Pardon me while I pick my jaw up off the floor: in an interview with the National Catholic Register published this week, Fr. Benedict Groeschel, the 78-year-old founder of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, said that in some priest sex abuse cases, the teen – not the priest — “is the seducer.”
Groeschel made the startling comments after being asked about his work with priests accused of sexual abuse:
“People have this picture in their minds of a person planning to — a psychopath. But that’s not the case. Suppose you have a man having a nervous breakdown, and a youngster comes after him. A lot of the cases, the youngster — 14, 16, 18 — is the seducer.”
Groeschel, seen at right with New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan, then puzzlingly discussed intimacy between priests and minors in terms of “heterosexual” and “homosexual” and said that intolerance of relationships between men and boys is a relatively new phenomenon, even citing the case of convicted pedophile Jerry Sandusky (because, after all, at the time when Sandusky began molesting boys, society just looked the other way):
Here’s this poor guy — [Penn State football coach Jerry] Sandusky — it went on for years. Interesting: Why didn’t anyone say anything? Apparently, a number of kids knew about it and didn’t break the ice. Well, you know, until recent years, people did not register in their minds that it was a crime. It was a moral failure, scandalous; but they didn’t think of it in terms of legal things.
If you go back 10 or 15 years ago with different sexual difficulties — except for rape or violence — it was very rarely brought as a civil crime. Nobody thought of it that way. Sometimes statutory rape would be — but only if the girl pushed her case. Parents wouldn’t touch it. People backed off, for years, on sexual cases. I’m not sure why. . .
At this point, (when) any priest, any clergyman, any social worker, any teacher, any responsible person in society would become involved in a single sexual act — not necessarily intercourse — they’re done.
And I’m inclined to think, on their first offense, they should not go to jail because their intention was not committing a crime.
Astonishing, right? But Fr. Groeschel isn’t just some random friar running off at the mouth in a secluded monastery somewhere — he’s actually something of a Catholic rockstar. When I was a teenager in Green Bay, Wisconsin running away from my sexuality, I worked in a Catholic bookstore where we couldn’t restock Groeschel’s dozens of books fast enough. Despite his advanced age, Fr. Groeschel is in high demand for speaking gigs, spiritual direction, and religious retreats across the country. And he’s even got his own television show on the Eternal Word Television Network. (For those of you who don’t know, EWTN is the traditionalist Catholic equivalent of the evangelical Trinity Broadcasting Network.)
So yeah, this is kind of a big deal in the Catholic world, especially because Groeschel was one of the relatively few figures who was admired to some degree by conservatives (for his views on reproductive rights and homosexuality) and liberals (for his work in other social justice and civil rights issues). It’s just a thought, but Groeschel’s fans may want to re-evaluate their opinion about a man who would make such outrageous excuses for predatory priests.
It is a typical “justification” for child molesters to blame the child- “He wanted it…she seduced me…”etc. Makes me think that someone should look more closely at Groeschel’s own past.
This is a truly demented line of reasoning, that an adult is not responsible for abusing his position of authority over a minor. This does not build confidence that the Catholic Church is serious about preventing further instances of child rape. This is the Catholic Church blaming the victims. And, as happens, this is a typical abuser strategy; say it’s the victim’s fault. It is astonishing that the Catholic Church does not realize that the overwhelming majority of adults see through this disingenuous and duplicitous victim blaming. This exercise in victim blaming does not help to repair the Church’s very bad reputation.
Let’s suppose his premise is correct, that teenagers are seducing adult men into a sexual experience. What’s wrong with the adults? Don’t they realize the position in which they find themselves? Aren’t they setting themselves up for lawsuits and trials and all kinds of adverse consequences? Please men, leave the under 21s alone. Find other adult males who consensually want to have a sexual relationship with you.
Hmmm, that’s when you say, “No, you’re too young, dear”.
I have no doubt that there are occasions where teenagers will try to seduce an adult (I certainly tried when I was a teenager), but adults are supposed to know better. The onus lies on them to excersize restraint.
The next thing he is gonna say about bestiality is the sheep made him do it!!! BAAAA
In cases where a minor does actually attempt to seduce an adult, it’s often a sign that s/he has been abused already.
Re the heterosexual remark this old.perert said – is he saying priests having sex with little boys is ok if the priests pretend the boys are girls?
