Olympics man on indecency charges

[GermanStar]

Cornelius Horan will stand trial on indecency charges in October

A former Irish priest who disrupted the men's Olympic marathon in Athens has appeared in court on two counts of indecently assaulting a child.
Cornelius Horan, 57, denies the offences, which are alleged to have taken place in the early 1990s.

A judge at Woolwich Crown Court ordered Mr Horan, of Howdery Road, Nunhead, south-east London, not to leave the postal district where he lives.

Mr Horan, who must report to police daily, will stand trial on October 25.

Bronze

The former priest, originally from Kerry, manhandled front-runner Brazilian Vanderli de Lima off the road in Sunday's marathon.

Mr De Lima carried on but dropped back and took the bronze medal.

Mr Horan, who said he had been highlighting "the second coming of Christ", later pledged never to carry out a similar stunt again.

[jjl]

Another reason I'm no longer a Catholic is because of the over-representation of child molesters in that church. String 'em up.

[sfloriII]

Originally Posted by jjl

Another reason I'm no longer a Catholic is because of the over-representation of child molesters in that church. String 'em up.

I'm sorry you feel that way, and it's pretty upsetting to me as a practicing Catholic to see this type of stuff going on. Remember that just because a man is a priest, he's also still just a man with all the temptations, faults, and sicknesses that any man has. This guy left the priesthood, maybe because he realized that he didn't belong. Who knows, can you judge?

I can assure you, that no Catholic teaching condones any of his actions. He acted on his own volition and the Church shouldn't have to be the fall guy for this. That's an easy out. This man is responsible, not the Church.

By that same token, if any priest molsests a child, I do agree that they should suffer any civil consequences of those actions. Any Church cover-up is wrong.

[GermanStar]

Except that the church chose these folks to represent them and they bear full responsibility for their decisions.

Stefano.

If the church would let priests marry just
like the preachers here in the US the tempation
would be deminished, I'm not saying it would be
stopped completely.

As to the church not condoning that sort of behavior.
Yes, that might be but as many times before they also
didn't do anything about it, but to try to sweep it under
the rug or just ignoring the problem.
It was only untill someone treatend with a law suit that
the church finally acted.
People today aren't as clueless as they where in the dark ages, when
the church did what they pleased.
The track record of the church isn't the best.
Just look at what they condoned and even praised in the last 2k years.

Many of the people burned at the stake for witchcraft where
catholics, and the only thing they where guilty of was having a
different view.

How about the equality of the sexes?
As far as I know there aren't any female priest yet.
If there are then that has only been for the last few
years and that would mean it took 2K years to accomplish
that.

The US abolished slavery in a lot less time than that.

Anyone remember the Holy inquisition?
Yes, it was Spain that organized it but if I remember correctly
the church never did anything to stop what they where doing
eventhough it was done in the name of the church.

As you said:

Remember that just because a man is a priest, he's also still just a man with all the temptations, faults, and sicknesses that any man has.

The same goes for those in the higher ranks and those in power.
I'm sure that if you knew what really happend behind the closed
doors of the vatican you would really be disgusted.

Over the last 2k years the church has had their hands in many
a dirty plots and in some deep pockets.
Of course this isn't common knowledge but if your really listen and
read some of the stuff that has happend then you can easily
deduct your own conclusions.

Their conduct and denial that anything happens speaks for
it self.

Louis.

[sfloriII]

Originally Posted by GermanStar

Except that the church chose these folks to represent them and they bear full responsibility for their decisions.

You're absolutley right. Over the last thirty years ago, especially here in the States, there have been bishops who have actively kept good candidtates out of the seminaries and pushed through many who were more liberal and/or homosexual. This was/is to promote their own liberal agenda which actually goes against what the Church has as its goal. That's only one simplified explaination of the current problem we now face with the Church in the US.

I hope that one result of the recent scandals will be to bring this to light and to prevent it from happening in the future.

[sfloriII]

Louis,

You bring up some good points:

"If the church would let priests marry just
like the preachers here in the US the tempation
would be deminished, I'm not saying it would be
stopped completely."

The Church actually could allow priests to marry; it's not a fundamental doctrine of the Church that they cannot. However, a married priest could just as well be a pedophile as one that isn't. Just look at how many "family" men in our society prey on innocent children. I think the problem is much deeper-- addiction to pornography etc. are real factors. Just because a man has a sexual outlet (wife) doesn't keep him from acting out on a sickness that is already present.

"As to the church not condoning that sort of behavior.
Yes, that might be but as many times before they also
didn't do anything about it, but to try to sweep it under
the rug or just ignoring the problem."

You're right. The Church should be held accountabe for ignoring or covering up the problem. But remember, the decision to ignore the problem or cover it up doesn't take away from the truth of the Church. No Church doctrine condones the covering up of these actions. Yes, the Church is responsible and those who acted this way are responsible, but they acted on their own and not in accordance to any Church teaching. Had they acted properly, we wouldn't be in the situation we are today.

"How about the equality of the sexes?
As far as I know there aren't any female priest yet."

All we can do here is look at the original set of priests. Chirst had, as His chosen, 12 priests as the original set. We never saw a woman priest.

At the same time, there is NO person among any Catholic who ever lived or will ever live that is more exhaulted than a woman-- Mary. Even our Protestant friends don't hold her in such high esteem as we.

"I'm sure that if you knew what really happend behind the closed
doors of the vatican you would really be disgusted."

I'm sure a lot of political stuff goes on there. I'm also sure that there are many priests/bishops, ect. that are really more concerned with their rise to power in the Church than actually seeking the salvation of souls. They're men just like anyone else and are subject to the same temptations of power. That is unfortunate.

A priest's or an official of the Church's sins are their own. The truth of the Church shouldn't be questioned by the rogue acts of its members.

[mplafleur]

No popery! No popery!

[mikemover]

Originally Posted by sfloriII

......a married priest could just as well be a pedophile as one that isn't. Just look at how many "family" men in our society prey on innocent children. I think the problem is much deeper-- addiction to pornography etc. are real factors. Just because a man has a sexual outlet (wife) doesn't keep him from acting out on a sickness that is already present.

Sorry, but I must disagree. I think he's right on target about this....

A lifetime of complete suppression of natural sexual behavior and desires is inevitably going to lead to psychological and behavioral problems such as what they're dealing with now.

I've never understood why the Catholic church insists on such sexual suppression in the priesthood, and I'm not surprised that they're having such a huge sexual misconduct problem now as a result. Why can a person not marry just because they are a priest? It makes no sense on any level.

Mike

Yeah,
But nobody seems to mind that God impregnated
a woman who clearly was in a relationship with Joseph,
although they where not yet married.

But a priest can't marry!!!!????

I guess He is like any other big boss, rules don't
apply to him.

As you have noticed I'm not religious at all.

Sorry, but I just can't bring myself to believe in someone who
tells others how to live their life and then just completely
does the opposite.
Some example isn't He.

Louis.