Letters

Zero tolerance (letter)

Alan A. Hoysted

Contents - Jul 2002 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Archbishop Pell: the '60 Minutes' beat-up - Michael Gilchrist Saints: Padre Pio canonised: "a model of the priesthood" (John Paul II) - Paul MacLeod News: The Church Around the World - AD2000 '60 Minutes': Archbishop George Pell puts the record straight - Archbishop George Pell Tablet article prompts critical response from Archbishop Pell - Michael Gilchrist Interview: George Weigel: the impact of John Paul II's pontificate - Zenit News Service Chavagnes International College for boys - Paul Russell Cardinal Avery Dulles: US Jesuits need 'wake-up call' - Michael Gilchrist Events: The Italians: Three Centuries of Italian Art 1500-1800 - Francis Young Vatican II, church architecture and "reform of the reform" - Sidney Rofe Letters: Zero tolerance (letter) - Alan A. Hoysted Letters: 60 Minutes attack (letter) - Sam Lynch Letters: Beat-up (letter) - Frank Bellet Letters: Short-changed (letter) - Mrs Carol V. Phillips Poetry: It Is (The Alternative to 'Star Wars') - Andrew Huntley Letters: Teaching the faith (letter) - Fr James Brasier Letters: Catholic chaplains (letter) - Charles G. Jarrells Letters: Women's Commission (letter) - Gillian Gonzalez Letters: Missal translation (letter) - Philip Robinson Letters: Accuracy (letter) - Fr Austin Kenny CP Letters: Vatican II (letter) - Peter D. Howard Letters: Abortion (letter) - George F. Simpson Letters: Obituary - Fr Patrick Cosgrove, South Africa (letter) - Fr E. Lumley-Holmes CSsR Letters: Fr Des Jenkins Golden Jubilee (letter) - Gordon R. Coomber Events: Cathedral painting - Hollywood Ball - Josie di Mauro Catholic Truth Society in Brisbane - B. Massey Books: A Pope and a Council on the Sacred Liturgy, by Aidan Nichols OP - Msgr Peter J. Elliott (reviewer) Books: The Greatest Marvel of All, by Pierre-Marie Emonet OP - Michael Casanova (reviewer) Books: The Modern Rite, by Mgr Klaus Gamber - Fr Peter Joseph (reviewer) Books: New Titles from AD Books Reflection: John Paul II clarifies Vatican II teaching on lay and priestly roles - Pope John Paul II

As the father of three, grandfather of three and a life-long practising Catholic, may I express my unending fury at the sickening activities of pedophiles within the Church? To think that priests and brothers would do such filthy and vile things to children defies belief.

Without doubt these males (I wouldn't dignify them by calling them "men") have sold out to the Devil and are akin to the "wolves in sheep's clothing" referred to in Matthew 7:15.

How did they get away with it for so long? I can only surmise that with the cunning typical of such individuals, they begged for forgiveness and compassion, promising to reform, and quoting Scripture to back up their pleas. Their repeat offences at various locations makes it apparent there was too much forgiveness and a deplorable lack of common sense by their then superiors.

I sympathise with Archbishops Pell and Hart having to deal with this inherited nauseating mess.

Not only have pedophiles callously scarred the lives of their young victims, but they have severely and cruelly hurt the loyal priests, brothers, monks, nuns and laity and the credibility of the institution of the Church itself.

We are all their victims and should not rest until every one guilty of any such offence, past present and future (one strike and you're out) is kicked out of Holy Orders in whatever area they occupy. There must be zero tolerance. They have put the Church in a terrible position and must not be shown any mercy. They don't deserve any.

Even Jesus Himself said of anyone "giving scandal to any of my little ones" that "it would be better for him to have a millstone placed around his neck and drowned in the depths of the sea." No mercy there, even from Our Lord.

There must be no mercy from the Church in 2002. Weed them out. Now!

Alan A. Hoysted
Thomastown, Vic

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 15 No 6 (July 2002), p. 14