A fellow alumni formerly of military field rank, miffed that a favourite chaplain of his day would not be favoured with a glowing tribute, claims to write on behalf of like-minded old boys a fierce denunciation of the disclosure of child abuse and pedophilia by some past members of staff (see the www.achart.ca website). He complains that his reading left a bad taste in his mouth and in the mouths of others, for what is written does reflect his sentiments or those of his fellows. This refusal to hang dirty linen on the line is typical of the maudlin, mawkish and mushy attitude of some to a revered institution’s ‘good name’. It is the same stubborn and arrogant attitude of the Roman Catholic and Protestant churches that have condoned physical and sexual abuse of children through the ages by maintaining a conspiracy of silence. In response, the complainant was advised that where irrefutable evidence is available from two or more verifiable sources of disgusting and brutal behaviour towards children under care that information will be published.
Tags: DYRMS
Well said, Michael. Your extended commentary on this painful subject is received and here acknowledged. It will be posted on the http://www.achart.ca website at the first convenient opportunity.
On your last comment, Art, it’s worth adding to ‘…the institution that employs or employed them..’ the clause ‘..and continues to protect them at all cost to the eventual detriment of its cause..’ or some such. I don’t think even the Catholic Church recognises just how destructive to its cause denial is and will continue to be. Suffer the little children indeed!
I can only respond by commenting ‘Right on!’ These obscenities have to be exposed wherever they’re found and the culprits brought to book. It is utterly dishonourable to close ranks to protect either the persons who abuse children or the institution that employs or employed them.
I’ll be commenting on this one further, but for the time being it’s worth noting that the noted civil rights barrister Geoffrey Robertson QC is calling on the world to treat the Vatican as a rogue state for protecting paedophile priests under canon law and preventing due process of civil law against them. At best, they get the sack; at worst, they have to do penance and pray for their victims. I presume your correspondent would be satisfied if schoolmaster paedophiles got a slap on the wrist and were made to stand in the corner for 15 minutes before all was forgotten and forgiven. The point that obviously escapes him is that, as long as the stench of paedophilia hangs around the hallowed walls of the institution, it has no good name. Bear in mind it is the institution that is impugned and not individuals who maintained their integrity while their fellows plundered the lives of the young.