knowingly say almost anything that nearly “sounds” remotely “logical” not to support their own beliefs but rather, to dissemble, and discourage all of you. And, to distract you by trying to engage you in “debate” that is after all, ludicrious. There is no “logic” that can support anyone enabling (aiding and abetting) a priest or other church laity to prey on children of the families of church members. None. So, I again suggest to you that you STAY FOCUSED ON requesting meeting with Pope Francis, himself, no matter who (e.g. cardinal b. Law) he has already met with.

Do not waste your time asking or wondering why he has met with any others. Ask only, that he meet with you and your group.