A recent investigation has uncovered the shocking lengths to which the archdiocese of New Orleans went to protect a priest who admitted to numerous crimes of child molestation.
Lawrence Hecker, a Catholic priest in New Orleans, was outed in 2018 as one of about a dozen priests in the New Orleans archdiocese to be “credibly accused” of sexual abuse.
Now a new report, based on a trove of recently unsealed church files, details more thoroughly the 15-year period between 1966 and 1979 in which Hecker sexually abused at least seven teenagers.
It also covers his 1999 confession to church leadership, and the cover-up that took place afterward.
What the Report Says
When Hecker confessed to archdiocese leadership in 1999, he reportedly seemed to take little responsibility for his actions.
He allegedly tried to blame his child molestation on the swinging’ 60s, saying it “was a time of great change in the world and in the church, and I succumbed to its zeitgeist,” and he blamed the boys for wearing “short gym shorts” in his presence.
Hecker described “overtly sexual acts” between himself and teenagers in his care, including mutual masturbation, bed sharing, and genital fondling. He’d also later be accused of sexual contact between himself and an adult man with a mental disability.
Notably, his confession wasn’t from a guilty conscience or desire to come clean; he only came forward after one of his victims went to the archdiocese with these serious allegations.
It seems unlikely the news was a surprise to church officials. On two other occasions, first in 1988 and later in 1996, victims reportedly approached the archdiocese with accusations against Hecker. Nothing was done.
How the Archdiocese Responded
So, what happened after the confession?
The archdiocese of New Orleans didn’t report the crimes to the police... at least not initially. They first sent Heck to a psychiatric facility, where he was officially diagnosed with pedophilia. Their recommendation? Keep him away from children and other vulnerable people.
The archdiocese put Hecker on leave, but after a few months he was invited back to work.
He continued serving in the archdiocese until he quietly retired in 2002 following the earth-shattering investigation by the Boston Globe exposed scores of abuse victims and a massive cover-up at the archdiocese of Boston.
It was only then that the archdiocese reported Hecker to the police, but they failed to mention his actual confession, and they only brought up one victim (when they allegedly knew of at least seven).
Fall From Grace
It wasn’t until 2018 that the archdiocese publicly acknowledged Hecker as an abuser, nearly 20 years after his initial confession.
Until 2020, they’d been paying him retirement benefits as well, and only cut those off because the judge overseeing their recent bankruptcy proceedings ordered that the church stop paying retirement benefits to clergy credibly accused of child sex abuse.
Following the pattern of quiet cover-ups detailed in the Academy Award-winning film Spotlight, the archdiocese settled out of court with some accusers for relatively small sums in the tens of thousands of dollars. The legal agreements specifically dictated that the church accept no fault or liability, or even admit the allegations are truthful.
Law enforcement never arrested the 91-year-old Hecker, who to this day retains his “monsignor” honorific.
It's possible that may change now; Orleans parish DA Jason Williams says that the archdiocese recently turned over numerous documents relating to Hecker. Only time will tell if he’ll be legally held accountable.
When reached for comment over the phone, Lawrence Hecker told reporters: “I am running behind on time and have to get to an appointment.” He then hung up.
The shocking revelations followed news that another Catholic priest – this one in Michigan – has been sentenced to just one year in prison for sexually assaulting a five-year-old boy.
What is your reaction?
86 comments
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This feed is BS , well as far as real views on this matter goes I've posted 4 replies to 4 post and not one has been posted up on the comments I intended them for, just like every other platform I guess , you can post your opinion as long as it the same as Thiers
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The software here apparently works entirely on human approval before posting. I've had posts take several days to post.
But that is the current status of most social media. It is made to encourage commentary, and discourage discussion. Immediate, easy to track, deep discussion is becoming rarer and rarer on the internet. Commentary, in which anybody can just make a comment and disappear, is the preferred mode of internet social interaction, because real discussion can become messy and actually takes effort to support.
