Couldn’t Happen Here

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Adelaide Archbishop Philip Wilson is the most senior Catholic cleric in the world to be convicted of concealing child sex abuse.

Adelaide Archbishop Philip Wilson has been sentenced to a minimum of six months imprisonment for concealing the historical indecent assault of two altar boys by paedophile priest James Fletcher in the 1970s…Wilson was today ordered to be assessed for his suitability for home detention…

Leave him alone.

He’s a ‘wounded healer’.

Adelaide Archbishop Philip Wilson sentenced to minimum six months jail (Herald Sun

Abuse survivors react to Archbishop Wilson’s sentence – video (Guardian)

Pic: ABC

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73 thoughts on “Couldn’t Happen Here

  1. Daisy Chainsaw

    If there was any justice in this country, Sean Brady would be nervous about now… As this is Ireland and we still have people who fawn all over the catholic heirarchy, he’ll probably get a medal from the Pope and the performing seals will clap and cheer and want to kiss his ring.

    1. Brother Barnabas

      would you PLEASE stop spoiling it for those among us who don’t actually care

    2. rotide

      Have recent events not shown you that while we certainly have people that Fawn over the church they are a small minority?

  2. Brother Barnabas

    this again *sigh* – time to let bygones be bygones, move on and stop dwelling on things that happened, likes, ages ago. what’s the point of going back over the past? australians are so petty. what we should do here is host a large-scale celebration of this organisation just to make clear that there are no hard feelings and all’s cool – ideally soon while the weather is still nice.

    1. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

      You’re so compassionate. It’s one of the many things that makes me, day by day, fall that little bit more deeply in toleration of you.

          1. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

            Is it? I wouldn’t have thought that’s what I’m feeling but if you say so.

          2. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

            Crikey. I didn’t know I felt lust and adoration towards so many things. I’ll have to re-evaluate my life.

  3. themanwhocan

    6 months at home with an electronic ankle bracelet (that he will ask be taken off because his ankle is sore and they will let him). plenty of wine and cheese pizza (and cheese pizza) He might also ask to be let out for a daily walk and they will let him have that too. Justice served!

  4. Kieran Doherty

    Remember that other shyster – he of the ‘mental reservation’ habit. He should have done a stretch for his cover up here.

  5. nellyb

    such warm friendly face, radiating wisdom, benevolence and knowledge of higher truth
    don’t think he could possibly do it – must have been set up

      1. nellyb

        nah, blame their mothers, likely didn’t even go churching after birth, downhill from there on
        Respect to aussies, robust enough response

        1. themanwhocan

          Robust? Is everyone actually reading the little paragraph above? He is being assessed for his suitability for home detention…so its going to be house arrest for a few months. Even then the judge will be saying 100 hail Mary’s every night for forgiveness for punishing a man of the cloth. Robust?

  6. Janet, I ate my Avatar

    but jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” Matt 19:14

  7. Boj

    What is causing these seemingly ‘good’ people to behave like this? Has it always been like this?
    Is it the celibacy? Are they closet gay? Are they closet paedo? Is it a power thing?
    If these lads didn’t enter priesthood, would their future be much different? Does the priesthood attract them or create them? Answers on a postcard…

    1. themanwhocan

      Most Catholic clergy are closeted gays, that’s why they joined in back in the day and that’s why they don’t join now. A lot are atheists too but it was the only job/camouflage from a violently homophobic society at the time. Things are changing now. Except in Putin’s Russia of course. I mean, how many of those orthodox priests are raping little Russian boys right now? It has to be happening right? Who are those kids going to tell? Its open season on little boys in all the backarse parishes of homophobic Africa too. Even if someone did believe in god ,how could anyone support these vampires? It has to just be miserable peasants pandering to the clergy who claim in a round about way (including openly claiming they don’t) they have a special spiritual connection that will get them and their supporters a reward after this life. Even if this fellas went to a gen pop prison and served his full 6 month. (and he wont set foot in prison lets face it) Most of the prisoners and screws will be fawning over him. Personally I hope he gets battered black and blue every day while the screws look the other way but that’s not going to happen.

