The controversy represents a PR nightmare for the Vatican. The unnamed girl's mother and doctors were excommunicated for agreeing to Wednesday's emergency abortion yet the Church has not taken formal steps against the stepfather, who is in custody. Jose Cardoso Sobrinho, the conservative regional archbishop for Pernambuco where the girl was rushed to hospital, has said that the man would not be thrown out of the Church, because although he had allegedly committed "a heinous crime", the Church took the view that "the abortion, the elimination of an innocent life, was more serious".

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/...40165.html

What astounds me is that anyone can still be surprised by these miserable hypocritical catholic cocksuckers. How long will it take before people recognize them for the miserable bunch of bastards they are?

It makes me sick that these people actually exist and are the same species as me. The fact that these people actually have influence is the worst of all.

The only thing that surprises me about this organisation is that there are people convinced that it's a force for good in the world and will twist themselves into knots of Gordian proportions to make excuses for it.

Actually I'll correct that. It doesn't surprise me; it disgusts me. Just as it should anyone with even a shred of human feeling.
/soapbox

Well, it isn't as if they actually DID anything. Woo-Hoo...excommunicated! They are all better off without that catholic bullshit anyway.

Of course, but I was going off the line that "the abortion, the elimination of an innocent life, was more serious" than rape. The whole excommunication thing is more like being threatened to be put onto Santa's naughty list.

(May 26, 2012 at 10:36 pm)Ziploc Surprise Wrote: The controversy represents a PR nightmare for the Vatican.

Dude, they have child molesters out the wazoo and preferring a rapist over his victim is a PR nightmare?

Probably more of a smokescreen. "Child-abusing priests is so last week; look at this!"

The whole thing reeks of misdirection.

Having a relationship with God doesn't need to involve a middleman. Especially a corrupt and unchristlike one.

Er ... I don't know if this is going to make a difference to the discussion (please ignore if it won't), but this story is over 2 years old. I remember being shocked and outraged by the treatment this poor girl, her doctors, and her mother got from the Catholic Church at the time.

It still makes me sick to my stomach to think that there are people in this world who think that the existence of a fetus -- or even two! -- is more important than the health and probably the life (given that this happened in a country with very strict anti-abortion laws) of a living, breathing child. "Life must always be protected," my ass. What about protecting the poor girl who was abused for three years?

I hope she's doing better now. My heart still breaks for her.