So this is what we have. I suggest patience - deep, abiding patience.
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Minister Misty C
Don't quote me on this but I believe it is what some people call the LGBTQ+ communities because of the abbreviated name
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At risk? At risk of what ? Having a open mind ,having compassion, having the ability to accept things outside Thier comfort zone, having the ability to appreciate an opinion other than Thier own,having sense enough to know that everyone is different, having sense to know that everyone is created equal, or simply having sense at all? Which of these qualities do you think your children are most at risk of? Well I can tell you what risk There are by trying to pubicly humiliate someone who is just trying to Read a book to a group of children, they risk being alone because they can't accept things or ppl that are different from them, they risk not having the ability to provide for themselves because they never learned how to step outside Thier comfort zone and work as a group with many different types of people, they risk emotional stress and depression due to never learning the social skills it takes to form relationships because they can't accept anything that might be different. Yes you should have the right to say who reads to your kids but the same right should apply to the ones your "not judging". It's this simple if you don't want your child to be exposed to the world that's fine but you should also know that your not really doing them any favors by trying to hide how life really is , they will go out on Thier own one day and be so confused, because weather or not anyone likes it The LGBTQ+ community is here and they are not going anywhere,teaching them about diversity and acceptance is not teaching them to be Gay it's teaching them to be realistic, you can instill your values and teach them that even if your not Gay that you shouldn't judge someone who is, because you can't be forgiven if you can't forgive and don't judge least you be judged. So all of the ppl who are all hands on hips shaking your judgmental finger at others because they are Gay know that you don't have to stand before god and answer for what anyone else does right ? Y'all keep saying gay ppl shouldn't be trying to push Thier choices on you, then why do you think it's ok to do that to them. And it's 2023 why is this even still a problem for anyone? It all boils down to this in my opinion Noone has to answer for what anyone but themselves does, you can't catch being gay, We are all created equal because if you bible thumpers think hard about it you'll know that in the beginning there was 1 man & 1woman from which we are all descendants. So wipe the judgy look of your face, and stop just stop because I bet you 90 % of you are very close to someone that is gay and you don't even know they are. You should take a break from all the "not judging" your doing to the transgender community that's trying to actually teach something to your children and focus on the ones actually causing harm mentally and physically to the children, I think a child will be more at risk in alot of the churches they attend than they will be at that library And before anyone asks I'm a Southern Baptist, I'm also a wife, a mother, and a grandmother. No matter what label is put on someone WE ARE ALL HUMANS time everyone started acting like it. But then again that's just my opinion everyone's got one right. I hope that this will be taken as a eye opener rather than an insult. Because I accept that you don't agree with someone who's Gay, I also accept the ppl who are Gay , because it's not my place to judge.
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No ways... The church of child molesters molests children... We all know. We are all guilty for allowing this cult to continue
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At age 91, there is little to do with him. Put him in a nursing home/jail? Even if it is just on paper, he needs to be tried. He needs to be counted among the myriad of priests who are pedophiles. The "swinging 60's" can't be blamed for pedophilia. There are many people who lived through the 60's without becoming pedophiles.
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Mine too, and it's both upsetting and irritating!
Clearly reasoned, perfectly crafted replies simply don't ever appear - 😳 what's THAT about???
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K.L.E.Sanderson, I absolutely love what you've done! More importantly, I'd be thrilled to meet your programmer - I've just been scrutinising your original comments and your replies . . . the person who supplies your input is brilliant!
As his/her . . . I'm not sure, "AI",? "technical creation"? possibly still "Avatar"? you've covered almost every "flashpoint" on the broader religious-argument Spectrum - some of them in complete non sequiturs!
I'm really impressed! Nervous too, of course, because I think that we were getting wise to bots, avatars already have their own movie, etc - this AI-stuff though . . .
