Nearly two years ago the satirical online mag The Onion announced that the Pope had formally forgiven molested children for tempting priests into sin:
“We must send a clear message to these hundreds—perhaps thousands—of children whose sinful ways have tempted so many of the church’s servants into lustful violation of their holy vows of celibacy. The church forgives them for their transgressions and looks upon them not with intolerance, but compassion.”
Flash forward to this month:
There is outrage in parts of Spanish society following declarations made over Christmas from the Bishop of Tenerife, Bernardo Álvarez.
His comments that there are youngsters who want to be abused, and he compared that abuse to homosexuality, describing them both as prejudicial to society. He said that on occasions the abuse happened because the there are children who consent to it.
“There are 13 year old adolescents who are under age and who are perfectly in agreement with, and what’s more wanting it, and if you are careless they will even provoke you”, he said.
This may be a step forward: at least the good Bishop concedes that abuse is actually taking place, even if it’s the priests being abused by the kids. Not all of the faithful have been willing to make even that concession.
[H/t LGF]