      1. Brother Barnabas

        there’s no connection between homosexuality and paedophilia

        it’s more accurate to see paedophilia as a sexual orientation in itself

        1. themanwhocan

          except within the catholic church there definitely is a connection between homosexual priests and pedophilia. If a priest lays a finger on a child a day under the age of 18 then it is automatically pedophilia. I think predatory priests have to strike a balance between too young to find sexually attractive and too old to keep there mouth shut or fight them off. Priest cant be openly gay , this is the only way to act on sexualt urges outside of masturbation. Which is also a sin. (eyeroll) Either way its an abuse of power that the public give them. If your a sexually frustrated gay priest (or as I call them , “priests”) and your into bears of bottoming , too bad , you would just have to settle for a scared skinny youngfella going through puberty and is hopefully gay as well. Paedophilia is a sexual orientation in itself but people aren’t born that way, its developed through a cycle of abuse. People have to stop supporting the church no good comes from it, only abuse and guilt.

          1. mildred st meadowlark

            Can you provide proof of your assertion that there is a link between homosexuality in the CC and paedophilia?

            Like, a study or statistics or a report? A link of some sort? Otherwise, that’s just you spouting rather distasteful remarks about homosexuality and paedophilia, and using the CC as your vehicle to do it.

          2. Johnny

            Mildred,oh dear,the post is about another cover up by the church,too many too count,rendering your smarmy “study” suggestion ridiculous,do try keep up…

          3. mildred st meadowlark

            Smarm again is it?

            You must be Bernie’s wife so.

            Such a pity. I thought we were friends J-man.

          4. johnny

            -poke a bear-
            oh Mildred,even it up a little and all that,merely pointing out,as you often do,how silly your ‘study’ suggestion is,should we just call up the and ask the powers that be if they will assist in your study…
            the post is about the conviction of the highest ranking celery for wait for it-covering up the topic your suggesting study-no s**t sherlock ;)

            ps your comment is a little beneath you,reverting to sexual innuendos and smears tut tut, very un ladylike Mildred,the mask slips and all that,dear !

          5. mildred st meadowlark

            What bear exactly have I poked? You? Laughable.

            And for the record, I’m no lady.

          6. johnny

            Man V Ball
            can we get back to your study idea,is their a Darwin award on here!
            walk away,Mildred,walk away with whatever poise you can muster,chin up,we can still be ‘friends’ :)

          7. mildred st meadowlark

            Bit rich nominating me for a Darwin award when you can’t actually string a legible sentence together but sure. Go for it if it make you feel good, big man.

            Later buddy.

          8. Janet, I ate my Avatar

            funny how the numerous nasty commentators all have the same tone, style and put downs

          9. mildred st meadowlark

            Yes, it is. But it feels mean to bait someone who’s clearly lacking the wit to respond with any intelligence.

          10. Johnny

            You win the spelling bee,congrats not much fun getting publicly called out for something so idiotic huh-maybe when you climb off your high horse, you keep that in mind for new/inexperienced commentators !
            Your little huff and ad hominem comments,are more suitable to teenagers competing in a Spelling Bee-it was a stupid,smarmy,comment,own it,move on or keep digging,at this point it says more about you than my awful grammar,duh a study with the church !

            (Ps I don’t get paid spell,anytime youd like discuss a Balance sheet,let me know )

          11. mildred st meadowlark

            Smarmy again huh?

            Oh sweetie, you’re getting repetitive. And obvious.

            The rest of your comment is incomprehensible poop So maybe ask your teacher to read it over first and then post. If I’m a teenage girl, you’re positively infantile.

          12. Bernie

            Johnny, pay no heed. Don’t forget to pick up the kids and a bottle of mojito on your way home later love xxx

            Didn’t see these comments yesterday

    2. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

      Well my take on it is that whenever you had a gabháil of kids and one of em was a wrong ‘un, you sent him to the priesthood to sort him out. Where, in fact, the wrongness flourished.

      1. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

        I hasten to add I’m not calling homosexuality wrong. I’m addressing paedophilia. And plain aul “being a boll*x”.