LOL I love the bestiality comment. The sheep was baaaaaaaaaaaaging for it. lolz
There were some hot adults when I was a teen. I lied about my age. I got mine. But never did an adult come on to me.
You know, I find this silly attempt to excuse priests especially laughable. After all, the Church has been telling people for centuries to “resist temptation” and yet we are to think their trained priests cannot resist an alleged come on from a teen or anyone else?
Hey, if they can’t resist temptation; why do they expect everyone else to do so?
Groeschel may have been a decent, insightful person in his younger days, according to what John wrote, but it sounds like he’s becoming befuddled needs to retire now.
All right, Brother Paedo, we heard you. Now it would be a really good time for you to f**k off.
And how did Our Lord handle temptation? “Get thee hence Satan!” …
How DARE Fr. Groeschel make ANY excuse for such heinous crimes against children!!! He needs to REPENT and then go into a contemplative retirement! If he will not do that, then he should be either defrocked, excommunicated or both!
I am disgusted by the Catholic Church. Why anyone would continue to tithe to this organization is absolutely puzzling to me. Every rock you turn over in this organization has a child molester under it. Disgusting and despicable. And they have the audacity to tell us how to live and think they have the authority to listen to our sins and forgive them.
For more info on Fr Benedict Groeschel:
http://www.ncregister.com/site/article/appalled_by_the_psychological_association/
Look at the eyes on this guy. I’m with Chris M. – someone, maybe a BUNCH of someones, ought to look VERY closely at ‘father’ Groeshel’s past. If the Catholic hierarchy hasn’t already consigned all the info about it to a handy little bonfire, that is………..
Well, he’s right in one regard:
“A lot of the cases, the youngster — 14, 16, 18 — is the seducer.”
That is very true. However, that doesn’t make the adult any less guilty.
I am shocked he would come up with a statement like this who is the adult the priest I would think.I bet that this Fr Benedict at 78 has been a molester his self or he would not be trying to justify it I feel that the Catholic church is corrupt and I was a Catholic all my life went to catholic school grade and high school buy all this sex abuse is more than I can take. I have family that has been in different orders of the priest hood that had left the orders I wish he was alive so I could ask him if he knew about all of this it is shameless and I do not think God is going to be real happy with all of the priests that have been sex offenders they do have to answer for it buy no I do not think that the teens are the seducers.He is a complete disgrace for even making that kind of statement
seriously, it doesn’t matter WHO starts WHAT. if it happens it is atrocious. if someone ALLOWS themselves to be taken advantage of by a younger person, it really dont matter, they are still participating in some extremely messed up stuff. it don’t matter who or what was the cause, the act of it is whats wrong, NOT whom is at fault. if your stupid enough to be tricked into having something illegal going on, regardless you are still responsible. BECAUSE!!!! you have the ABILITY to respond, but Fail. it don’t matter if the kid is 20. or 30. dont be a “celibate” individual and have sex. i bet god HIGHLY dislikes every single pile of s**t, but SINCE THERE ARE SOME MAJOR LOOPHOLES in Catholicism (like this article has been making known, and like have been used by clergy for years to get what they want) YOU KNOW, it is REALLY damn ODD that people so close to god ARE so easy to sway, especially in the case of IF a teen is the “Seducer”. THE CLERGY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE WISE TO BEING SEDUCED. HAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHA…i hate religion. loopholes like monica lewinski.
Okay, I believe that every case in unique and you just can’t classify it all into one group. I do think however that teenagers can and do try and are sometimes successful in seducing older Men or Women. Then when they get taken up on their invite they claim molestation or rape. Like I said that is not every case and it does not justify Molestation or rape ever. There are evil people out there but its not so black and white as we are led to believe. Do some research people and just don’t believe everything you read, too many issues are taken out of context by the media with their own agendas!
