The Quotation of the Week (September 30 - October 6, 2018)

A quotation of Mark Twain on 'keeping and stopping learning,'
compiled by Jerome D'Costa

Photo (A panoramic view of the Kennedy Road from the 22nd-floor apartment 
of a building in Scarborough, Toronto: Aug. 20, 2018) © Jerome D'Costa

Pope Francis Defrocks Chilean Priest Fernando Karadima For Sexual Abuse

Father Fernando Karadima on the court date 
on Nov. 11, 2015, in Santiago, Chile

Photo courtesy: Getty Images

Pope Francis in an unprecedented move has defrocked Father Fernando Karadima (88) of Chile who was previously in 2011 was found to be guilty by the Vatican of several counts of sexual abuse and sentenced to a life of 'penance and prayer.' 

Father Karadima was a charismatic, convincing, and fluent speaker with wide influence among both the Chilean hierarchy and laity. He was involved in numerous sexual abuses and was accused as early as 1984. Chilean Church authorities not only failed to take action but also helped cover up his grave sins and crimes. This is called participation in others' sins. The laity everywhere in the world is taught on this participation, but the members of the hierarchy rarely apply this to themselves. There was a time when even Pope Francis thought abuse victims were spreading calumnies against Father Karadima! 

After receiving a 2,300-page report on sexual abuse of a number of priests in Chile, Pope Francis called all Chilean bishops and cardinals to Rome to deal with this. All the bishops and cardinals then wanted to submit their resignations. The pope accepted only a few resignations. 

For more on Father Karadima and Chilean clergy's sexual abuses, please read the following: 

• Pope Francis defrocks Chilean priest Fernando Karadima (Sept. 28, 2018)
• Pope Francis Defrocks Priest Fernando Karadima, a Notorious Abuser in Chile (Sept. 28, 2018)
• Abuses in Chile, Pope Francis defrocks Karadima (Sept. 28, 2018)
• Pope Francis defrocks Chilean priest Fernando Karadima amid sex abuse scandal (Sept. 28, 2018)
• Pope Francis defrocks Chilean priest Fernando Karadima (Sept. 28, 2018)
• Pope Francis removes Chilean priest at center of sex abuse scandal (Sept. 28, 2018)
• Chile abuse priest Fernando Karadima removed by Vatican (Sept. 28, 2018)
• Pope defrocks Chilean priest in sex abuse scandal (Sept. 28, 2018)
• National Catholic Reporter: FERNANDO KARADIMA (An archive of articles on Father Karadima and sexual abuses in Chile)
• Karadima Case (Wikipedia)

Related Items: 

• Vatican Rules Against Chile Priest Fernando Karadima (Feb. 18, 2011)
• Former seminarian tells Vatican sex-crimes investigator of his abuse by a Chilean priest (Feb. 17, 2018)
• Pope Francis offers Chile sex abuse victims 'gesture of regret and humility' (April 28, 2018)
• Chile: Fourteen priests linked to sex abuse scandal stripped of duties (May 23, 2018)
• Cleric in Chile who recorded sex abuse charges reports himself (May 26, 2018)
• Brother of pedophile priest urges him to apologize to save his soul (June 18, 2018)
• Victims recount sexual abuse horrors in Chilean seminary (Aug. 7, 2018)
• Chile Church scandal: 'How I escaped the priest who abused me for decades (Sept. 13, 2018)
• Pope expresses 'shame' to Chileans over sexual abuse (Sept. 28, 2018)
• 221 priests, 8 bishops face probes for abuse and cover-up in Chile (Sept. 29, 2018)
• The Catholic World Report: FR. FERNANDO KARADIMA (Archive)
• Voice of the Faithful: FR. FERNANDO KARADIMA (Archive)

(Updated on Sept. 30, 2018)

'Amar Praner Psalmgeet': A Bengali-Language Musical Notation Book and A CD on the Psalms of the Bible

Amar Praner Psalmgeet -- the first volume of the
Bengali-language musical notation book on the Psalms 

Amar Praner Psalmgeet -- the first CD
of Bengali-language songs on some selected Psalms

Dr. Bartholomeo Prottyush Shaha's Amar Praner Psalmgeet (My beloved psalms) is the first volume, covering 50 of the total of 150 Biblical psalms. The author of this Bengali-language book wrote the lyrics, based on the original psalms, and also produced their musical notations.