Well done to you, programmer! Keep the nom de plume - I'm betting that you have a lot more comments and their commentators almost ready to let loose.
Great debut!!
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Before you go on you should know I collect labels like trading cards. I feel it makes me well rounded.
And any time you want to discuss an actual issue, I would really welcome that.
Try me.
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And yet many sheep still go to the slaughter! Reverend Peter Senderowitz
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After all the press this problem has received, why do the sheep still go to the s laughte
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SOB's need to be locked up, away from children, in the prison community where they belong. And those administrators who were involved in the cover up need to be prosecuted also. They are guilty of covering up these heinous crimes against these innocent children too! ACCOUNTABILITY FROM THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ON EVERY F+*KING CRIME THEY ARE COMMITTING AGAINST HUMANITY!!! INDIGENOUS CHILDREN, ALTER BOYS, MY GOD...STOP THESR MONSTERS!!!
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I agree but I have to point out it isn't just the Catholics.
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Hey “conservative Christians”! It would appear that kids are safer with Drag Queens than Catholic priests.
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Doesn't it, and isn't that just ironic that the ones who are all up in arms and are damning people to hell because of who they have sex with are the ones that are using sex to cause pain. 🤔
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This should eliminate any doubt about the Catholic Church being a criminal organization.
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The Vatican should be charged with aiding and abetting.
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Yep. Publicly flogg all officials that knew and execute the molester. Maybe close the church.
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I think most cultural standards regarding a thing like this are organized in a way that keeps things subtle and timely. Records show 50 percent of the population prefers standard rules that encompass the majority of minorities. It just seems fair.
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So you are saying the majority wants rules against the minorities.
That just sounds like plain everyday tyranny to me.
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Kenneth, This post was to test my censorship. I'm finding my general statements are posted and my pointed well thought statements are not posted. I did not think anyone would respond to the post, my apologies.
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The participation here has been growing a lot, and I am thinking they are somewhat overwhelmed by it. They really seem unprepared for the response.
They need to upgrade and modernize this forum. If they truly want an involved community - which is questionable, judging from how it is run - then they need to seriously upgrade and modernize this forum, including a "members only" forum where more contradictory opinions can be expressed.
Perhaps the response will be better at https://www.ulc.org/ I will be looking at that soon.
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Mine too, and it's both upsetting and irritating!
Clearly reasoned, perfectly crafted replies simply don't ever appear - 😳 what's THAT about???
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Kerry, Kenneth
Thanks for your feedback! I hate to say I'm glad it's not just me! It's very frustrating and with all of the social media censorship it makes one a little paranoid, lol at least me.
I have a ton of responses in a digital notepad just in case including this one but it happens so much I no longer know where I tried to post them! Lol!
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All religions except for the monotheistic ones chose to worship a Supreme Being but tied into nature. Hence, gods with animal like heads but with human torsos. They didn't recognize that God had no shape but only spirit. That's the major difference.
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All religions except for the monotheistic ones chose to worship a Supreme Being but tied into nature. Hence, gods with animal like heads but with human torsos. They didn't recognize that God had no shape but only spirit. That's the major difference.
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There's absolutely nothing to be said about this except shame on them for this and many of their other practices.
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It was revealed a few years back that the long deceased Bishop over the Catholic Diocese where I grew up shielded at least a dozen molesters under his authority. That was 50 years ago.
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What is an alphabet clown?
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I can always tell a new right-wing propaganda push because all the parrots are squawking it.
"Alphabet clown" is the new disparagement of the LGBTQ+ community.
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Okay I give up: so just what is an alphabet clown?
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Minister Misty C
Don't quote me on this but I believe it is what some people call the LGBTQ+ communities because of the abbreviated name
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Religion is not man-made. It is revealed by God to humanity.
