Rev. Benedict Groeschel leaves Catholic cable show after abuse remarks
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The Rev. Benedict Groeschel, a well-known Catholic author and television personality, has given up his longtime spot on the conservative cable network EWTN following comments in which he appeared to defend clergy who abuse children while blaming some victims.
“Father Benedict has led a life of tremendous compassion and service to others and his spiritual insights have been a great gift to the EWTN family for many years. We are profoundly grateful to him and assure him of our prayers,” Michael P. Warsaw, head of EWTN Global Catholic Network said in announcing Groeschel’s decision to step down.
In his statement on Monday (Sept. 3) Warsaw also asked EWTN viewers “to pray for all those who have been affected by this painful situation and in particular those who have been victims of sexual abuse.”
Groeschel’s departure as host of EWTN’s “Sunday Night Prime” program is a loss for conservative Catholics who looked to the Franciscan friar — a distinctive figure with his gray habit and white beard — as a champion of their values and agenda in the culture wars.
But the move was no surprise. Groeschel last week sparked a firestorm when he gave an interview saying priests who sexually abuse children “on their first offense” should not go to jail and that in “a lot of cases” the child is “the seducer.”
He also expressed sympathy for Jerry Sandusky, the former Penn State assistant football coach who was convicted in June of 45 counts of child sexual abuse.
The comments drew criticism from all sides. A spokesman for New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan, a longtime friend of Groeschel’s, denounced the remarks and the newspaper that ran the interview, the National Catholic Register, which is an EWTN affiliate, removed the interview and replaced it with an apology.
Groeschel himself also apologized, as did his New York-based community, the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. Both Groeschel and the friars blamed Groeschel’s age — he is 78 — and recent health problems for Groeschel’s comments and said the controversy had effectively ended his public career. [more]
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38 Comments
dirty old man…….I can only imagine the skeletons he has in his closet
Dennis, there was at least one member of his ultra orthodox community that was guilty accused or found guilty of pedophilia.
Tony — your post is not clear — are you saying that one member of the good Father Groeschel’s order was accused of pedophilia, or are you saying that he was found guilty? If accused but not found guilty, we can understand why Father would have a bad taste in his mouth for accusers.
He had to leave the community which shows that Groeschell did not have good safety nets on weeding sicko out. Can we assum that members of his community masturbate as you have assumed Sister Campel did?
Tony — if this priest had to leave the community, you can’t conclude that the good Father Groeschel didn’t have good safety nets — in fact, just the opposite. Because those nets were in place, the priest was removed from ministry. How come when you look up, Tony, you say it is down, and when you look down you say it is up? With regard to masturbation — I never accused Campbell of masturbation — I simply asked the question. Now, it is true I believe she has masturbated, and it would not surprise me if she has had lesbian relations (I didn’t say she did, Tony — I just said it wouldn’t surprise me, given who these disgusting feminists are) — but, I didn’t say she did — I didn’t pronounce her guilty of these things. I would be pleased to know she was completely sexually pure — that would give me a lot more confidence in the goodness of her work and the motivations behind it.
If Groschel had good psychological tests in place he would have seen that the applicant to his ultra orthodox community was not a fit candidate. Groeschel has worked for years in the Archdiocese of NY interviewing candidates for religious life.
Tony — I believe I am correct in stating that no psychological test can identify a pedophile. The personality traits of pedophiles are shared by many non-pedophiles — the only thing that distinguishes a pedophile is the fact that they are sexually attracted to children — and there is no psychological test for that.
Jim.
Certainly you are familiar with penile plethysmography.
Studies examining the efficiency of using penile plethysmograph to distinguish between pedophilic men from non-pedophilic men show that a majority can be correctly assigned to the proper category.
Actually, Dennis, I am familiar with that — however, I didn’t want to bother looking up the word “plethysmography”; and, in addition, as is implicit in your post, this procedure is not 100% accurate either — pedophiles can learn to beat it (no pun intended).
