"Ho, hum.....as I answered Jim Carroll's question THREE times:"
The question was would you have put in as much effort defending the school authorities as you have defending the church over its abuses - you still haven't replied, but don't bother - I think I know ther answer.
"But I also believe that Jim Carroll is painting the guilt with too broad a brush, because he places blame on the entire Catholic Church"
No Joe, we blame the organisation of the church, not the faithful who were as much in the dark as the rest of us. It was the heirarchy instigated a cover-up and organised an escape rout to enable the abusers tyo escape justice and continue their abuse - tell us they didn't.
It is also the heirarchy who refuses to take responsibility for their part in the abuses and apologise and make reparation to the victims - tell us it isn't.
"Jim and others have said that everyone in Ireland knew what was going on,"
No we didn't - I have said that the PHYSICAL violence was common knowledge, but the extent and the severity of that violence was not realised until comapratively recently, making it virtually impossible to do anything about it. The violence that was known about was accepted as severe corrrection, such was the power of the church to cover up its own actions.
"Jim Carroll and others, why didn't you speak out against the Magdalene laundries and the reform schools when they were still in existence?"
There you go again Joe - blaming the rest of us for the sins of the church.
For the record - I am a UK citizen who came to live in Ireland in 1998 (just) after the last Magdelene Laundry was closed. I and most of us, had never heard of The Magdelene Laundries until the television film based on the experience of one of the inmates (BBC late 90s) - followed by the feature film 'The Magdelene Sisters' also in the late 90s.
Those who knew of their existence believed them to be correction centres where 'fallen women' were sent, not the slave camps they are now recognised as being. So efficient was the cover-up by the religious orders who ran them, we still haven't a full picture of what went on thin them as the Government has washed its hands of holding a full enquiry into them, despite the fact that courts sent girls there as punishment.   
"I think that everyone who knows of a crime and does nothing about it, has some share in the responsibility for that crime."
The last time the discussion sank to this level was when the parents of the victims were accused of knowing that the crimes were taking place and doing nothing about it; on contributer was so upset at this accusation that she withdrew from the thread.
"The vast majority of the crimes happened years ago."
So what - is there an amnesty on sexual abuse, and isn't this what Simon Weisenthall was constantly being told?
"Note however, that he restricts the blame to Catholics, most notably current Catholics."
Where on earth did that one come from Joe? I neither said it nor believe it.
"For the most part, the sexual and physical abuse problem is over. "
Not for the victims it isn't, and it will never be until the church admits its guilt and acknowleges the suffering it has inflicted on innocent children.
"The only thing the Catholic Church can do now is to acknowledge responsibility, pay reparations, and set up controls so such a thing does not happen again."
And the only thing the rest of us can do is make sure that the church, or any other influentual body never gets into the position where it could continue to abuse and persecute children the way it did.
An interesting poll was published in yesterdays Irish Times.
In 2001 6% of the population of Ireland had "no trust at all" in the church.
By 2004 this had risen to 13%
Todays figure stands at 32%, beaten only by the Government and the Banks.
I really don't know why decent, honest Catholics are not hammering on the gates of the Vatican demanding that damage inflicted on the church by its persistant prevarication and avoiance of responsibilty, ceases immediately before it brings your church tumbling about your ears.
"HERE'S JIMMY!!"
I see you appear to have acquired a parrot.
Just a reminder Ake, that it is you who hands out conspiricy theories and hidden agendas to back up your otherwise unqualified accusations.
Jim Carroll