These psalms, popular among Bengali-speaking Catholics in Bangladesh and abroad, are used in the Holy Mass and other worship services. 

Dr. Bartholomeo Prottyush Shaha playing on the harmonium in Bangladesh

Dr. Shaha, hailing from Chittagong of Bangladesh, has been writing lyrics and music notations of various music genre since 1965. Many of his musical creations found a place in the Geetaboli, a Catholic book of songs, published by the Pratibeshi Prakashoni in Dhaka, Bangladesh. So far he has three musical notation books to his credit. 

He was involved with the YMCAs of Hong Kong and Geneva (Switzerland) holding executive positions. 

Shocking Report of Sex Abuse In Two Boarding Schools of Benedictine Monks in England

Ampleforth College, a Benedictine boarding school in Yorkshire, England

 Photo courtesy: www.theguardian.com/

Downside Abbey, another Benedictine boarding school in Somerset, England

Photo courtesy: www.4Search.com/

According to the report by the Independent Inquiry into Chil Sexual Abuse (IICSA), that investigated sexual abuses in the £34,000-a-year Ampleforth College and £33,000-a-year Downside Abbey, teachers and staff -- many of whom were Benedictine monks -- were directly involved in the sadistic sexual abuse of students. Both the co-educational schools are attached with the Benedictine abbeys (monasteries). 

Allegations starting from the 1960s included "a wide spectrum of physical abuse, much of which had sadistic and sexual overtones." Among the victims were some seven-year-olds at Ampleforth and 11-year-olds at Downside. 

The report said the authorities at both schools tried to "avoid contact with the local authority or the police at all costs," even if they knew serious abuse had happened on the campuses. 

For more, plead read the following:

• Report damns culture of acceptance of sexual abuse at two Catholic schools (Aug. 9, 2018)
• Child abuse inquiry: School 'reputations put before victims' (Aug. 9, 2018)
• Catholic boarding schools 'prioritised monks and their reputations over children's safety,' sexual abuse inquiry finds (Aug. 9, 2018)
• Inquiry finds "appalling" abuse at English Catholic boarding schools (Aug. 9, 2018)
• Damning catalogue of sex abuse at top Catholic schools (Aug. 9, 2018)
• How two top boarding schools tried to cover up 40 years of 'appalling abuse' (Aug. 9, 2018)
• Catholic school monks 'did not hide sexual interest from young boys,' abuse inquiry finds (Aug. 9, 2018)
• Sexual abuse by monks covered up at schools in England, inquiry finds (Aug. 13, 2018)
• New reports of sexual abuse rock Benedictine abbey schools in England (Aug. 14, 2018)
• Shocking scale of sexual abuse at UK boarding schools revealed by ITV documentary [video] (Feb. 18, 2018)

Related Items:

• Downside can emerge renewed from this crisis (Jan. 20, 2012)
• The sorry demise of Benedictine education (Aug. 4, 2018)
• Head quits Benedictine school after clash over reforms (June 8, 2016)

German Catholic Clerics Involved In Massive Child Sexual Abuse Scandal

Catholic Dioceses in Germany

Map courtesy: commons.wikimedia.org/

An official report on sexual abuse within the Catholic Church in Germany reveals about 1,670 priests, deacons, and male members of certain Religious Orders sexually abused 3,677 children between 1946 to 2014. More than half of the victims were boys, aged 13 years or younger. 

The research study, conducted by experts from the universities of Giessen, Heidelberg, and Mannheim, adds, too, that the actual number of victims is likely to be much higher. 

Catholic bishops later expressed their shame and regret and apologized for the shocking abuses. "Sexual abuse is a crime," Cardinal Reinhard Marx, head of the German Bishops' Conference, told reporters. "I'm ashamed for so many (of us) looking away, not wanting to recognize what happened and not helping the victims. That goes for me as well."

