Daneels and pedophilia

I am just putting the link to an article on Get Religion about this. LINK

Readers who want to know more should check out two posts by Rod “Benedict Option” Dreher — “Cdl Danneels, Euthanizer Of Belgian Catholicism” and “The Decadence Of Godfried Danneels.” There is strong, even stomach-churning, material here. Take, for example, an article by a conservative Belgian politico named Alexandra Colen, a Catholic who protested the contents of a catechism prepared for use by children. Dreher noted this section:

The sympathy for pedophile attitudes and arguments among the Belgian bishops during this period was no secret, especially since 1997 when the fierce controversy about the catechism textbook Roeach made the headlines. The editors of Roeach were Prof. Jef Bulckens of the Catholic University of Leuven and Prof. Frans Lefevre of the Seminary of Bruges. The textbook contained a drawing which showed a naked baby girl saying: “Stroking my pussy makes me feel groovy,” “I like to take my knickers off with friends,” “I want to be in the room when mum and dad have sex.” The drawing also shows a naked little boy and girl that are “playing doctor” and the little boy says: “Look, my willy is big.”

The illustration for that material is rather chilling. ....

More? The following is from an article reproduced in the Dreher post. It was published in 1984 in Kerk en Leven , an official magazine of the Catholic Church in Flanders. Translated, it states:

A few years ago, an ecumenical working group on paedophilia was established in Flanders. This working group, made up of Catholics and Protestants, aims to make the Churches aware of the phenomenon of paedophilia, to pass on information and to remove prejudices. The working group also wants to inform itself about everything that appears in the field of paedophilia. All are welcome who want to get to know paedophilia and paedophiles better, provided this is done in openness, respect and reliability.

Dreher notes that the ecumenical group met in a chapel, with priests and pastors serving as facilitators. Other advice from this “working group” on the topic of adult-child sex.

* If your son or daughter feels the connection with the paedophile is fine, do not break that connection;

* The reaction of the environment is often more harmful than the events themselves; …

* It is preferable that a relationship of trust be established between the paedophile in the parents.

Was Danneels connected to this group? Apparently not. Did he agree with the critic that these materials should be taken out of circulation with children and parents? Apparently not.

Did the cardinal remain a strong supporter of Bishop Roger Vangheluwe? Apparently so.

...

IT wasn't just Belgium of course: The German Green party had it in their party's plank, and there was a move in the UK to get rid of age of consent.

And in the USA, California essentially decriminalized "non violent" sexual offense against children, while Newsweek told their readers that experts advised those discovering incest should not report it to the authorities because it would "break up the family".

I will try to get links for those when I have time and the stomach to google those old articles.