Catamites are outlawed in the Bible. Guess now Fr. Groeschel thinks he can twist the bible around to mean what he needs it to mean
I’m agreeing with most of what you all are saying. What the priest didn’t mention: when he was young, priests were told not to look women in the eye as they were the font of all original sin. (I got this info from my Mom who said she never had a priest look her directly in the eye EVER until the ’70s.) So for Fr. Groeschel to talk loosely about “People backed off, for years, on sexual cases. I’m not sure why. . .” and “At this point, (when) any priest, any clergyman, any social worker, any teacher, any responsible person in society would become involved in a single sexual act — not necessarily intercourse — they’re done.” He’s being extremely forgetful that sex in any form was just not tolerated “back then”. Celibacy was Celibacy. Of course any sexual act would serve as dismissal, especially if it’s not between two consenting adults. Shee! Id’jit!
so if he thinks its ok as long as the underage person is trying to “seduce” the older one, then at what young age does he consider to be the cutoff? I mean really, if a 2 year old tries to do something innappropriate would he still say they seduced him so its ok?????
to the 2 ppl that posted after me (#’s 20, 21) actually it is black and white. REGARDLESS of how well a kid can “troll”, it doesn’t EVER mean that the adult that has ANY responsibility is not liable. Think about it like this: say im 12, and i talk a PRIEST into popping it up my bung….that is okay then????? cause that priest that has been gods b***h for like 20-88 years is going to totally be so weak that they are going to do it…even though they are the people TELLING people that they need to learn self control? are you, #20, going to REALLY sit there and say that you can’t lump them together????WHO CARES WHO INITIATED IT, the adult is supposed to be RESPONSIBLE. ESPECIALLY an adult that is supposed to only want to penetrate 1 thing; gods love. yeah # 20, im not sorry i just s**t on your comment, because your wrong. and hey #21, guess what? if you would of read my original comment you wouldnt had to waste your energy typing that obvious answer. i mean seriously i dont care if ppl try to troll on mine, but if they can it’s cause they are idiotic and are trying to tear apart a freakin mustard seed of truth. hows them apples guys, anyways? APPLESAUCE NEXT TIME!!!!
[...] think it’s important to understand all of that before reading what Groeschel told the National Catholic Register this week: People have this picture in their minds of a person planning to — a psychopath. But that’s not [...]
It was not talked about back then because it is a hard thing for the victim and those around them to face. Victims feel like it was their fault regardless of the circumstances. They feel disgusted, disgraced, and ashamed for having such experiences. No one knows what to say. Society moves forward. That is why more people feel like they can talk about it these days. It takes time to build the strength to come forward. There are still many sexual predators that go unpunished because victims don’t find that strength or because mentally disturbed people like him place blame where it doesn’t belong or try to convince others that such things shouldn’t be discussed and just happen. Trust a person in power to hinder progress….
#24 look up the word I used. Sex with someone under age is wrong no matter who you are. The Bibke actually goes as far as putting it in writing that Preist are not allowed to have sex with minor slave boys. The age of consent is 14 in Vatican State.
Does no one remember being a teenager? I sure do! I as well as a lot of my friends would go to malls and yes even churches wear skimpy clothes trying to attract men. I’m not catholic by any means but i do remember being a teen and flirting as well as other things to get the attention of men twice or more my age. I know i’m not the only one who did that or is still doing that, so yes i agree with what he’s saying about kids being the seducers.
You people that say the youth are often the seducers are just as disgusting as this priest. Especially in these big cases with multiple victims… One little boy thought it would be great to be touched by a priest or sodomized (yeah I bet every little boy thinks it would be great for a full grown man to do that to them) and he told all his friends and then they all thought it sounded great so they all seduced their coach/priest/teacher… How ridiculous is that?
Having been sexually assaulted as a young teenager by a friends babysitter I can tell you that these sexual predators must twist things around in their heads and envision that their desire is sending signals that they want to be sexually abused… because the person that did it to me bragged about it afterwards as though I was willing… I was not willing. Words were exchanged as well as various actions to indicate that I was not a willing participant were all there but that is not anything of how it happened in his rendition.
There have been many cases where it was mutual or initiated by the underage individual and in those cases it is made very clear.
So don’t go with such a twisted view and make the problem of victims being taken seriously worse than it already is!
You people are too lenient on those guys.
The fact is that it’s not just some few rogue priests who abused kids; the sexual abuse of children is Vatican policy, done for reasons of social control through intimidation.
It would be a grave mistake not to sue the Catholic Church for every last penny that they’ve got. You have the means to do it.
What’s with all the “you people” suddenly?
