second thoughts

Looking at Splinty’s post on Benny the Pope’s response to child rape within the Catholic Church I was sort of planning something comparing the institutional problems of the Church with those of the Chinese Communist Party. “Why Jamie, what a surprise” you’re all saying. 

But the latest revelations have shown up an important difference. I mean, if you’re running a township in China and there’s a huge riot on your watch, it’s say goodbye to Provincial level government and hello to the office of circulating paperclips. If you do something really bad, there’s at least the possibility that CDIC will come to town, put you under house arrest until you say what it wants to hear, then toss you to the cops with a note for the judge, possibly saying “shoot the fucker.” Enforcement’s patchy, but the Communist Party actually has bottom lines.

Comments

[Splintered Sunrise]

Well, the Irish branch office is getting an inspection from the CDF. Those are the guys who used to be better known as the Inquisition - the methods have changed a bit, but you still don't want to mess with them. Just ask Cardinal Des Connell, who had a massive abuse scandal on his watch in the Dublin archdiocese and abruptly found himself spending more time with his study of French philosophy.

It works quite a bit slower than the CCP - China doesn't have centuries of canon law to negotiate - but the end result isn't totally dissimilar.

[ejh]

I often wish that Ratzinger's rise to influence in the Church was not such a recent thing: he would surely have been able to do something about it if things had been otherwise.

[ajay]

True; if he'd been in charge of the CDF, say, he'd certainly have been able to sort this business out!

[Chris Williams]

It's his evil advisors, undoubtedly. But if we could just communicate with him better - perhaps he could hold audiences, or go on tours?

[Richard J]

It's his evil advisors, undoubtedly.

If only the Pope knew...