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Well, actually it is, Keith, ever since early man, mostly the early Neolithic period, started worshipping the Sun (Ra). You can see why they did, they started using their logic and reason as best they could, and here comes this warm disc in the sky every morning from the east (they didn’t know it was a sphere) to give them warmth, and help the crops to grow. It seemed a logical thing to do at the time I guess, when early man started wanting to believe in a god, or gods. The good thing about their god, the Sun, was that it showed up pretty much every day (when it wasn’t cloudy), which is a lot more than can be said about all the other gods mankind has created, even yours. Anyway, there’s the history in a nutshell of how gods were created, all man-made. Thanks for showing an interest. 🤗
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The media keeps treating these cases of pedophilia as separate incidents. They are not. They are part of a global conspiracy of abuse and deception for the sexual gratification of men. This has been going on for over a thousand years in every place where Catholic priests are located. Locking up individuals will not bring change. Only when the Church's finances are threatened will there be any effort toward Truth and Justice. Heavy fines against the institution that enables the crimes is a better step forward than prison for elderly offenders. (It worked with the Boy Scouts).
Freedom for Pedophiles to practice is the main reason Catholics don't allow female clergy. Mothers would put a stop to that BS right quick. (When the Boy Scouts accepted females, things changed fast). The RCs have the most experience and most highly developed pedo network, but the same stuff goes on in every male-dominated organization.
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Note: This guy isn't a drag queen!
The "hair on fire" outrage and fear of the GLBTQ+ community must stop, and put that anger and energy toward the people and organizations who are really targeting children.
This is not just a Catholic problem. ALL religions have their abusers, and the religions cover it up, hide it, and the faithful trust their children to them.
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Not to mention the fact that the vast majority of LGBTQ people are not pedophiles. It's unfair to put this guy in the same category with them at all. The main thing about this article was that the church protected him, knowing full well he was a pedophile. That is wrong and very sad.
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The majority of the alphabet community is putting their attention to the children. Their slogan is "we're coming for your children's. You people are so great at defending the gays and attacking pediphile clergy. I say clergy because it happens in all denominations.
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Please show me where the LGBTQ community has claimed the slogan "we're coming for your children" because I've seen right-wing extremists who are going after school boards and what we teach our children quoting Hitler and saying, “He alone, who OWNS the youth, GAINS the future,” but I've never seen the queer community have a slogan other than maybe "Love is love."
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I'l mot going to show you. If you want to see the crowds shouting it search for it. I'm not doing your research for your laziness.
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You're about as blind as the blind themselves.
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Try as best you can, Keith, to be nice to those who have a different opinion than yourself. I’m sure you might find something about the importance of being nice in the books that you possibly see as divine. I used to vilify others when I was immersed in religion. It’s a very common trait of many religionists, and even some secular people.
Anyway, thank you for your posts 🤗
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You miss the point LH. For some people - for MANY people - the point isn't to be kind, it is to CONTROL and SUBJUGATE.
These are the people who are powerless, who feel innately worthless. Otherwise, why do it?
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What the priest did is wrong. What the church did is wrong. It is my belief that this priest and all others who have abused children in any way have a special punishment waiting for them. God Himself will take care of them.
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His conduct, regardless of when or where it happened is inexcusable. This is the modern age where illicit acts by adults against children cannot be condoned by any one or any religious order.
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https://www.nbcnews.com/news/religion/nearly-1-700-priests-clergy-accused-sex-abuse-are-unsupervised-n1062396
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/apr/19/new-jersey-catholic-diocese-alleged-sexual-abuse-settlement
https://abcnews.go.com/US/probe-identifies-158-priests-accused-abuse-600-victims/story?
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Minster Najah Tamargo USA
This has been going on for sooooo long that I find it interesting that people are even remotely shocked.
I have to agree with WM Berry. Religions cost too much in either money or flesh. Being spiritual is FREE!!!
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Christopher Hitchens book (an easy read, too): God Is Not Great: how religion poisons everything.
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Hitchens was a freaking atheist.