For more, please click on the following: 

• Leaked German study documents thousands of sexual abuse cases (Sept. 12, 2018)
• German Catholic priests 'abused thousands of children' (Sept. 12, 2018)
• Catholic priests abused thousands in Germany: study (Sept. 12, 2018)
• German report details widespread and ongoing clerical sex abuse (Sept. 12, 2018)
• In German Catholic Churches, Child Sex Abuse Victims Top 3,600, Study Finds (Sept. 12, 2018)
• Report: 3,677 Sex Abuse Cases in German Catholic Church (Sept. 13, 2018)
• German Catholic Church reveals scale of sexual abuse (Sept. 25, 2018)
• 'Shocking' sexual abuse of children by German clergy detailed in report (Sept. 25, 2018)
• Summary: "Sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests, deacons and male members of orders in the domain of the German Bishops' Conference" [27 dioceses participated in this study] (2018)
• German bishops apologize for thousands of sex abuse cases (Dec. 25, 2018)
• German Catholic Church apologises for mass child sex abuse (Sept. 26, 2018)

Related Items:

• Prevalence of sexual abuse of children in Germany (1992)
• German Catholics criticize pope's silence on child sex abuse scandal (March 15, 2010) [Pope Benedict XVI]
• German Catholic choir abuse victims to receive compensation (Oct. 13, 2016)
• German study reveals the scope of child sexual abuse within families (June 14, 2017)
• Regensburg Domspatzen choir: More than 500 boys abused (July 18, 2017)

The Quotation of the Week (September 23 - 29, 2018)

"If we want everything to remain as it is, it will be necessary for everything to change." --Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, Sicily (1896-1957: Italian writer and the last Prince of Lampedusa)

India's Jalandhar Bishop Mulakkal Arrested For Alleged Serial Rape Of A Nun

Left and Right: Bishop Franco Mulakkal of Jalandhar Diocese
in the State of Punjab, India

 Photo courtesy: www.english.manoramaonline.com/

Nuns in Kochi, Kerala, demand arrest of Bishop Franco Mulakkal
of Jalandhar for his serial rape of a nun

Photo courtesy: www.hindustantimes.com/

After a three-day police questioning, Bishop Franco Mulakkal of Jalandhar Diocese of India, accused of serially raping a Missionaries of Jesus nun (Sister), has been arrested on September 21. This is perhaps the first case where an Indian Catholic Bishop has been implicated in the clergy sexual abuse. 

Bishop Mulakkal has been denying the allegations all along since the nun registered a complaint with the Kerala police in last June. 

The non-action and delay, displayed by the Indian Catholic Church and Vatican authorities, garnered widespread protests and anger all over India. 

For details, please click on the following:

• India bishop accused of rape arrested in Kerala (Sept. 21, 2018)
• Indian Bishop Franco Mulakkal arrested for alleged rape of nun (Sept. 21, 2o18)
• Bishop Accused of Raping Kerala Nun Arrested After 3rd Day of Questioning (Updated Sept. 22, 2018)
• Indian Bishop Franco Mulakkal arrested for alleged rape of nun (Sept. 22, 2018)
• Kerala nun rape case LIVE: Accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal arrested, to be produced before magistrate court tomorrow (Sept. 22, 2018)
• Bishop Mulakkal, accused in Kerala nun rape case, relieved of duties at Jalandhar Diocese (Sept. 20, 2018)
• Nun writes to Vatican against Jalandhar bishop: All that's happened in the rape case so far (Sept. 13, 2018)
• Kerala nun rape case: Missionaries of Jesus calls accused bishop Franco Mulakkal an innocent soul, say can't crucify him based on 'allegations' (Sept. 11, 2018)
• Influenced by 'rationalists,' Kerala nun is angry as blackmailing Church didn't work, claims pro-bishop Mulakkal group in 'internal' report (Sept. 14, 2018)
• Didn't rape Kerala nun, falsely implicated by anti-church elements: Jalandhar bishop (Sept. 22, 2018)
• Kerala nun's rape charge: Church has guidelines on sexual abuse but most Catholics don't know this (July 17, 2018)
• Nun sexual abuse: Cardinal Alencherry accused of cover-up (July 2018)
• Nun sexual abuse: Cardinal denies cover-up (July 2018)
• Bishop Arrested For Allegedly Raping Nun Stood Smiling In Court (Sept. 23, 2018)
• Frightening Franco Fiasco (Sept. 28, 2018)

(Updated on Sept. 28, 2018)