Comments for Crime and Punishment at Penn State, Part II at http://www.thecatholicthing.org , comment 1 to 17 out of 17 comments http://www.thecatholicthing.org Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:38:39 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/crime-and-punishment-at-penn-state-part-ii.html#comment-12637 Since his statue came down I've been asking myself, "how could a devout Catholic such as Joe Paterno have even slept at night, and for 13 years even, after knowingly allowing his assistant coach Jerry Sandusky to have continued access to vulnerable children?" And then I came to the conclusion that it was "because" of his devout Catholic faith, not "despite" his Catholic faith, that he was able to sleep so soundly at night. My logic tells me that Joe Pa's rationale was likely predicated upon his knowledge that (some) Catholic priests have been violating children for millennia, and to date, not one Pope has formally taken a strong stand against them, or the bishops that have moved the bad priest to different parishes rather than reporting their atrocities to the proper authorities. JP must've reasoned, " if the Pope, who was appointed from On High, can turn his back on his moral obligation to the most vulnerable in society, well, then so can I." I, for one, would feel much better about Pope Benedict, if I were to somehow learn that he suffered from insomnia. - Kevin Boyd Sat, 28 Jul 2012 20:12:56 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/crime-and-punishment-at-penn-state-part-ii.html#comment-12511 Louise: Thanks. I think what is happening is that as tolerance of and indifference to sexual immorality is a "progressive establishment" position, the progressive establishment must to re-rack "society's" priorities by trying to re-define what are in the category of abominations. To assert that they hold some moral authority (in vain hope of escaping the desolation of conscience caused by promoting or tolerating what we all know in our conscience to be abominations) the progressive alliance defines mere greed as the new abomination substitute, the last barrier to the triumph welfare state. - Chris in Maryland Thu, 19 Jul 2012 07:20:10 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/crime-and-punishment-at-penn-state-part-ii.html#comment-12507 Brad, What religion are Sandusky and McQueary? And did McQueary stop the rape? What happened? Thanks. - Dan Deeny Thu, 19 Jul 2012 05:31:58 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/crime-and-punishment-at-penn-state-part-ii.html#comment-12492 @chris: No, not at all, sorry for the cryptic note, I didn't have time for more. it was not a comment directed at you but rather to yours and jsmitty's discussion re the root sin and I was thinking it was a lack of temperance that leads to today's sexual sins and greed so there seemed a connection to me although I would disagree with jsmitty that fighting abortion and the destruction of marriage is causing us to look kindly on greed. I don't know where he is coming from on that one. - Louise Wed, 18 Jul 2012 17:18:07 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/crime-and-punishment-at-penn-state-part-ii.html#comment-12484 To Louise: It's not clear to me what you are getting at. My best guess is that your are saying that (1) my remarks are intemperate, or you may be intending that (2) I'm being imprudent to have remarked. Per Aquinas, "temperance is the moderation of our own desires...In all cases, the practice of temperance requires the balancing of legitimate goods against an inordinate desire for them." I'll keep an eye out for your response. - Chris in Maryland Wed, 18 Jul 2012 04:31:26 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/crime-and-punishment-at-penn-state-part-ii.html#comment-12474 @earlier Louise: No, I think it is a totally unrecognized situation. @Grump, anyone who longs to find God has already started to respond to the grace of the Hound of Heaven! @chris, temperance is a cardinal virtue - Louise Tue, 17 Jul 2012 16:18:16 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/crime-and-punishment-at-penn-state-part-ii.html#comment-12469 jsmitty: Re: your concern for those who you hold to be unconcerned with greed... Prudence whispers that a "society" that consecrates abominations has little moral authority in reserve to sanction subordinate crimes, like greed. Among the "policy" problems with the greed program, where will the guardians of the same enlightened society draw the line for the inquisitors prosecuting the greedy? I venture to guess...the "ONE PERCENT," with, of course, perfectly respectable exemptions for the "enlightened" who have contributed to "the cause." - Chris in Maryland Tue, 17 Jul 2012 08:54:21 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/crime-and-punishment-at-penn-state-part-ii.html#comment-12461 Louise and Mr. Grump: My thought's exactly. He's just been kidding us along. - the earlier Louise Tue, 17 Jul 2012 03:32:35 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/crime-and-punishment-at-penn-state-part-ii.html#comment-12459 Louise, I should be so lucky. - Grump Mon, 16 Jul 2012 16:36:27 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/crime-and-punishment-at-penn-state-part-ii.html#comment-12457 Grump, i have been suspecting sanctity of you for some time... - Louise Mon, 16 Jul 2012 11:45:22 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/crime-and-punishment-at-penn-state-part-ii.html#comment-12456 @ Sir Mark...were being a tad fatalistic aren't we. Why get upset about Penn State, after all?? (I'd ask Brad Miner the same question). Penn State is pretty much just the way things are, were and always will be. Where there is enough money on the table, people will overlook anything. Why waste the pixels? As a society apparently we should make no effort to punish greedy wrongdoers, or to design systems to deter such conduct in the future, or to promote a culture in which the acquisition and defense of wealth for its own sake is viewed skeptically rather than as an unmitigated good. Do you really think this? Rhetoric aside, I really wonder why the Catholic idealism on this page concerns solely abortion, birth control, marriage, homosexuality and elements of pop culture like college football but never the behavior of Wall Street. Oh yes, we can talk about greedy govt. bureaucrats, but never greedy bankers. I'm not trying to change the subject actually. I thought the article was good. Greed in college administrations and bid time football programs is a very big problem. Brad Miner is right! Just wondering about the selective outrage. COuld it have to do with the fact that our current political strategy to fight abortion and gay "marriage" is forcing us into a political alliance with people who think that the unrestrained pursuit of private gain without concern for the welfare of the general society is ironically the best way to advance the common good and who get very upset when one points out that it isn't so? Just saying. Just wondering why the baleful effects of greed - jsmitty Mon, 16 Jul 2012 11:09:34 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/crime-and-punishment-at-penn-state-part-ii.html#comment-12453 I see a line for line comparison between Joe Paterno and the Catholic bishops who covered up child/adolescent sexual abuse. All were concerned with the reputation of their organizations over the protection and restoration of victims. This pattern of cover-up happens in families where incest occurs, and in the public schools. The larger picture is that the pattern is human, and therefore tainted with sinfulness. If anything, this Penn State episode shows us that our bishops are, while being our apostolic shepherds, are fully human beings and subject to the worst tendencies of our race. While the bishops' behavior remains inexcusable, as is all sin, in some way I am comforted that their sins were not exceptional in the picture of humanity. The questions remain about the objective effects of the abundant grace available to all of us, and the even larger amount available to clergy and bishops. If the grace received in the Sacraments does not mitigate the sinfulness of these people, what hope is there for a world that closes itself off from grace in all forms? - b riggs Mon, 16 Jul 2012 06:26:59 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/crime-and-punishment-at-penn-state-part-ii.html#comment-12448 If Paterno was a "devout Catholic," then I'm a saint by comparison. - Grump Mon, 16 Jul 2012 05:27:51 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/crime-and-punishment-at-penn-state-part-ii.html#comment-12445 jsmitty, No system yet devised has prevented the lust for power and wealth. There is always someone at the top. There is always someone who has all the "stuff". There is always someone who will do anything and everything to retain his position and reputation. It has always been thus. - Sir Mark Mon, 16 Jul 2012 04:32:53 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/crime-and-punishment-at-penn-state-part-ii.html#comment-12444 @jsmitty: I'll leave the socialism to you. - Brad Miner Mon, 16 Jul 2012 04:17:00 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/crime-and-punishment-at-penn-state-part-ii.html#comment-12443 Very nice piece Brad. Now if Catholics of the sort who read this page can look past the politics of the moment, and see how the culture of power and greed has corroded many other aspects of American life, we'll actually be getting somewhere. Trouble is, in the current climate if you had written this article instead about how the culture of power and greed has undermined, say, the US financial system and the economy on which it depends, you'd be accused of being an Obama-loving socialist. - jsmitty Mon, 16 Jul 2012 04:03:03 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/crime-and-punishment-at-penn-state-part-ii.html#comment-12442 You bring up good points, Brad. Let's not forget the Second Mile, the charity which Sandusky set up to assist young boys and which was lavishly supported by many of the Penn State elite. Those supporters have all run for cover in this aftermath. The Program. One of the issues that has shocked many people nationwide is that younger Americans tend to almost universally support "same-sex marriage". I ask what is the Program on university campuses across the country accomplishing when students are not being taught Right from Wrong? Sandusky and Paterno were not exceptional. They are just Americans,that's all. And so are we. What would any of us have done in the same situation? When my wife and I went to see Bp.McHugh in the Archdiocese of Newark some twenty years ago, concerning the pro-contraception/pro-abortion (subtly) textbooks which our children were encountering in a "catholic" high school, we were politely told: You are THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO ARE COMPLAINING. - Manfred Mon, 16 Jul 2012 03:27:58 +0100