Daylife/Reuters Pictures used by permission

A year after his resignation plunged Belgium’s Roman Catholic Church into a crisis, the former bishop of Bruges provoked almost universal condemnation on Friday, this time by admitting that he had abused a second nephew – and insisting that he was not a pedophile.

In a television interview late Thursday that reopened deep wounds, the bishop, Roger Vangheluwe, 74, recounted with apparent lack of contrition events leading up to his resignation as bishop of Bruges last year, when it emerged that nearly 25 years ago he had abused a boy who was later revealed to be one of his nephews.

Those revelations prompted hundreds of people to come forward, claiming that they, too, had been victims of priests, and forced Belgium’s Roman Catholic Church into its deepest crisis of recent times.

In a broadcast from a location in France, Bishop Vangheluwe, dressed in an open-neck shirt, suggested that the 13-year relationship revealed last year had not been opposed by his nephew, and, in an unexpected new twist, he admitted having abused a second nephew for a much shorter period…

Bishop Vangheluwe is not facing criminal charges because of Belgium’s 10-year statute of limitations, and the Vatican says he is receiving “spiritual and psychological treatment” outside Belgium…

During the interview, to which Bishop Vangheluwe had agreed only on the condition that it would be broadcast live, he denied that he had been driven by sexual motives…the abuse had been restricted to the touching of genitals…

Um, the Pope said – well, the Pope said nothing. When the abuse became public he condemned the police for searching church property and took the Bishop’s fate into his own hands. Since then – the Pope said nothing.




  1. msbpodcast says:

    I come from Québec where we threw out the priests and all the other bullshit back in the sixties.

    Dude, you’re a pedophile.

    Next thing he’ll say is:I did not have sex with that …

  2. McCullough says:

    One question: Why isn’t this piece of shit behind bars?

    Ans. The same double standard that applies to banksters and politicians.

    They’re all above the law, and we just suck it up.

  3. Somebody says:

    No, f__king them in the a__ is what makes you a pedophile.

  4. Skeptic says:

    When I kick that creep in the balls he won’t be assaulted.

  5. kristy says:

    HOLY FUCK!!!!!!!!!!

  6. John E. Quantum says:

    If the church continues to insist on the doctrine of celibacy, perhaps castration should be a prerequisite for ordination into the priesthood.

  7. sargasso_c says:

    Torn limb from limb and eaten alive by a pack of wild baboons.

  8. Ruger LCR says:

    Old news. Can we all move along?
    Priests are gay men trying to suppress their sexuality. OK> So what?

  9. Skeptic says:

    Taxed Enough Already Dude said:

    “You progressives are inconsistent, if this were not a religious man, you’d be in his corner defending his right to gay sex.”

    I’ve never seen anyone on Dvorak defend an adult, especially one professing to be of the highest moral standing, who has had sex with, fondled or otherwise sexually molested any child.

    “If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you.

    Alfred, please give an example where someone’s hand or foot caused them to sin. Who is the idiot that said that rubbish?

  10. hhopper says:

    But what did the Pope say?

  11. Yawn says:

    Hey TEA Dude, is’ums wee wee all stiff and hurty for Obama, again?

  12. Animby says:

    # 7 John E. Quantum said, “…perhaps castration should be a prerequisite…”

    I’m not sure you were being serious but, just in case, castration doesn’t help. Castration, chemical or surgical, only removes the ability to engage in intercourse. Rapist are usually more interested in the dominance than the sex so they may still beat the poop out of their victims. And this guy would certainly have still felt the desire and have had the ability to feel up little boys. But he wasn’t a pedophile. He just couldn’t find an adult with a two inch pee pee.

  13. bobbo, Republicans are constantly LYING on EVERYTHING. says:

    Animby, you raise an interesting parallel: how much of religious orgasm tracks right along with pedophilia? It was one of the key themes in Beautiful Losers, a most excellent novel by the well known composer Lenard Cohen.

    Yes, once you leave the strictures of empathy, logic, and your common humanity the options certainly include religion and pederasty==being driven by nonsense and cruelty that lies outside your common humanity.

    Yea verily.

  14. GregAllen says:

    >> Taxed Enough Already Dude said, on April 16th, 2011 at 12:32 pm

    >> You progressives are inconsistent, if this were not a religious man, you’d be in his corner defending his right to gay sex.
    >> NAMBLA is a progressive organization.

    What a load of crap. It’s _YOU_ conservatives who confuse pedophilia with homosexuality. Like you just did in your bogus counter-attack on progressives.

    We liberals are smart enough to know that pedophilia comes in both gay and straight.

    Is NAMBLA a progressive organization? Says who? I suspect that NAMBLA is mostly “family values” conservatives.

    But _if_ NAMBLA is progressive, it’s in the same way that the Westboro Baptist Church is conservative.

  15. Thomas says:

    #9
    Off your meds again? This man would get universal condemnation regardless of what clothes he wears. However, on top of being a pedophile, he’s also a hypocrite to his religion (as are most Christians). He deserves his savior’s punishment and just in time for Easter!

  16. Animby says:

    # 22 pedro said, “So, a guy that has sex with kids of his same sex is not homosexual? How can you rationalize that? Inquiring minds want to know.:

    Somehow, Pedro, I never thought of you as having an inquiring mind. There are homosexual pedophiles. There are heterosexual pedophiles. But, statistically, homosexual pedos usually do not assault children of their own sex. Odd, I know, but true. Pedophiles are attracted to prepubescent children, gender aside. (By the way, those attracted to pubescent children are known as hebephiles. There’s even a subset of this paraphilia for lovers of older adolescents but I forget the term.) I’m not a psychiatrist but I think you’d find the reason so many priests are attracted to boys is not because they are homosexual but because these are the kids which are available to them.