Priests who molest children may think they have everyone fooled. But they will not fool God, who is the Ultimate Judge. He will ensure that these men are punished.
I am obsolutely appalled. I am a survivor of child rape (I was 4 yrs old) by my step-grandfather. I was sexual molested by my father from 5 -8yr yrs old and a stranger. I seduced no one. I wasn’t sex it was violence. I suffered until I was 37.
how can a child, teenage or anyone seduce an adult who should be trained not to abuse anyone. That is BULL s**t.
#26 i guess thats why Muslims Stone people to death…still.#27 aka lori, i did look it up. it still doesn’t matter. read what i said. what you said still doesnt matter. because now, for the third time, i will tell you; ALL ADULTS ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE ABILITY TO RESPOND to ANYTHING, ANYONE THROWS AT THEM. this conversation SHOULD be enough to show proof of that. ERGO, being an adult IMMEDIATELY means that REGARDLESS OF ANYTHING OR ANYBODY, you are the one that is supposed to be in control. NOT ONE SINGLE CASE I HAVE EVER SEEN ACTUALLY SHOWS A CHILD IN ANY STAGE HOLDING A WEAPON AT A RAPIST AND ORDERING THEM TO “do them”. CAN YOU FIND ONE?????didn’t freakin think so.
oh and #31, you people should know. the person that i just scrolled up to said you people in regards to the people commenting saying stupid s**t. which i have thus rebuked 3 damn times. so yeah. you people should know.
#33 thats it in a nutshell.
not for me, just saying, that “thats Bull SH!t” is totally it. everything anybody that works for organized religion says i automatically address as if it was said as a lie. because there are no bigger lies than beliefs. Look at the freakin word. Be- LIE- fs. LIE, right in the bloody middle. thank you all for playing, and have a wonderful day.
Are you kidding me one more priest who’s passing the buck and not taking responsibility. Putting the blame on kids who lookup to adults for help not hate. i’m so glad I change my religon i’m not Catholic any more. I don’t want any association with that religon any more.i’m sick of there corruptions and cover ups.
Perhaps Jesus said that the Gates of Hell would not prevail against the Church because he knew that one day the Church would hold the keys!!
I find it ridiculously hypocritical that the catholic church is SO against homosexual relationships, and yet you only ever hear about priests molesting young boys. Ever heard of practice what you preach? I am all for same sex relationships don’t get me wrong, but the fact that because of the Vatican and every other catholic church, people get judged daily for such a simple thing as being in love? Yet they try and justify molestation on young boys? Makes me sick. Get your act together. I’m ashamed to be catholic!
Everyone at one point in their life has said no, whether to become a boy/girl friend. A priest who has sworn an oath to God to be celibate needs to realize this means no sex, not with a female not with a male. No sex means No sex. Also sex outside of marriage is a no-no in Gods eyes. Even if the child was the one to start it, which with teens it happens, its the adults responsibility to say no.and not let it happen
Groeschel is a douche. I was inter/VIEWed by him once. He spent our time talking about himself and about how much he wanted to die. He has been given great power but has none in his person. Leader in the false church.
TThis is standard republican diatribe! Blame the victim!! Can the Church really believe the child is the demon here? NOT. Filthy old men, protected by the church, who have been alklowed to ruin thousands, and thousands of young lives. How can they stand themselves?
I am not Catholic and I don’t care a fig about priests, whether they are seducers or seduced. As a youngster i wanted to seduce everybody I lusted after, which was mostly every female in sight at any give moment. I am over 70 now and i still feel that way – but I don’t act on it because it could make life awfully complicated – Learned that a long time ago, so that’s to indicate that we do have choices available and some people make dumb choices, including a lot of Catholic priests, it seems. The poor buggers have only made it worse for themselves by setting themselves up in the role of spiritual leaders when they are just ignorant human animals like all the rest of us. I can think of no better reason to seduce any available Catholic priest than to undermine their b******t pretext at a higher level of enlightenment and worthiness than all the rest of us. f**k ‘em silly, every one of ‘em, so they know who they are and who we all are. Don’t stick around to hear their pathetic guilty weeping afterwards because they’ll just find a way to blame you instead of thanking you for the dose of enlightenment, as they should!