Dennis — I feel very confident the good Father Groeschel has no skeletons in his closet, at least in terms of sexual offenses against others. We all are sinners and in need of redemption, however, even when our sins are small.
So Jim according to you Groschel never committed what you consider the most grievous sin of Masturbation that you accuse Sister Simone of committing?
Tony — re-read my 9:29 post again, please. Notice what I said — I specifically referred to “sexual offenses against others.” I didn’t say he’s never masturbated — I assume he did at least once prior to becoming a priest, and he may (or may not) have after becoming a priest. Please try to read accurately, Tony, and don’t respond to “straw men” when posting back to me.
I am glad he retiring, he needs to rest now. I know how hard it is to stop doing what you love. He should rest now.
I, for one, will miss Fr. Groeschel. I was fortunate enough to make a retreat where he was retreat master and I came away renewed and refreshed. He is an extraordinarily holy priest but old age and illness have ravaged his once clear thinking. So, instead of beating him black and blue with nasty comments, pray that the young men in his order will carry on the life of holiness set by his example.
Those who are our elders (the older generation) deserve our love and respect. A little compassion and much prayer is needed for Fr. Groeschel and all our priests. Even those who you would judge and find wanting. When I was a protestant, I found myself weeping and praying for those priests who had scandelized the Church as well as the victims and I still pray for our priests. One should not think for one minute that they are above sinning or that they cannot make a mistake. Actually I think that the closer one is to God, the harder the devil works to tempt them.(just my thinking though perhaps flawed)
Those who are our elders really demand our love and respect, part of that love is insuring that they don’t make harmful remarks as Groeschel did. His community did a fine job in having him retire.
Tony, I take no joy from knowing that my fellow human is capable of making a mistake or of sinning…Also I believe that those who are of the older generation DESERVE our respect and our love and our prayers..Fr. Groeschel & his community seem to have everything under control so you can rest easy.
The community DESERVES clergy persons with sound Mind who aren’t going to say the wrong thing, it is for this reason that bisops priests and deacons are asked to retire at 75 . What Groeschel said was horrible but understandable and for that reason he is retired.
I too, Maureen, will miss the good Father Groeschel. He is a real Catholic. You can’t find many real Catholics on this blog.
So if children and other minors do not seduce priests or other adults, why exactly do priests and celibate, vowed religious victimize them after their years of formation and study?
Ordination and religious vows are absolutely no guarantee to anyone that a priest, brother or nun (sister, if you like) is actually prepared to be truly, sufficiently celibate in the world which today’s children (and their elders) call home. Meanwhile, church leadership absolutely rejects every intimation that the “institutional celibate mindset” is flawed in any way!
Just as parents learn a lot about sex from their own kids (believe it or not!!), people in the “real world” have their ways of educating their priests and nuns well beyond what the seminaries and nunneries are even capable of.
It’s past time for Father Groeschel to “retire.” Yet he rides into life’s sunset knowing the above, while most of his detractors and critics sadly haven’t even given it a thought.
One abuser is too many, we all agree. We are all flawed human beings and sinners, including everyone in the Church and society. That has been true throughout our 2000 year history as Catholics.
Check out the studies on this, the information is there. Following Vatican II, seminary formation and culture changed, giving rise to mass exodus and poor seminary formation and without good screening of applicants. Check the real stats (CARA and others), the CONTEXT is much broader than most think. Also the percentage of sexual predators or seducers among other groups (family members, ministers, schools, coaches, scouts, professionals, etc) is significant higher. They are just harder to track as a group. One is still always one too many. Thank God this abomination is finally in the public arena!