    And isn’t there a bit of pedo in Pedro? Do you like your porn stars to shave their pubes? Was it Australia that decided photos of small-breasted women was child porn? How much does that subscription to Barely Legal cost per month?

  17. Nugget Coombs says:

    # 2 McCullough said, on April 16th, 2011 at 10:55 am

    One question: Why isn’t this piece of shit behind bars?
    That is a good question, however, we should also be asking why aren’t this piece of shits “Superiors”, the bishops and all the the rest of the hierarchy like the pope, all locked away from society?

  18. ray says:

    Jesus Christ…

  19. Animby says:

    #27 Pedo – I was merely explaining the facts of life to you, boy. You don’t want to listen. that’s your business. He may have started out as a pedophile, matured to a hebephile and graduated to an ephebophile. I maintain this does not prove he was homosexual. He may not have been even a true pedophile. Being severely restricted in his choice of sexual releases, this may have started as the only convenient release. I’m not saying this was a good thing: kids is kids where ever you go.

    Or, he may like dick in any size. I don’t know. What was it Sam Kinnison said? How can anybody look at a man’s hairy ass and fall in love? Maybe that’s why the priest started with a boy and stayed with him for a decade. The hair comes gradually.

    After all this time, you finally figured out what A NIMBY is? What a maroon…

  20. Animby says:

    #27 – BTW, Pedro, I originally meant the A in my name to stand for Another.

  21. foobar says:

    Hmmm. I suddenly have a craving for tacos.

  22. ray says:

    #33 Animby and #35 pedro,

    You’re playing semantics which is largely pointless here. This guy touched little boys and needs to be punished, end of story. Doesn’t matter if he’s homo, hebephile, herbivore, herb of mexico, or whatever.

    This is why society is going down-hill because there are dumb conversations such as these.

  23. Thomas says:

    #29, #30
    Your citations are not from a reputable sources therefore your denial about universal condemnation is empty. Regardless, what others might think isn’t the point. This guy molested children he deserves death but I’ll settle for life in prison.

    No one and especially no organization endorses pedophilia. However, the Christians are famous for covering up the activity. You want respect as a religion? Have the Church(s) release every record about every accusation and activity of every priest and work with law enforcement to put as many of these pedophiles in jail no matter the country.

  24. tcc3 says:

    #38 TeaDud

    You’re not using the same level of standards for each group.

    You claim/imply that the existence of NAMBLA means all homosexuals promote pedophilia.

    By that same logic, then the existence of pedophile priests means all Christians are pedophiles.

    The existence of Mark Foley, Larry Craig, Ted Haggard, Bob Allen, and Glean Murphy Jr means that all conservative republicans are closet homosexuals.

    None of the above is logically sound. But I don’t expect TeaDud to comprehend that.

  25. tcc3 says:

    #40 Pedro

    So not supporting NAMBLA is also evidence of malfeasance. Quite the kangaroo court you have set up here.

  26. tcc3 says:

    #42 Perdedor

    {sarcasm}The power of your argument is astounding {/sarcasm}

  27. Thomas says:

    #38
    What the Vatican and all other churches have not done is open their records about every incident and priest. Until they provide 100% transparency about all records and provide absolutely zero obstruction to any and all investigations, no one will believe them. The reason is simple: the upper echelon of the various churches are complicit in the cover up including and especially the sitting pope. In a way, we should be thankful. The hypocrisy of the churches and their religion could not have been made more evident than the protection of these priests.

    RE: NAMBLA

    Until you show an official statement from NAMBLA specifically and expressly endorsing pedophilia, your statement is empty. Frankly, I could care less about NAMBLA but your argument that if they covered up pedophilia it would be treated differently is a load of horseshit with zero evidence.

    Progressive ideology is from the pit of hell, from abusing children, to killing them in the womb, millions of deaths are on its head.

    Look in the mirror. Look what your religion has wrought. Priests molesting children by the score. 100’s of millions dead due to failed absence only programs in the face of AIDS. Millions of criminals created by mothers being coerced or guilted into having unwanted children which then turn criminal. Millions killed over the decades due to religious wars. Frankly, I don’t see why you wait for your rapture. If the next life is so much better, why not take the express lane and do yourself (and us) a favor?

  28. Dallas says:

    With Alphie facination with and joining NAMBLA, I suppose I need to join that Baptist Church of Loons that spit on dead soldiers. On second thought, nah.

    In defense of the Pope, I can see where washing a guys feet as Jesus often did could lead to some dick chomp. Especially with some wine nearby.

  29. tcc3 says:

    #47 TeaDud

    Not being qualified has never prevented you from commenting before.

  30. Thomas says:

    #48
    Fact is, behind every pervert, is a progressive organization just waiting to burst out, defending his/her rights to do the most disgusting things, in public.

    And you justify this ridiculous generality in the face of the leaders of your religion regularly being prosecuted for child molestation how?

    #49
    The Bible certainly condemns ALL sexual immorality, classifying all sex outside of heterosexual marriage, as equally sinful.

    And yet, the Christian churches have and still do cover up such incident which have occurred with their clergy. The words of the people that profess your religion do not match their actions; thus the hypocrisy.

    #52
    So progressive blogs ridiculing obviously deranged people of religious persuasion, for doing what progressives promote everywhere else, including our schools, is the height of hypocrisy.

    Balony. Pedophilia is prosecuted regardless of religious background. However, the Christian churches have made covering up pedophilia and molestation an art form.


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