A catholic church FINALLY gets it!!!

[Nibble]

After all this time waiting for the US/Irish/Vatican/English RC churches to realise the effects of the child sex abuse "crimes" being committed by their priests, at least one bishop in Germany has finally "got" with the revulsion of normal people, and given the offenders the correct punishment. IMHO not before time, but why does it take so long?

http://www.mail.com/i...ml#.2396-stage-set1-1

[ludwig]

// The diocese of Trier in western Germany says Bishop Stephan Ackermann dismissed the unnamed man from the priesthood Tuesday. It said in a statement Friday that the retired priest had committed the abuse between 1966 and 1980. //

I don't get it. Was he dismissed or was he already retired?
They've obviously known about it since 1980 (or more likely 1966) and done sod all to about it until now.
I don't think it's a stunning change to the way they usually handle these cases.

[wildwood]

Yes, you do get the occasional ecclesiastical personage who sees the error of their ways, but that in no way speaks for the Church as such.

[sandyRoe]

Can a bishop dismiss an ordained priest from the priesthood?
If they knew about this years ago they should have told the police.

[askyourgran]

Unfortunately a lot of these cases are coming to light now, years after the event.

[douglas9401]

I'd hazard a guess that the offender is at death's door and unable to be interviewed. A sop to a revolted public.

[LazyGun]

Any action against the abusers would be welcomed, and would go a little way toward addressing the decades of cover-up and effective complicity by the church.

I am puzzled by the text of the story though- how can you fire someone who is retired? Not sure I understand quite what that means...