Jacqueline Fanchini (Reporter)THE priests being investigated in Granada for paedophilia after a victim wrote to Pope Francis had a modus operandi akin to that of a sect.
Investigations are focused on a parish in the city’s Zaidin neighbourhood where the priests reportedly led brainwashing sessions to convince young boys that sex with them would not be a sin according to sources referred to by El Pais.
Youngsters were first lured in as altar boys or assistants and later on taken to luxury apartments or a house in Granada owned by the group where they were subjected to brutal abuse.
The 10 priest and two laypeople being investigated supposedly also engaged in sexual activities with each other several times a week.
The priests are known as Los Romanones, according to religious news website Religion Digital, as a reference to their supposed leader who is said to be one of the three priests suspended this week.
The group’s activities came under scrutiny thanks to a 24-year-old teacher, known as Daniel, who wrote to the Pope after his story was shunned by Granada’s Archdiocese and the pontiff’s April announcement of a zero tolerance policy towards paedophilia.
The Archbishop of Granada, Francisco Javier Martínez, only suspended three of the accused and will be flown to Rome on Sunday to explain his actions to Pope Francis.
The Argentinian pontiff called the supposed victim and encouraged him to file civil charges but also apologised on behalf of the Church for the abuse he suffered.
It seems from this article that Pope Francis encouraged a victim of clergy sexual abuse to file civil charges with the police against the clergy abusers. To refer all allegations of clergy sexual abuse is important, so that the secular police can investigate these probable crimes and prosecuted as needed. If Pope Francis will demand that all the hierarchy and clergy and nuns refer all allegations to the police for investigation, I will have more hope that it is possible for this pope to become honest and transparent. In the past, as cardinal in Argentina, Pope Francis protected the sexual predator priests and refused to meet with the victims and their families. The pope is not qualified to investigate the crimes and criminals in his own Church. The more that Pope Francis works will secular criminal and civil law, the more chance there will be for some type of justice for the victims of clergy sexual abuse. However, it is sadly true that politicians, judges, lawyers, and police have been found to be complicit with the Church in protecting the sexual predators from prison and in re-victimizing the victims of clergy sexual abuse.
Sincerely, Dr Rosemary Eileen McHugh, M.D., M.Spir.
The problem Dr Rosemary is that in Spain, the police likely to investigate will be the Guardia, which is a police force formed by Vatican puppet Franco to bolster his campaign against anti-clerical left wing opposition.
The Guardia Civil is steeped in Vatican tradition, just look at their logo – the cross keys of the Vatican.
Robert, just an observation, but in view of what you say (and if I am reading this correctly), and the request for an investigation came from the Vatican, would this not be an incentive for the Guardia to investigate fully?
Is that the Spanish Guardia Civil Robert? Are you sure you have right “logo”? The last time I checked, the GC badge was of a crossed fasces and sword…
Strong true points Dr. Rosemary. It is well to remember though, this is only addressing a universal problem in one sphere. That of the Catholic church. In that particular area, abolishing the requirement for celibacy would go a long way in addressing this abomination. Family life, straight or gay does not leave much room in it’s midst for predators on children.
But that’s just the Catholic Church, with it’s unique access to children in the form of childcare, adoption, children’s homes, schools, choirs, early brainwashing etc.
What about the beasts in other tight-knit cabals?
What is to be done about that?
Robert, Thank you very much for telling me that. So Guardia is likely to be as corrupt as the Vatican then? It makes me wonder if there is any hope for truth and justice for the victims of clergy sexual abuse at all.
The consistent points in Francoism included above all authoritarianism, nationalism, National Catholicism, militarism, conservatism, anti-communism and anti-liberalism, as well as a frontal rejection of Freemasonry.
The Spanish State was authoritarian: non-government trade unions and all political opponents across the political spectrum were either suppressed or controlled by all means, including police repression. Most country towns and rural areas were patrolled by pairs of Guardia Civil, a military police for civilians, which functioned as Franco’s chief means of social control.
The Guardia emblem is two crossed weapons which has similarity to the Vatican cross keys.
The Spanish Civil war was basically a religious war. Where especially in Andalucia the Roman church through the Jesuits, owned most of the land and resources. The ‘people’ not communists, attacked the church and clergy to re-dress the balance of resources. Franco, was the Vatican’s chess piece to restore the revolt and Spain back to Vatican control.
The problem Dr Rosemary, is that we are all raised in the shadow of some kind of religious authority. The Vatican is not interested in saving your sole, the religion is only a means to an end, the end being money, power and control.
