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Catholic Comic Books Warn Kids of Abuse

By KAREN MATTHEWS,
AP
Posted: 2007-12-05 17:47:20
Filed Under: Nation News
NEW YORK (Dec. 5) - The Archdiocese of New York is handing out coloring and comic books that warn children about sex predators, the first such effort by a Roman Catholic diocese in the United States.

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In the coloring book, a perky guardian angel tells children not to keep secrets from their parents, not to meet anyone from an Internet chat room and to allow only "certain people" like a doctor or parent to see "where your bathing suit would be."

In a comic book version for children over 10, a teenager turns to St. Michael the Archangel for strength to report that two schoolmates are being sexually abused.

Joseph Zwilling, a spokesman for the archdiocese, said the have been distributed to about 300 schools and 400 religious education programs to use as a resource. They are also free online.

"It's to help young people to know situations they should not get into," he said. "How to be safe — but to try to do it in an age-appropriate and sensitive way."

Some critics, while applauding the intent, say the books should say explicitly that trusted adults — including priests — may be the abusers.

Zwilling said that as far as he knows, the coloring book is the first of its kind to be produced by church officials. David Clohessy, national director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said he, too, was unaware of any such effort.

Clohessy said that while he welcomes any attempt to teach children how to stay safe, he believes the coloring book should state more clearly that the predator is more likely to be a trusted adult than a stranger.

"There continues to be a bit of an overemphasis on stranger danger," Clohessy said. "I think it would be most effective if it would say, 'Not only strangers molest kids. Even adults you like and your parents respect — teachers, doctors, priests — can hurt kids.'"

But Zwilling said the vast majority of priests are "good and holy men," and he said it would have been inappropriate for the coloring book to single out priests as potential abusers. "You don't want to frighten children," he said. "You also don't want to stigmatize any group."

The closest the coloring book comes to directly addressing the 2002 church abuse scandal is a picture of a second angel — not the guardian angel — grinning at a priest and an altar boy through a wide open door.

"For safety's sake, a child and an adult shouldn't be alone in a closed room together," the text reads. "If a child and an adult happen to be alone, someone should know where they are and the door should be open or have a big window in it."

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2007-12-05 16:45:20
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Wadimeser 11:41:00 AM Dec 08 2007

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ismellagop
============
By your comments we can see that you are not Catholic

ismellagop 04:26:33 PM Dec 07 2007

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Too little, too late from the Cartholic Church of pedophilia. Instead of lecturing us on the hypocritical "morality" they spew lies about, they should give ALL of their filthy money to their child rape victims, A Nazi Pope is bad for the world.

Wadimeser8 06:53:46 PM Dec 06 2007

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Well...... I guess everybody went out to dinner..........
Bye, A bientot, arriverdecci, sayonara. (Aren't you amazed at my foreign language knowledge?)

Wadimeser8 06:51:44 PM Dec 06 2007

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Sorry about the typos.

Wadimeser8 06:51:43 PM Dec 06 2007

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Sorry about the typos.

Wadimeser8 06:50:17 PM Dec 06 2007

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Whoa!....... I just realize that I am conversing with a dozen people so emeshed in religion that theonly comments they make are reading verses from a book that was written when?.. By whom?....... for what purpose?......
I think you etter come down people from the etheral palteau down to Earth and face reality....... Pedophyles have been here from day one (check your calendar), are here, and will be until the end of then world, nhot by your so called scriptures, but by the insanity of people who will nuke each other in spite.

Wadimeser8 06:44:08 PM Dec 06 2007

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I think I will be the only one who think that affaire is going berserk.
Not only it's insulting to the clergy, but it will implant ideas into kids that all men and especially priests are pedophyles. (And I am an Atheist)
I respect all religions provided they don't brainwash our kids and adults as well.
What were they thinking............... idiots I am sure.
It's not an endorsement of pedophyle activities, just a realistic comment. Think about it before you all jump on me.

MamWestx4 06:26:26 PM Dec 06 2007

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Proverbs 16 verse 25:
"There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death".

Proverbs 16 verse 2:
"All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits".

John 14 verse 6:
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me".

Take notice, there is NO MENTION of the Pope, Mohammad, Buddha or any other false prophet. It says there is but ONE WAY, through Jesus Christ.

MamWestx4 06:17:30 PM Dec 06 2007

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To tpgbart:
Is that going to be your statement when you give account before your Creator?
What do you imagine Jesus Christ would say about pedophilia and homosexuality? How do you think He feels about it? I've quoted only a few Scriptures here. I'm positive Jesus will have plenty more to say upon His return.

Maybe a better question is: how can anyone let the sexual crimes and perversions of the Catholic Church go on?

Keeping silent is EXACTLY the environment that's allowed this crap to continue and even thrive.

MamWestx4 06:09:50 PM Dec 06 2007

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Matthew 19 verses 4-5-6: See also Mark 10 verses 6-7-8-9.
"And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female",
"And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh"?
"Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder".

Take particular note, it does NOT say CLEAVE TO LITTLE GIRLS AND BOYS, but rather to a WIFE. Meaning, MARRIAGE.

Mark 10 verses 11-12:
"And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her".
"And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery".
YES, divorce is also wrong in the eyes of God.

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