Cardinal George Pell
COGwriter
An Australian reader tipped me off to the following:
June 29, 2017
ROME — Australian police have charged Cardinal George Pell with multiple counts of “historical sexual assault offenses,” making him the highest-level Catholic Church official ever to face such charges. …
“I’m looking forward to finally having my day in court. I’m innocent of these charges. They are false. The whole idea of sexual abuse to me is abhorrent,” insisted Pell.
Australian police did not provide any details of the multiple charges of sexual assault against him.
Cardinal Pell has been in charge of reforming church finances, but for years he’s faced allegations that he failed to properly deal with clergy sex abuse in Australia.
He was questioned by a commission investigating the church’s response to abuse, via video link from Rome — unable to travel per doctor’s orders. But his failure to return to Australia to face the questions in person was criticized at the time.
“With the experience of 40 years later, I certainly would agree that I should have done more,” Pell conceded in the remote testimony last year.
Asked why he needed the experience of 40 years to address something that should have been taken as a serious matter at the time, Pell said, “people had different attitudes then.” http://www.cbsnews.com/news/cardinal-george-pell-sexual-assault-australia-catholic-church-pope-francis/
(SYDNEY) — Australian police charged a top Vatican cardinal on Thursday with multiple counts of historical sexual assault offenses, a stunning decision certain to rock the highest levels of the Holy See.
Cardinal George Pell, Pope Francis’ chief financial adviser and Australia’s most senior Catholic, is the highest-ranking Vatican official to ever be charged in the church’s long-running sexual abuse scandal. …
Last year, Pell acknowledged during his testimony to the commission that the Catholic Church had made “enormous mistakes” in allowing thousands of children to be raped and molested by priests. He conceded that he, too, had erred by often believing the priests over victims who alleged abuse. And he vowed to help end a rash of suicides that has plagued church abuse victims in his Australian hometown of Ballarat.
But more recently, Pell himself became the focus of a clergy sex abuse investigation, with Victoria detectives flying to the Vatican last year to interview the cardinal. It is unclear what allegations the charges announced Thursday relate to, but two men, now in their 40s, have said that Pell touched them inappropriately at a swimming pool in the late 1970s, when Pell was a senior priest in Melbourne. …
Francis drew heated criticism for his 2015 appointment of a Chilean bishop accused by victims of helping cover up for Chile’s most notorious pedophile. The pope was later caught on videotape labeling the parishioners who opposed the nomination of being “leftists” and “stupid.”
When Francis was asked last year about the accusations against Pell, he said he wanted to wait for Australian justice to take its course before judging. “It’s true, there is a doubt,” he told reporters en route home from Poland. “We have to wait for justice and not first make a mediatic judgment — a judgment of gossip — because that won’t help.”
“Once justice has spoken, I will speak,” he said.
Francis appointed Pell in 2014 to a five-year term to head the Vatican’s new economy secretariat, giving him broad rein to control all economic, administrative, personnel and procurement functions of the Holy See. The mandate has since been restricted to performing more of an oversight role. http://time.com/4838347/australia-george-pell-vatican-sexual-assault-catholic/
Whether Cardinal Pell personally was a sex abuser or not will attempt to be dealt with by the Australian court. But he is far from innocent when he basically admitted that he did not handle reports of sexual abuses by priests.
The Church of Rome’s sex abuse scandal has not gone away and has been a problem for a long time (see, for example, ‘Audit of US Catholic church shows sharp spike in sex abuse reports’).
It has long been my view, that the Vatican’s insistence on celibacy for its priesthood is a major contributing factor to the problem of sex abuse.
Why?
The policy is without biblical support and actually goes against the Bible. Therefore, it should not come as a surprise that trying to force something opposed to scripture bears terrible consequences. Various writers have indicated that because of the celibacy requirement, the Roman Catholic priesthood has attracted a higher percentage of homosexually-leaning men than are found in the general population–and the sex scandals indicate that many priests have not always remained celibate.
