Okay, I told myself I wasn't going to rant any more over the latest series of Catholic child rape scandals and systematic efforts by the Church to hide them until I had calmed down at least a little bit. I was doing okay until I saw this article from the BBC. From this article, I learned that Rev. Raniero Cantalamessa, the Pope's own personal preacher, has compared the criticism the Pope has faced in the aftermath of news of his role in concealing molestation by priests with anti-Semitism and the "collective violence" Jews have suffered. That loud sound you just heard was my head exploding.You know who should be compared with the Jews and the violence they have suffered? All the innocent children raped by Catholic priests. But Rev. Cantalamessa comparison is actually far worse than it initially appears. We know what the Pope did. It isn't a mystery anymore. We know that he looked the other way on reports of molestation, enabling the Catholic rapists to assault even more children. To suggest that the criticism he is now facing is in any way like anti-Semitism is to suggest that Jews are somehow responsible for anti-Semitism!Does it matter that Rev. Cantalamessa claims he got the idea for this sick comparison from a letter from "a Jewish friend?" Not at all. It is time for Catholics to turn their backs on this sick man and his sick institution.

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