Yes, youth have explored their own sex appeal by testing adults around them. Yes, some have even invited and cooperated in actions they regretted, and accused, retroactively. NONE OF WHICH excuses pedophilia. Especially not by members of the church, who assume not just a social responsibility but supposedly the moral and spiritual high ground, advising and judging others yet somehow twisting and turning to avoid any culpability for failures setting the better example? Surely the church, as an organization, needs to be demonstrably clear in condemning any members who sin so very egregiously; not shelter and support and relocate and excuse them. And to be clear – most of these cases are about adult men who have vowed celibacy, buggering prepubescent boys – not 15 year old girls in mini skirts and heavy makeup getting drunk and jumping into an equally drunk adult’s lap. BOTH are crimes; one is more than simply statutory. The definition and distraction of “let’s blame the kids” is just petty and wrong, so wrong.
yo #42 LINDA WILSON. the fact of the matter is this is NO different then…well since im considered a Joker, ill use Batman as my example. Batman gets beefed with by who? EVERYONE. people hate on him, cops loathe him. the enemies of the People want nothing but to see him drawn and quartered. so what does he do? not a damn thing he already hasnt been doing. he stays being Chaotic Good. He keeps fighting bad guys, and he keeps gotham safe. BUT, as bruce wayne, he doesn’t defend the batman, he agrees with most people. and if any of you saw The Dark Knight movie, and how Harvey Dent and Bruce Wayne bantered about who put Batman in charge of keeping gotham safe…and Harveys answer???? was WE ALL DID. our INACTION has provided the ONLY THING NECESSARY FOR EVIL TO WIN!!!!!!acquiescence…..Thank you all for playing.
Like I said in reference to a ci=ouple other sex abuse cases where the perp claimed to have been seduced, I asked “Who is the chlld and who is the adult?” Adults are supposed to have some control and know that it is wrong to have sex with a minor no matter who tries to initiate the whole thing.
Soory, mean “couple”.
Yeah, right, this happens all the time, because priests are SOOOOO hot. I’ve seen pictures of some of these guys who been charged with molestation, and there isn’t one of them I’d ever want to bang, now or when I was 14.
Note, he followed on with an apology. “I did not intend to blame the victim. A priest (or anyone else) who abuses a minor is always wrong and is always responsible,” Groeschel said in his post on the website. “My mind and my way of expressing myself are not as clear as they used to be. I have spent my life trying to help others the best that I could. I deeply regret any harm I have caused to anyone.”
Apparently he has been in and out of the hospital lately and the entire interview was a bit rambling. He and the publisher issued an apology because it certainly was not appropriate.
yeah #49 he did…but what else was in that apology? a Backhanded b!tch slap. i actually have the apology still open in another tab. and really when you read it it is plain that he isn’t sorry for what he said, hes just sorry he didn’t stick to the script. AND he also referenced Jerry Sandusky…who is charged with the following: Involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, indecent assault, criminal intent to commit indecent assault, unlawful contact with minors, corruption of minors, endangering welfare of children….NOTICE THE FIRST ONE. INVOLUNTARY DEVIATE SEXUAL INTERCOURSE…. which is defined as: 3123. Involuntary deviate sexual intercourse.
(a) Offense defined.–A person commits a felony of the first
degree when the person engages in deviate sexual intercourse
with a complainant:
(1) by forcible compulsion;
(2) by threat of forcible compulsion that would prevent
resistance by a person of reasonable resolution;
(3) who is unconscious or where the person knows that
the complainant is unaware that the sexual intercourse is
occurring;
(4) where the person has substantially impaired the
complainant’s power to appraise or control his or her conduct
by administering or employing, without the knowledge of the
complainant, drugs, intoxicants or other means for the
purpose of preventing resistance;
(5) who suffers from a mental disability which renders
him or her incapable of consent; or
(6) (Deleted by amendment).
(7) who is less than 16 years of age and the person is
four or more years older than the complainant and the
complainant and person are not married to each other.
Notice how….not a damn thing listed herein says SQUAT about a child being in charge of the situation….and this guy (groeschel) called Jerry “this poor guy”…yeah…poor guy…began with 52 counts of sexual abuse…so his “first” time being caught wasn’t till after 50 youngsters got serial molested. oh also…Jerry Sandusky was deemed a “sexually violent predator”…BUT POOR JERRY.