The Vatican itself is aware that celibacy was not a biblical requirement. Most, if not all of the apostles, including Peter, were married (Paul was not married as an apostle, but some writers have speculated that he had been married and his wife may have died).
The Bible shows that bishops and presbyters/elders were supposed to have a wife and children. This was partially to demonstrate they could handle a church as Paul wrote per the Roman Catholic approved Rheims New Testament:
1. FAITHFUL saying. If a man desire a Bishops office, he desireth a good work.
2. It behoveth therefore a Bishop to be irreprehensible, the husband of one wife,
sober, wise, comely, chaste, a man of hospitality, a teacher,
3. Not given to wine, no fighter, but modest, no quarreler, not covetous,
4. Well ruling his own house, chaving his children subject with all charity.
5. But if a man know not to rule his own house: how shall he have care of the Church of
God? (1 Timothy 3:1-5).
5. For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest reform the things that are
wanting, and shouldst ordain priests by cities, as I also appointed thee:
6. If any be without crime, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, not in the
accusations of riot, or not obedient.
7. For a Bishop must be without crime, as the steward of God: not proud, not angry, nor
given to wine, no striker, nor covetous of filthy lucre (Titus 1:5-7).
Note that the term translated as priest in verse 5 of Titus, is presbyter and simply means elder. Also notice that the Bishop/pastor is also allowed to be married. In Eastern Orthodox circles, while their priests are allowed to be married, their bishops are not (the Orthodox priests put away the wives of their youth in contrast to Malachi 2:15, for their ‘promotions’ to bishop).
Even The Catholic Encyclopedia acknowledges that from the beginning, celibacy was not a requirement for church leaders:
Turning now to the historical development of the present law of celibacy, we must necessarily begin with St. Paul’s direction (1 Timothy 3:2, 12, and Titus 1:6) that a bishop or a deacon should be “the husband of one wife”. These passages seem fatal to any contention that celibacy was made obligatory upon the clergy from the beginning (Thurston H. Transcribed by Christine J. Murray. Celibacy of the Clergy. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume III. Copyright © 1908 by Robert Appleton Company. Online Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. Knight. Nihil Obstat, November 1, 1908. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).
Celibacy became an ideal for the clergy in the East gradually, as it did in the West. In the fourth century we still find St. Gregory Nazianzen’s father, who was Bishop of Nanzianzos, living with his wife, without scandal. But very soon after that the present Eastern rule obtained. It is less strict than in the West. No one can marry after he has been ordained priest (Paphnutius at the first Council of Nicaea maintains this; the first Canon of the Synod of Neocaesarea in 314 or 325, and Can. Apost., xxvi. The Synod of Elvira about 300 had decreed absolute celibacy for all clerks in the West, Can. xxxiii, ib., pp. 238-239); priests already married may keep their wives (the same law applied to deacons and subdeacons: Can. vi of the Synod in Trullo, 692), but bishops must be celibate. As nearly all secular priests were married this meant that, as a general rule, bishops were chosen from the monasteries, and so these became, as they still are, the road through advancement may be attained (Fortesque A. Transcribed by Marie Jutras. Eastern Monasticism. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume X. Copyright © 1911 by Robert Appleton Company. Online Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. Knight. Nihil Obstat, October 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).
Thus, the celibacy requirement for clergy did not occur until the fourth century–and many did not abide by it for centuries in various areas. Furthermore, a requirement for clerical celibacy contradicts the biblical teaching on this matter.