The christian symbols we were brought up with have been with mankind for thousands of years, i.e. the cross with a circle at the back of it is a symbol of nature, depicting the four seasons that the Sun must pass through to give us the cycle of life.
The Bible was written as an allegorical account of the cycle of nature, astrology, geometry etc, and was not meant to be taken literally. Jesus was the allegory for the Sun.
The problem was the Roman Empire, picked four gospels from many available and created a State Religion adding the epistles, letters etc, which grew into the Roman Catholic Church we have today.
Over the last 1700 years the Roman church has set back civilisation hundreds of years, and killed many people and cultures to stamp its state religion on us.
A secular society is what the world is crying out for, but the opposite seems to be happening.
Knowing as I do the group of priests in question I am appalled by the sweeping assumptions of their guilt and by the tone of the Spanish press coverage. I found them to be a delightful assortment of people, each committed to his parish but also grateful for the support provided by a close-knit circle of friends. Their group in no way resembles a sect and they make visitors, parishioners and others all welcome. The allegations rest on one person’s statement. Of course his statement must be listened to with open mind and investigated thoroughly. Meanwhile we should all suspend judgement until there is more evidence of wrong-doing. The lives and ministries of some good people are being destroyed by the press before there is any proof of guilt.
I was’nt going to post on this forum again but seeing Robert McCuloch’s posts I simply had to.
Robert I have never seen a better accurate historical account of the Roman Catholic set-up.
How anyone can accept the reality of this ruthless mafia organisation is beyond me.
There is no mention anywhere in any Christian document about bishops/archbishops or popes. All these hierarchical posts were created by Romans.
The first Papa/Pope/Caesar was Constantine a good Pagan ( I write that word with all due respect) until the day he died.
The whole artificial ‘New Testament’ was put together in 200AD, not the sky fairy ever actually existed, in Rome by Romans. It was these women hating misogynists who made Mary Magdalene a whore int their storyline and in 1800 years nothing has changed has it?
Philip Martin – another brainwashed Catholic who is too cowardly to face the reality of the Catholic priesthood which has been exposed all over this planet.
I don’t believe in any religion, I think it is just a way to manipulate the masses and it was and is also used in wars as a reason for people to commit murder.
One more thing, I have to say I never let my kids anywhere near a priest and never will. I would also not let them go anywhere near the scouts and other groups like that as you do not know who to trust. The only person who would baby sit would be my Mother, well and truly protected, they have had no problems. I was once listening on the radio and someone described many of the clergy as misfits… I met a vicar from a Church in Chislehurst Kent, many times, evil pxxx taking man who felt right at home amongst the toffs. I am much kinder than the church goers, they are not all they are cracked up to be.
Don’t need you on here Stuart anymore. More anti-Spain whingers have taken your place.
Thanks for your words of support Stuart Crawford. To comment on Philip Martin, yes of course Philip there will be clergy who are not guilty of sex crimes, and I’m sure many clergy are good people and have the right intentions.
However, you do not need to have religious faith to have a moral compass. I don’t have a religion or a faith, but somehow I seem to know what is right and what is wrong. Faith is a total abdication from reality, it is merely fear dressed up as virtue. Religious people keep saying that their faith transcends reason, when in reality reason is the only thing that calls it to account. Reason threatens faith’s cosy bubble of delusion. The more ridiculous the contents of a religion seem to be, the more faith it seems to accumulate.
It is because of faith that nobody can criticise it without being accused of being a bigot or a racist, especially where Islam is concerned. Faith gets too much respect and too many special conditions from the State, i.e. faith schools, seats in the house of Lords, tax exemptions etc, as the State benefits from religion, and vice versa.
As I said earlier we are all victims of some kind of religious indoctrination as children, and that is where the problem is, teaching a particular religion to children is another form of abuse.
Fining the Vatican is useless, as a few billion from 3,500 billion of their wealth is small change. Vatican written Cannon Law needs to be replaces with common law in order to jail the huge amounts of criminals in this church. The Vatican is above the law, and no police force is going to do anything.
It’s worth mentioning why the then Caesar/Pope brought in celibacy – he did’nt want priests leaving any wealth to their families, he wanted it all for Organisation.
Derek, we all know you don’t nor ever have lived full time in Spain, what a silly hypocrite you are.
Also moron this article is not about Spain it’s about the Catholic church.
BTW what part of the UK has to put up with you for most of the year, I’ll bet your neighbours would be really happy for you to move to Spain permanently as you are always banging on about Spain why hav’nt you?
Try and give something like a rational answer rather than your usual chip on the shoulder abuse.
Not looking good for your friends Los Romanones, Philip.