    3. kellma

      My two cents? They are pedophiles who saw the church as one of many opportunities to inveigle their way into a position of power and trust that would give them a carte blanche to indulge their deviance. That is what these people do. Same as the swimming coaches, politicians, teachers etc. The church bears the responsibility for not having the integrity to control that and for time and time again turning a blind eye. The church (as much as I have no interest in it) was not, I believe, set up to facilitate child and female abuse on a large scale. It was set up with benevolent intentions I am sure, but where power and control are garnered comes also the corruption of some of those who partake in it which is why all these big behemoth institutions; be they religions or law enforcement or whatever, should be policed by others independent of their creeds.

    4. SOQ

      Not sure why you are bringing gay into this thread but anyways. The reasons why gay men entered the priesthood were fairly logical. They went from being a marginalised position in society to an elevated one, so much so that the entire family also went up the social ladder.

      As for pedophiles, was there really anymore % wise than elsewhere or was it just the case that the ones who were priests had access to more children and the power to cover it up? Hard to know.

      1. Brother Barnabas

        +1

        it’s a complete fallacy that paedophiles are just gay men who go for kids

        paedophiles are paedophiles – most would have a preference for either boys or girls, but primarily they’re just attracted to children. and it’s primarily a male thing.

          1. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

            Hmm. That’s interesting. Does that mean that abuse can warp your sexual orientation? I’ve no idea.

          2. Janet, I ate my Avatar

            I don’t know
            nature v nurture ?
            if you can use a word like nurture in that context

          3. SOQ

            Personally I don’t regard paedophilia as a sexual orientation, I see it more akin to rape. It is an act of violence against a minor who is not old enough to consent.

            To categorise it as an orientation means being a rapist is one too.

          4. Janet, I ate my Avatar

            I see your point.
            I definitely agree you are born with your sexual orientation.
            I am less inclined to believe you are born a rapist and the two shouldn’t really be confused.

          5. Brother Barnabas

            it’s certainly rape because there’s no consent

            the orientation is what draws the adult to the child in the first place

          6. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

            Well it’s always rape when it’s with children as consent isn’t an issue.
            Bleurgh. Even thinking about it gives me the willies. I’m a complete ninny but I think I would genuinely want to kill anyone who hurt BabyAndy in that way.

        1. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

          I didn’t even realise people thought that. Weird. I forget that most people are dopes, though.

          I read a piece in the Guardian years ago about the rehabilitation of paedophiles in prison. It was amazingly interesting but I haven’t been able to find the link since. One guy kept committing petty crimes so he’d get arrested and sent to prison so he wouldn’t be anywhere near kids. It must be a horrendous proclivity to be born with.

          1. Brother Barnabas

            it’s pretty much accepted now that you can’t rehabilitate or remove the orientation. all you can is make them understand the damaging effects of acting on their paedophilic interests – and how to avoid doing it. they tend though to be very manipulative and dishonest, which makes it extra tricky.

          2. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

            Yup. I’m not sure it was very successful but they were trying to treat them with some sensitivity. What a minefield: must be a real test of psychiatry/pshchology to deal with something that’s anathema to most people.

        2. Boj

          It is interesting that you say “it’s more accurate to see paedophilia as a sexual orientation in itself”
          Would that then suggest that these people are born that way or is it a choice? Dodgy territory there imo.

          1. Brother Barnabas

            most probably born that way. but as with every sexual orientation, it’s a spectrum – you could be a normally-functionally homosexual or heterosexual man with very mild paedophilic tendencies, which, provided you don’t ever act on them, won’t impact your life too much. or you could be a full-on paedophile with no interest in adult men or women.

          2. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

            *scribbles on notepad*
            Interesting. I note your knowledge regarding certain subjects.
            I have worked out who you are. Anthony Clare! Amirite? Probably.

  8. Junkface

    I just find all religions so weird now. Look at the crazy rules, crazy outfits, the bending of logic when reality shows the opposite of what they say, the Control issues, the horror, the violence, the raping, all while their invisible God stands beside them cheering them along. “Thats it, good work my Man, bless you and Bless me!!”

    Humans are nuts.

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