When the subject of celibacy came up in the fourth century, a Greco-Roman bishop denounced it:
Paphnutius then was bishop of one of the cities in Upper Thebes: he was a man of such eminent piety, that extraordinary miraclas were done by him. In the time of the persecution he had been deprived of one of his eyes. The emperor honoured this man exceedingly, and often sent for him to the palace, and kissed the part where the eye had been torn out. So devout was the emperor Constantine. Having noticed this circumstance respecting Paphnutius, I shall explain. another thing which was wisely ordered in consequence of his advice, both for the good of the church and the honour of the clergy. It seemed fit to the bishops to introduce a new law into the church, that those who were in holy orders, I speak of bishops, presbyters, and deacons, should have no conjugal intercourse with the wives which they had married prior to their ordination. And when it was proposed to deliberate on this matter, Paphnutius having arisen in the midst of the assembly of bishops, earnestly entreated them not to impose so heavy a yoke on the ministers of religion: asserting that ” marriage is honourable among all, and the nuptial bed undefiled;” so that they ought not to injure the church by too stringent restrictions. ” For all men,” said he, ” cannot bear the practice of rigid continence ; neither perhaps would the chastity of each of their wives be preserved.” He termed the intercourse of a man with his lawful wife chastity. It would be sufficient, he thought, that such as had previously entered on their sacred calling should abjure matrimony, according to the ancient tradition of the church: but that none should be separated from her to whom, while yet unordained, he had been legally united…The whole assembly of the clergy assented to the reasoning of Paphnutius (Socrates Scholasticus. Book 1, Chapter XI. A History of the Church in Seven Books: From the Accession of Constantine, A.D. 305, to the 38th Year of Theodosius II, Inluding a Period of 140 Years. Published by S. Bagster, 1844. Original from Harvard University, pp. 53-54)
So as late as the early fourth century, the idea of required celibacy was opposed by most of the Greco-Roman clergy.
The sex-pedophile scandals involving Roman Catholic priests have caused a number of Catholics to leave the Church of Rome.
Perhaps it should also be mentioned that Catholic writings indicate a political leader, called the Great Monarch, will arise in Europe when the Church of Rome has had a scandal:
Ven. Holzhauser (17th century): The Great Monarch will come when the Latin Church is desolated, humiliated, and afflicted with many heresies (Dupont Y. Catholic Prophecy: The Coming Chastisement. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), 1973, p. 114).
These sex scandals have humiliated the Church of Rome (“the Latin Church”). The Bible tells of a European leader, called the Beast and the King of the North, who will arise and who shares a lot of characteristics with the ‘Great Monarch’ (a list of 35 such similarities is shown in the article: Who is the King of the North?). Biblically, we are very near the time that the “Beast” leader will rise up.
According to an Eastern Orthodox writing, the “Great Monarch” is also supposed to rise up during the time there are “very impious priests” (Tzima Otto H. The Great Monarch and WWIII in Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Scriptural Prophecies. Verenika Press, Rock City (SC), 2000,p. 53)–which would be consistent with the whole sex scandal issue among the Catholic priesthood.
Since other churches generally do not have a celibacy requirement for the ministry/priesthood, this is something that Pope Francis may decide to change in order to push his ecumenical agenda–as well as to show he has taken a major step to reduce the apparent temptations his ‘celibate’ priests face. A major goal of the Vatican to have the Eastern Orthodox, and as many of the Protestants as possible, unify with Rome.
Although both biblical and certain Catholic prophecies warn against this, they both indicate that an ecumenical religion will be adopted by nearly all the world. And, based upon my understanding of biblical and Catholic prophecies, I believe that this will be a religion that calls itself “Catholic” but which changes many doctrines. And celibacy is likely to be one of them. Especially, since the celibacy requirement was waived for the Anglicans in 2009 who wanted to become part of the Church of Rome (see Some Anglicans Starting to Accept Pope’s Offer of Unification).
It is not just the Church of Rome that is affected by sexual scandals of course. Islam has had one the past several years related to the refugees coming into Europe. A report in World Net Daily claims to give a partial reason why:
A new video produced by the American Truth Project exposes Islam’s practice of taqiyya, which allows deceit to promote the goals of Islam.
Aynaz Anni Cyrus, national director of American Truth Project and a former Muslim, explains two types of deceit endorsed by Islam: taqiyya, meaning “deceive,” and tawriya, meaning “white lies.” …
“A Muslim is allowed to use white lies. There is no guidance. You can use this under any circumstances,” Cyrus stated. “For example, a Muslim guy rapes a woman in a Western country where it is a crime. A friend is there who witnessed everything. He can go to court, and under oath of non-Islamic court, he can actually use white lie to say ‘I didn’t see anything,’ or ‘he didn’t rape her,’ because under Islam, he didn’t commit a crime.”