I am at a Jesuit Parish that serves many national groups of Catholic, and is well respected in the diocese. Two miles from us is a Sacred Heart Parish. The community is from the 1950s, the priest still walk around in black cassock, with bottons,a beretta with a fluffy ball on the top. In the confessional box there is no chair where you can set and talk to the priest face to face. The Franciscans of the Renewal visit them often and blend-in beautifully. Both Catholic yet from two different catholic worlds. Catholics from the Jesuit parish that have attended mass there, cry, if any of their catholics came to my Jesuit parish, they would go into cariac-arrest. This is the state of the Catholic church in America
While there are many ways of cultural expression in the Church, there is only ONE Catholic Church entrusted to St. Peter and his successors by Christ himself. Jesus made it clear, via the New Testament (St. Paul and St. John) He wants unity and peace among us.
Attaching Fr. Groschel, who suffers residual speech and processing problems after being hit by a car and almost dying, rather than showing him compassion and kind appreciation for his life’s contributions, is unconscionable to me. Where are the real Christians out there?
Nobody is attacking Groschel,but reality has to be faced his mental ability isn’t as sharp as it was, and neither he nor his community want him to resk making another error in judgement.
Tony; It seems to me that Fr. Groschel and his community, (having faced reality) have taken the necessary steps , so you can now rest easy! * In other words, give it a rest, already.
Catholic Lady how can you find objection with my above comment. Is comments we’re horrible as his friend Cardinal Dolan suggested. Now hopefully he won’t make more harmful comments.
It seems to me that the ones crying out about those who are “attacking” Groschel and promoting “mercy” are the very ones who fail to show that same attitude toward those they disagree with. Let’s wait for the next people in the news who they disagree with and see how much “mercy” and “forgiveness” is called for by these people.
Jim, that’s just it Jim, there are many Catholic views and all valid expressions of Cathoilicism. There are publications like America Magazine, Commonweal, The National Catholic Reporter which present a more liberal view of things Catholic.. Wihy not have a fair and balanced opinion chanell. There are liberals and conservative religious orders of men and women, liberal and coservative cardinals bisops , priests and deacons and lay peso pile. All expressions are valid. It’s not all blackened white with myopic tunnel bvision,
Not all expressions are valid, Tony. I am not interested in a range of options when some of those options are wrong. I am interested only in the truth. The gate is narrow, Tony, and few find it — according to Jesus’ own words (Matthew 7:13-14)
Oh come on, Jim………even in religious orders there are the more liberal guys and the more people like you…….conservative…and yet they dialogue with each other. So much of who or what a person is, depends on the type of personality he has.
So I like o hear all points of view and love things like point and counter point
Tony — for those in my personal life, they know that I am not a stick-in-the-mud, narrow-minded indvidual. In fact, many think I’m a little “out there.” So, I’m letting you know that I appreciate diversity. When it comes to dogma, however, I am not only not interested in someone else’s heretical views, but they make me angry, because they are tearing at the fabric of the Church and leading others astray. So, on things that are not essential, I say, fine, diversity; but on things (in particular, dogma) that cannot be compromised, then I insist on purity.
I hear you Jim, but hold on a second…….Some think your “out there?”. You gotta be kidding,,,,,seriously I gotta get ready for early adoration tomorrow so see you tomorrow.
To Jim: it is only the truth as you call it, as you interpret it and as you deem to apply it. You decide whi is guuilty and who is not. You would do well to reread the Scripture readings from last weekend because you love to present “as dogma mere human presepts.”_
Tony — one must be able to present a Catholic view to be on EWTN.
Instead of having a constant conservative view on EWTN wouldn’t it be great to have more of a balanced presentation and have some progressive presenters? Sister Simone Campbell and some of the other Nuns on the Bus would be great.
Don’t hold your breath!
What the Catholic Church does not need are “progressives.” Catholic doctrine is, and if it doesn’t fit your view, either change your view or move on.
Other denominations have welcomed “progressives”, such as the Episcopalians. Now they have a homosexual bishop and perform homosexual “marriages.” The Catholic Church must never go that way.
In my view, progressives are just another way for Satan to damage the Church.