Is the Catholic Church being persecuted?

A senior Vatican priest has likened outrage at sex abuse in the Catholic Church to the persecution of the Jews

Has the Church been treated unfairly?
(Image credit: Corbis)

A Vatican official has courted controversy by likening anti-Catholic sentiment at the sex abuse scandal currently plaguing the church with what he called the "more shameful aspects of anti-Semitism." Jewish leaders have denounced the Reverend Raniero Cantalamessa's comparison, made during a Good Friday sermon in the presence of Pope Benedict, with Abraham Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League calling it "grotesque." But the remarks illustrate the extent to which the church feels it is being unfairly attacked over its reaction to the abuse charges. Does the comparison have any merit?

What an offensive comparison: Is it really necessary to point out what a "moral offense" this is, says Susan Jacoby at the Washington Post. Jews were "punished, as well as murdered, for acts they did not commit." Catholic bishops "aren't being punished at all, for acts they did commit." This attempt to play victim backfired badly, not least because the church hierarchy has done all it can to seek "plausible deniability" rather than accept responsibility.

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