This may have contributed to the surge of cultural violence among Muslim refugees in Europe, where Muslim men are raping women at Swedish swimming pools because they are taught that women in bikinis are just asking to be raped.
One British city has counted 1,400 sexual assault victims of Muslim refugees. When witnesses are unwilling to talk or will outright lie to a court because their religion teaches that rape is not a crime, criminal investigations grind to a halt.
Cyrus said the fact that “a religion is actually allowing its people to freely lie, and in certain cases be rewarded and in certain cases be forgiven, it’s a horrible thing.”
“Let’s just hope that Western Civilization as a whole starts to recognize these deceptions and ‘white lies’ before Islam achieves its goal.” 06/28/17 http://www.wnd.com/2017/06/muslims-strategy-for-conquest-deception/
Notice something that Muhammad taught:
Bukhari 3,49,857 Muhammad said, “A man who brings peace to the people by making up good words or by saying nice things, though untrue, does not lie.”
Bukhari 5,59,369 Bin Maslama volunteered to kill an enemy for Muhammad, then said, “Give me permission to deceive him with lies so that my plot will succeed.” Muhammad replied, “You may speak falsely to him.”
Bukhari 8,78,618 Abu Bakr, the prophet Muhammad’s closest friend and adviser and first convert to Islam, said, “If I make a pledge and later discover a more worthy pledge, then I will take the better action and make amends for my earlier promise.” (As published in Boone P. The Muslim principle that makes nuke deal suicide. World Net Daily, August 5, 2015. http://www.wnd.com/2015/08/the-muslim-principle-that-makes-nuke-deal-suicide/#SVDge7POtwWRlxHB.99)
While lying is not the only reason for rape by Muslim men, deceit is allowed by Islam, and sadly many seem to not get punished from courts for rape.
Deceit is not to be used, but Islam and others in various religions use lying a lot.
Lying will be part of why there will be a temporary unity among many of the world’s religions (Revelation 13) for a time–and this will temporarily include many associated with Islam.
Some items of possibly related interest may include:
Was Celibacy Required for Early Bishops or Presbyters? Some religions suggest this, but what does the Bible teach? What was the practice of the early church?
Did the Early Christian Church Practice Monasticism? Does God expect or endorse living in a monastery or nunnery?
Ashley Madison: Your Sins Will Find You Out A website promoting ‘secret’ affairs (adultery and fornication) was hacked. This video discusses some of the Bible’s perspectives on that.
Were the Early Duties of Elders/Pastors Mainly Sacramental? What was there Dress? Were the duties of the clergy primarily pastoral or sacramental? Did the clergy dress with special liturgical vestments? Can “bishops” be disqualified as ministers of Christ based on their head coverings?
What was the Liturgy of the Early Church? Were early church services mainly scriptural, emotional, or sacramental? Who follows the basic original liturgy today? A related video is also available: What were early Christian church services like?
Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God differ from most Protestants How the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants, is perhaps the question I am asked most by those without a Church of God background. As far as some changes affecting Protestantism, watch the video Charismatic Kenneth Copeland and Anglican Tony Palmer: Protestants Beware! [Português: Esperança do salvação: Como a igreja do deus difere da maioria de protestantes]
Beware: Protestants Going Towards Ecumenical Destruction! What is going on in the Protestant world? Are Protestants turning back to their ‘mother church’ in Rome? Does the Bible warn about this? What are Catholic plans and prophecies related to this? Is Protestantism doomed? See also World Council of Churches Peace Plan.
Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Continuing Church of God? Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? Which group best represents true Christianity? This documented article answers those questions. [Português: Qual é fiel: A igreja católica romana ou a igreja do deus?]
Why Should American Catholics Fear Unity with the Orthodox? (And the Protestants) Are the current ecumenical meetings a good thing or will they result in disaster? Is doctrinal compromise good? Here is a link to a related video Should you be concerned about the ecumenical movement?
