Sexual misconduct by teachers?

In a recent article:

ttp://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071020/ap_on_re_us/teacher_sex_abuse the vast problems of sexual abuse by teachers with students is finally beginning to be revealed. Naturally, the sex-abuse crisis in the Church is brought in, but no attempt is made to put it into perspective with the same crisis in American public schools. Private schools also get bashed because they often use non-credentialed teachers. (Of course this not true of accredited private schools, all of which have sexual abuse policies in place.) Here is a quote from the article:

Two of the nation's major teachers unions, the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association, each denounced sex abuse while emphasizing that educators' rights also must be taken into account. "Students must be protected from sexual predators and abuse, and teachers must be protected from false accusations," said NEA President Reg Weaver, who refused to be interviewed and instead released a two-paragraph statement.

Notice that the concern is for both the rights of students, and the rights of teachers. This is something lacking in the Catholic Church's situation, where even a false accusation results in immediate suspension a divinis, i.e., net able to celebrate the liturgy or sacraments, and the priest is immediately removed from his position,often overnight, and is then never allowed to serve again, contrary to the decrees of canon law. Said priest must then go to therapy and evaluation before he can be cleared (if the accusation was unfounded). But since no one can get any higher clearance than that they are probably unlikely to commit such an offence, what bishop would ever put said priest back into service again? It's like trying to prove a universal negative: the priest will never do it again. Only when he's dead.

The two new American cardinals are both associated with the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem. Cardinal-Archbishop Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston is the Grand Prior of the Southwest Lieutenency of the EOHSJ, and Cardinal-Archbishop John Patrick Foley has been the pro-Grand Master of the EOHSJ. Now, as a cardinal he drops the "pro" from his title and is simply called the Grand Master of the EOHSJ.

(From Zenit.org) Pope Benedict XVI announced the names of 23 new cardinals for the Church, including a historic move to bestow the first red hat to the head of a Texas archdiocese.The consistory, the second of the Pope's pontificate, will be held Nov. 24, the eve of the solemnity of Christ the King, the Vatican press office said today."The new cardinals," the Pope said at the end of today's general audience, "come from various parts of the world. And the universality of the Church, with the multiplicity of her ministries, is clearly reflected in them."Alongside deserving prelates who work for the Holy See are pastors who dedicate their energies to direct contact with the faithful." Two of the new cardinals are U.S. prelates: Archbishop John Patrick Foley, pro-grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem and Archbishop Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, Texas.

St. Luke's Day

Today is the feast of St. Luke, the Evangelist. He was born of pagan parents, but converted to the faith. He was a disciple and companion of St. Paul, and composed the Gospel named after him, and the Acts of the Apostles. He told us of the birth and childhood of Jesus, and presented some of the most moving of Jesus' parables such as the lost sheep, and the prodigal son. His Gospel highlights the universal nature of salvation.

Collect: Father you chose Luke the evangelist to reveal by preaching and writing the mystery of your love for the poor. Unite in one heart and spirit all who glory in your name, and let all nations come to see your salvation Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Annual meeting of the EOHSJ

I have just returned from Oklahoma City for our Southwestern Lieutenency's annual meeting. Five members from Holy Redeemer were invested: Sir Phillip and Lady Denise Pesek, Dr. Sir Ken Gati, and Lady Daion Gati, and Lady Susan Hobart. There were also three others that I had nominated from the diocese of Little Rock: Fr. Aaron Pirerra, OSB, and Deacon Sir Robert Cowie, and Lady Elizabeth Cowie.

It was an especially great time, filled with liturgy and prayer, and much renewing of friendships from our pilgrimage of last November. There were also some late-night sessions in the hotel bar, but I will not comment on them other than to say that they were deep and amicable, and a lot of fun.

We were addressed at the Sunday evening banquet by Arch-eparch Elias Chacour, of the Galilee. It was a very interesting and blunt account of the life of Christians in the Holy Land. I am hoping that I will be able to gather a group of pilgrims who would go and see his work, after all, he invited us.

Tonight I will stay at the abbey, and then leave tomorrow for Little Rock and continuing education for the clergy. We will study the motu proprio, Summorum Potificum on the greater access to the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite, known as the Tridentine Mass.