BY STEVEN KASZAB
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Edmund Burke
You’d think such a large and magnificent organization like the church would show its undying love for the people of God. If it has done something horribly wrong in the past, it would move towards some form of real apology, empathetic response to those whom it has wronged?
Well it has shown lip service and empty promises to the various individuals and groups it has wronged. The Church’s lawyers have fought tooth and nail with those individuals that were abused by members of the clergy. More money has gone to these lawyers than the many people wronged throughout this world by men and women who were supposed to protect and assist the innocent.
What of the Aboriginal and 1st Nations of Canada, USA and beyond into Brazil and Africa? The religious world was supposed to educate, assist and protect these people, many trying to find a path within our modern societies, whose world has been assaulted and ravaged by greedy manipulative Europeans and our own citizenry. Any word from them, an apology and recompense too?
Answer: the church has been saddened, and has made unofficial apologies, often by a Bishop or two, but never by those in true power. No, there has been empty promises like offering the Aboriginals of Canada $30 million dollars, of which $5 million has been collected. It seems to add continual insult to those in need, who have suffered a direct assault upon their religions, culture and very psyche.
Do we allow this very rich organization to continue its policy of redirection, manipulation and empty promises with the hope that each crisis will fall silent in time? I think not. The Pope will not apologize, nor the Cardinals of the Vatican (an independent state).
Perhaps it is time to take this organization on directly and demand our government look into the many issues Canada’s Aboriginal peoples and our government has with The Canadian Roman Catholic Church, the Vatican and his Holiness Pope Francis.
The Canadian Church is worth $5.2 Billion dollars, with a cash reserve and investments of $1.7 Billion. The Church owns large tracks of land and investment properties throughout Canada.
The Vatican owns approximately 177 million acres across the globe. Estimates place its financial worth at $10 billion to $1.15 trillion dollars. The Vatican’s banks are a mysterious and often corrupt institution riddled with alliances to corrupt funds often linked to the Italian Mafia (proven).
So you have to ask yourself, why such influential and wealthy organizations cannot pony up cash, an apology and empathetic assistance for those whose members have been injured?
The historical accusations against the church cannot be denied or ignored. Or can they? The church is really good at claiming to investigate a claim or injury, and continue to investigate it forever. Promise much, do little. The church protects its members. It also claims to protect the innocent. Who comes first in line: the accused or the victims?
Well if we look at how the church has responded in the past, the victims are often ignored, given passive empty words with promises, and if the passing of time does not work, there are the legal avenues the Church will take. They cannot admit guilt as an organization.
They will never admit they were in part or directly responsible for the deaths of so many children in schools they maintained, or the deaths of people in many aboriginal villages throughout the globe. Both Catholic organizational and individual legal responsibilities will be protected at all costs.
What should the Canadian government do? Invest money needed to assist those wronged as a group and individuals. Send that invoice to the Canadian church with the following threat should the Church fail to pay the bill immediately…
- Canadian Government will freeze all the Church’s assets in Canada
- The charitable status of the church will be frozen also, allowing the Canadian and Provincial Governments to issue bills for the payment of all taxes due, just like an average Canadian must pay
- All living individuals responsible for wrongdoing towards any Canadian and the Aboriginal community will be investigated, and if found lacking, charged with wrongdoing
- The Vatican will be diplomatically isolated by the Canadian government, which should acquire further assistance from other nations whose citizens have also been wronged
- A global class action lawsuit against the church is recommended
- The Canadian government must demand the Church establish policies and methods that will ensure the investigation by civil police of anyone accused of a crime, no matter their status
Think I am being a bit harsh? No way. The way I see it, if someone openly claims to be something good, honest, empathetic and charitable like the church does, it must be held responsible for its wrong doings. Protect the victims at all times; bring civil justice to bear upon individuals and their organization.
The global victims of the Church of Rome can forgive certainly, but never forget, and always get justice above all.