Will the Interfaith Movement Lead to Peace or Sudden Destruction? Is the interfaith movement going to lead to lasting peace or is it warned against? A video sermon of related interest is: Will the Interfaith Movement lead to World War III? and a video sermon is also available: Do You Know That Babylon is Forming?
Some Similarities and Differences Between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Continuing Church of God Both groups claim to be the original church, but both groups have differing ways to claim it. Both groups have some amazing similarities and some major differences. Do you know what they are?
Orthodox Must Reject Unity with the Roman Catholics Unity between these groups will put them in position to be part of the final end time Babylon that the Bible warns against as well as require improper compromise.
The History of Early Christianity Are you aware that what most people believe is not what truly happened to the true Christian church? Do you know where the early church was based? Do you know what were the doctrines of the early church? Is your faith really based upon the truth or compromise?
Christ or Antichrist? 1961 article by David Jon Hill, originally published in the old Good News magazine.
Will You Be Deceived by Antichrist? 1964 article by David Jon Hill, originally published in the old Good News magazine.
Satan’s Plan Does Satan have a plan? What is it? Has it already been successful? Will it be successful in the future? Here are links to a two-part sermon series: What are Some of the Parts of Satan’s Plan? and Satan’s Plan is More Dramatic than Many Realize.
Do Certain Catholic Prophecies About Antichrist Warn Against Jesus? Will the final “Anti-Christ” be Jewish, insist on Saturday, be opposed to the trinity, and bring in the millennium? Certain Catholic writings indicate this, while others take a different view, but what does the Bible show? A related sermon is Will Jesus Christ be called the Antichrist?
Catholic Prophecies: Do They Mirror, Highlight, or Contradict Biblical Prophecies? People of all faiths may be surprised to see what various Roman and Orthodox Catholic prophets have been predicting as many of their predictions will be looked to in the 21st century.
What Do Roman Catholic Scholars Actually Teach About Early Church History? Although most believe that the Roman Catholic Church history teaches an unbroken line of succession of bishops beginning with Peter, with stories about most of them, Roman Catholic scholars know the truth of this matter. Is telling the truth about the early church citing Catholic accepted sources anti-Catholic? This eye-opening article is a must-read for any who really wants to know what Roman Catholic history actually admits about the early church. There is also a YouTube sermon on the subject titled Church of God or Church of Rome: What Do Catholic Scholars Admit About Early Church History?
Nazarene Christianity: Were the Original Christians Nazarenes? Should Christians be Nazarenes today? What were the practices of the Nazarenes.
Location of the Early Church: Another Look at Ephesus, Smyrna, and Rome What actually happened to the primitive Church? And did the Bible tell about this in advance?
Apostolic Succession What really happened? Did structure and beliefs change? Are many of the widely-held current understandings of this even possible? Did you know that Catholic scholars really do not believe that several of the claimed “apostolic sees” of the Orthodox have apostolic succession–despite the fact that the current pontiff himself seems to wish to ignore this view? Is there actually a true church that has ties to any of the apostles that is not part of the Catholic or Orthodox churches? Read this article if you truly are interested in the truth on this matter! Here is a version in the Spanish language La sucesión apostólica. ¿Ocurrió en Roma, Alejandría, Constantinopla, Antioquía, Jerusalén o Asia Menor?
Early Church History: Who Were the Two Major Groups Professed Christ in the Second and Third Centuries? Did you know that many in the second and third centuries felt that there were two major, and separate, professing Christian groups in the second century, but that those in the majority churches tend to now blend the groups together and claim “saints” from both? “Saints” that condemn some of their current beliefs. Who are the two groups?
COGwriter Position on Other Churches and Religions What is the fate of those who do not know Christ? What about those who profess Christ outside the Church of God?
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, French: L Histoire Continue de l Église de Dieu and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
Differences Between Islam and the Continuing Church of God What are some of the main differences? Are there any similarities? A video of related interest is titled: Islam: Any Christian Concerns or Similarities?