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Darn right he was, no devolved religious barbarian (sorry for using three words that mean the same thing here), he. He went by the evidence: religion poisons everything. You would too if you determined your views according to the facts.
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Well, all that means is that he saw no sufficient evidence to convince himself that any of the worlds gods are real, just like we have no real evidence to support fairies are real. That doesn’t make him a bad person. Do you also believe fairies are real, and if you don’t I won’t call you a “freaking fairy unbeliever”. Just sayin’, Keith. We all need to be kind to one-another, especially to those that think and believe differently. 🤗
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I'll show respect towards other faiths but satanic and atheist beliefs I will not. They are genocidal beliefs with no respect towards life in this present world.
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There's nothing genocidal about atheism. Atheists simply do not believe in the existence of a deity. On the other hand, religious extremists have attempted numerous genocides over the centuries such as Nazi Germany who, in a 1939 census, indicated that 54% of the population considered itself Protestant, 41% considered itself Catholic. There are certainly also atheist extremists, such as the USSR or China where they had/have authoritarian, state sponsored atheism but painting all of atheistic belief as genocidal is absurd.
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Hunt, No more absurd than painting Christianity that way. You have a human problem on your hands, that's the common denominator.
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You might want to talk to your god about his genocidal beliefs. He’s master at it, if you believe in the Great Flood. While you’re at it, ask him about his love of slavery, and stoning people to death.
I wonder if your God believes in his personal God, if not, does that make him a deist atheist? 🤔
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Do you have to wear boots to wade through all that BS you spurt out ? Because that was the most ignorant comment I have read in a very long time and further more yes my GOD believes in his personal GOD as a matter of fact he calls him father!!!!!
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It’s okay, Misty, you’re entitled to your opinion. I’m sorry if you think that your god is the best thing since sliced bread. Try telling that to the mothers of the first born babies he killed due to his anger management issue with Pharaoh….if you could.
I wonder if your Gods, God, has a God 🤭
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What??? You have declared your ignorance loud and clear. There is a belief directly related to world wide genocide, they even wrote about it. Now if I could only remember what that belief is..... 🤔
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It's still happening in England and it makes me ashamed that it's always hidden this never happened in the 60s at all it's only just coming to light after all these years.All churches must thoroughly vet their ministers etc Reverend Nick Page UK
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Oh it happened then too. It was just not talked about is all. There have been all sorts of investigations and documentaries based on them about how long such things have been going on. Take a little google search and see history of abuse in the churches. There is quite a treasure trove of information going back quite a number of decades, even before the 60s.
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No surprises here, that's for sure.
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Oh but those trans people are putting our children at risk, trying to READ to them in libraries. Is there anything more evil than the hypocritical Christian Church?
Notice that worshipers remain silent about the actions of their clergy?
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There is no way to properly express my feelings about how sad and wrong all of that is on so many levels. 😥
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I agree with you. And I don't see how it relates in any way to LGBTQ.
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I don't either. 🤷🏻♂️
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The preist is a homosexual. He is a member of the lgb2qia+map community.
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He's a pedophile. He was probably also a closeted homosexual because of all the Catholic repression they practice and it wouldn't surprise me if said repression is what lead him to prey on the most vulnerable members of our society.
The purpose of your comment is to try and link a pedophile with the LGBTQIA+ community despite pedophilia being universally condemned by that community.
You're using the term MAP (minor attracted person) to paint the queer community as accepting of pedophilia because you, clearly, hate that community. In reality, MAP is a term used as a broad term to refer to those adults who are attracted to adolescents more than adults. It's a term used in psychology to help differentiate between people who have these attractions but do not act upon them and the pedophiles who do act on them. The purpose is to address the mental health issues that can be causing this attraction so that the person does not act upon their attractions.
You're intentionally being disingenuous to denigrate the LGBTQ+ community and it's disgusting.
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No, he is a member of the pedophile community. The end.
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It doesn’t relate at all.
