No more soft soap please
I will say honestly and up front, I have little love lost for the Church. It has lied, obfuscated and just plain obstructed justice for decades of child abuse, enslavement in the Magdalene Launderies occurring to the late 20th Century. While,including the character portrayed herein, there were many good men/women who helped, it does not cover the stain of the crimes committed by the Church. Also, it doesn't cover the crimes continuing to be committed.
This movie is one of several that have been made showing the good side of the Vatican and its' represetatives. It is based on historical data. But what we must remember and not forget is the other reality of that Era. Instead of actively speaking out against Hitler and his Minions, the Catholic Church chose to be silent. When was being sought for Hitler's final solution, it should have been preemptively given to Allied Intelligence with the seal of the Pope as its' authenticity. None of this occurred. In fact, a great many escapes from the Allies sweep for Nazis involved in the final solution was done with Vatica papers.
Yes, this is a moving story. But let us deal in reality, the Church operated a series of launderies where young womnen worked without hope of leaving in Ireland. Many of them buried in unmarked graves. In Newfoundland, one order of monks ran a child brothel for molestors quaintly called an orphanage. To put icing on the cake, the monks were paid money by the Canadian goverment to do this fine project. The police were caught looking the other way for the need of many for an occasional transgression.
The Church has never openly dealt with any priestly misconduct unless it was finally pulled out of them by lawsuits, press, and in rare casie criminal prosecution. The Church, in fact, have helped several offenders in the US avoid prosecution or make the prosecution deal with them. They helped one offender in Dallas avoid being put in the Jail as all other similar offenders. This man was able to stay on church property before and during the prosecution.
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