Plotting Nicea III Could Be Pope Francis's Masterstroke

[TimelessTheist]

Some had no restrictions put on them even after multiple allegations had been made. Notice I said "or". And, yes, I realize the case I described is much less dramatic, as I believe I already said when I first described it.

I'll have to look into that. Then again, here you say this was the case for "convicted priests", and now you say it's only for priests with allegations made against them?

If your friend was responsibe for the care of children, and if you had any kind of position of responsibility, I believe you would be required to report the allegation so that it could be investigated by the proper authorities. If it is determined that there is enough evidence to go to trial, the accused is, of course, innocent until proven guilty. As this person's friend, you are not the proper person to do such an investigation. It is not necessarily suspicious for children who have been abused to come forward much later, if they come forward at all. It can be severely traumatic and create dissociative states, a great deal of shame and misplaced guilt, and it can be deeply repressed.

Well, if it was a little kid, whom I know is under his care at the time, then yes, I would be responsible for calling the police. However, this case was with an accusation from a random guy, who, if may, or may not, have even been under the care of the priest to start with. There's a bit of a difference there.

I could be wrong. I am not a lawyer and have not studied this issue, but I believe it is the law in many states, if not all. Psychologists, teachers, social workers, ministers, and other people with responsibility for children are sometimes called 'mandatory reporters'. Not everyone is a mandatory reporter, but a variety of people with responsibility for the care of children are, I think, required to report their own suspicions and allegations.

Not sure about that, actually. If it was allegations by the kids or their parents, I would understand, but this, once again, is not the case. I think the actual laws are only implemented in ten states, though I'll have to check that, and which ones.

As for the practice of reporting every single 'accusation' to the police, I'm not sure. On one hand, if he actually is an abuser, you'll potentially save other kids from abuse. On the other hand, if he's innocent, you risk creating a public spectacle, and potentially ruining his life through condemnation by the public for accusations not yet proven true, not to mention the media who we all know never treat these cases with any sort of level-headiness. Then again, if the accusations were truly serious, why wouldn't the victim, himself, report to the police in the first place? In the same records of the Chicago Archdiocese you told me to look at, there was a case of rumors being spread in a Catholic Private School about a priest there, however, when the principle investigated these accusations, it turns out no one propagating the accusations could give any actual information on them whatsoever. It was nothing more than a rumor, and I don't think you should get the police involved based on something like that.

[robrecht]

I'll have to look into that. Then again, here you say this was the case for "convicted priests", and now you say it's only for priests with allegations made against them?

Sorry, for the delay. I just saw your post. I'm not sure what statement of mine you are referencing about "convicted priests" and could not find such a statement of mine by searching this thread. If we can find the supposed discrepency, I will be happy to respond.

I did see that your Newsweek link was now working. The study they refer to there is one conducted by John Jay College at the behest of the US Catholic Bishops. A report on that study can be found on the bishops' website here:

http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-acti...-1950-2002.pdf

I've also come across a website that includes a lot of information on accused and convicted priests and some of the personnel files that various dioceases were forced to make public: http://www.bishop-accountability.org/

If you want to start a thread on this or other studies, I will be happy to participate, but I do want this thread to focus on the proposed 2025 synod. Priestly celibacy is a relevant topic pertaining to the synod, of course, but a detailed examination of this or other studies deserves its own thread.

[tabibito]

On the other hand, if he's innocent, you risk creating a public spectacle, and potentially ruining his life through condemnation by the public for accusations not yet proven true, not to mention the media who we all know never treat these cases with any sort of level-headiness.

For which cause I advocate not publishing the identity of an accused person until after guilt has been determined by a court. That an innocent person might be pilloried, and often, others associated with that person, is enough to warrant suppressing identity prior to conviction.

[robrecht]

"After several preparatory meetings, Bartholomew has now called the first ever pan-Orthodox synod for 2016 in the Hagia Irene Church in Istanbul, where it is to adopt a framework for reunification talks with Rome. As a next step, he has raised the idea of an Ecumenical Council of all churches, East and West, to meet in 2025 in Nicaea — modern Iznik on the Sea of Marmara — where the first such Ecumenical Council was held in 325."

http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/orig...atriarch.html#

[One Bad Pig]

"After several preparatory meetings, Bartholomew has now called the first ever pan-Orthodox synod for 2016 in the Hagia Irene Church in Istanbul, where it is to adopt a framework for reunification talks with Rome. As a next step, he has raised the idea of an Ecumenical Council of all churches, East and West, to meet in 2025 in Nicaea — modern Iznik on the Sea of Marmara — where the first such Ecumenical Council was held in 325."

http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/orig...atriarch.html#

The pan-Orthodox synod has been in the works for quite some time; the date was formally announced just before Pascha this year. The framework would likely do little more than identify areas which need to be resolved before unification can occur - which is an important step, but does not mean that reunification is imminent.

[Adrift]

What's the likelihood of a Protestant denomination getting invited to a synod? Absolutely nill?

[robrecht]

What's the likelihood of a Protestant denomination getting invited to a synod? Absolutely nill?

Representatives from Protestant churches were invited as observers at the Second Vatican Council. I would not expect them to be invited as voting participants at this synod as it seems the agenda will be to try and heal more ancient rifts among churches that share much more in common, but who knows how things might develop over the next 12 years.

[One Bad Pig]

What's the likelihood of a Protestant denomination getting invited to a synod? Absolutely nill?

The Orthodox Church does participate in the World Council of Churches with the aim of potential eventual reconciliation. This is a bone of contention that has spawned a few schismatic groups who feel that ecumenism is a weakening of the Orthodox faith.

[robrecht]

The pan-Orthodox synod has been in the works for quite some time; the date was formally announced just before Pascha this year. The framework would likely do little more than identify areas which need to be resolved before unification can occur - which is an important step, but does not mean that reunification is imminent.

Thanks. I was not aware of it. Was its agenda always understood 'to adopt a framework for reunification talks with Rome' or was this only announced after Bartholomew's meeting Pope Francis? We are living in interesting times.

[One Bad Pig]

Thanks. I was not aware of it. Was its agenda always understood 'to adopt a framework for reunification talks with Rome' or was this only announced after Bartholomew's meeting Pope Francis? We are living in interesting times.

I would guess that it was only announced after the meeting, though there have been ongoing talks.