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Well at 91 years old, I doubt he'll receive the punishment he deserves. He should still be jailed however, and the diocese should be sued. Because suing will be the only real compensation the victims can get.
Also, all of these religions from Evangelicals to Islam to Catholics because, religion is man made have too many judgemental perverts and hypocrites running their shows.
All of whom doesn't believe what they're selling because their actions show that they don't. There is a major difference in being religious and being spiritual.
Religions costs to much in either money or flesh. Being spiritual doesn't cost a penny.
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Wiberta, right on.
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You can minister to the flock in prison. Lock him up.
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Religion is not man-made. It is revealed by God to humanity.
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And in the beginning, Man created God on his own image
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Not true, Keith, see my comment of you saying the same thing, below, if the mods have published it. 🤗
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I will hold to what I said
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The war on LGBTQ is totally uncalled for, we are accused, bullied and live a life of deprivation! As the article above states this wasn't a drag queen story hour, this wasn't a gay person, this was a priest who probably should have recognized his yearnings and devoted his life to helping people instead of hurting!
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If you practice it then you are mentally depraved. Choosing to love or I should say lust after the same sex is depravity. Love is not love. Love is love in the ethical and moral sense between a man.and woman in marriage vows..Anything outside is lust whether with the opposite sex or the same sex. Homosexuality and what they call love is depraved lust. You cannot procreate. You can do what you want but quit pushing the rest of the civilization to accept it. As you can see many of us are pushing back including the kids. This is a battle you will lose. Every society that accepted depravity eventually fell . And as we see the West is falling also because of it. Any any country such as the U.S. is pushingbthis agenda on all of the West and see how fast Latin America fell in two years from the depraved Biden Administration. There was a reason for choosing Biden.over Bernie. Bernie still had some morals. Of course he couldn't have beaten Trump with fraud like Biden did with his 80 million votes. Must"ve been Hilary's emails.
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Are you god? God is the only judge , you are not in a position to judge or you will be judged!
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FYI Keith. We are all made in the image of God. He decides what we will be when he gives us our soul. God does not make junk, to steal an old anti-racist phrase. I would like to point out that GAY is not catchable. Don't be afraid of others. Any personal concern about your own sexuality might be worked for you on a psychiatrist's couch. It might really help you to ease of your fears.
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The war on the alphabet clowns should be carried out to the extreme and destroy it or chase it back to the closets whete it truly belongs.
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You really are a hateful, toxic little weasel of a man. You have a very messed up view of the world, I’m guessing you spend most of your time alone……very alone.
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😆 🤣 😂 😹 😆 🤣 😂 😹 😆 🤣 😂 😹 😆 🤣 😂 😹 😆 🤣 😂 😹 😆 🤣 😂 😹 😆 🤣 😂 😹 😆 🤣 😂 😹 😆 🤣 😂 😹 😆 🤣 😂 😹 😆 🤣 😂 😹 😆 🤣 😂 😹 😆 🤣 😂 😹 😆 🤣 😂 😹 😆 🤣 😂 😹 😆 🤣 😂 😹 😆 🤣 😂 😹 😆 🤣 😂 😹 😆 weasels are animals who are very sociable and prey on what is destructive like rodents. Thank you for comparing me to the weasel family.
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You’re not even a Weasel, Eash. Over 50% of the population could care less if people are LTBTQ+. When morons like yourself stop caring you’ll be better off. Just because you’re a bigot with failing social standing, a failed or failing marriage, doesn’t mean the rest of humanity has to go the way you want it to. You’re a sad pathetic man who needs to get a life.
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Hahaha, I liked your reply, dude; that was cool
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There was kid next door like going to church and spent many a time there. It was not the priests that he had sex with. It was a couple of Nuns. He learn sex from them That went on for years. Then they were transfer not because of interaction with students as they would not give time to the priests. The HIV took out a lot of Catholic priests. It gave the Nuns power.